Madagascar, Les Enfants de L'Ovale

Overview

Les Enfants de l’Ovale (LEDO) was founded by French former international Philippe Sella. Its ambition is to harness the values, rules, and spirit of rugby to set up an educational project for children from difficult neighbourhoods to help them develop themselves through rugby.

The organisation operates across 10 centres in 7 countries. Although each country faces its own challenges, the work of LEDO is crucial, offering a comprehensive educational project which integrates sport, multidisciplinary school support, and training programmes in health and nutrition. In communities where schooling can be precarious, LEDO creates a sustainable pathway for these children to excel, creating direction and purpose for the children. Atlas supports this programme in Madagascar.

Atlas are proud to support the Madagascan centre just outside Antananarivo. The children from the french-speaking site benefit from a stadium, living house and vegetable garden, allowing them to combine sports and training with nutrition for a healthy lifestyle. The children are given a meal for every sports session and receive medical visits at least twice a year to keep the children healthy and active.

In addition to their health, the centre offers school support with focused lessons on the children’s French, and vocabulary skills including sewing, hairdressing, and computing to offer children employment opportunities for a fullfilling life.

Impact

The organisation reaches 1,400 children across 10 centres in 7 countries. 120 sports and socio-educational educators are employed, with an additional 60 volunteers, who receive ongoing training in education to ensure the standard of supervision for the children doesn’t falter.

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What We Do
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Set up by Ben Nicholson in memory of his wife Anita and their two children Alex and Annabel who tragically lost their lives in the Sri Lanka bombings on Easter Sunday 2019.
Front Row Club Closure
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Read the moving interview with Ben Nicholson in the Sunday Times. “Sri Lanka’s Easter Bombings: one year on from the terror that killed my wife and children.”
History

Don't need summary
Ed Cooper Memorial Fund

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Atlas South Africa was founded in 2018 after a successful Atlas Trek to Botswana and Zimbabwe attended by South African Rugby Champions. Since then two successful rides in the Cape Town Cycling Tour as well as six thriving projects have made a fantastic start for Atlas South Africa.