About Us
Give Them a Smile is an educational/entrepreneurial initiative based in Madagascar, one of the poorest countries on Earth, where 46% of the population is illiterate and ever-increasing pressure on limited resources is causing widespread social and environmental problems.
"Be the change you want to see in the world "
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- Gandhi
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide quality education for people in Madagascar to help them improve their lives while encouraging self-sufficiency and environmental sustainability.
Meet our awesome team of volunteers!
Itsikiantsoa Randrianantenaina
Co-Founder, Director
Itsikiantsoa (Tsiky) Randrianantenaina (Malagasy) studied at Collège Saint Louis de Gonzague, Mahasoabe (our main targeted area). Then, she moved to Fianarantsoa to attend high school at Collège Saint François Xavier. She moved to Morocco for an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Physics, and an Engineering degree in Telecommunications, Institut National des Postes et Télécommunications. She then obtained a fellowship from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, where she completed her Master's and PhD degree in Electrical Engineering. She is convinced that education is the best way to break the poverty cycle and to build a sustainable future for her country.
"90% of the Malagasy population lives under the poverty line (earning less than 2 USD a day); they are living in a vicious cycle of poverty that is only getting worse. I believe that education targeted for each demographic is one of the ways to break this cycle. Education gives a high-level perspective and a deeper understanding of one’s surroundings, which enables innovation and real, impactful economic change. For this reason, I founded Give Them a Smile. I dream of a Malagasy population that understands the importance of education and of a Madagascar where education is no longer undervalued or seen as a luxury but is available to all Malagasy children."
Liliane Ravololontseheno
Co-Founder, Head of Operations
Madame Liliane has been working
as a teacher at College Saint Louis de Gonzague, for over 20 years.
“I love helping people. There are many children with exceptional abilities but do not have the means to go to school here in Madagascar. Working with Give them a Smile allows me to help them.”
Elisa Guagliardo
Co-founder
Elisa Guagliardo (Italian) holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication and Management for Arts and Culture, and a Master of Science in Economics and Management of Arts, Media, Culture and Entertainment. She is currently working as an Events Specialist in KAUST, Saudi Arabia, where she met our Founder, Tsiky.
"I developed a passion for helping people and for continuous learning through education and skills development. I learned that in life you need to be able to adapt and develop yourself all the time - and education is what takes you to the next level. One of my biggest dreams has always been to work for a non-profit organization, but I would never have imagined that I could actually create Give them a Smile with my best friend Tsiky when she came up in 2016 with the idea of helping children in Madagascar. "
Jan Kosco
Financial Manager
Jan Kosco holds a Master of Science in Chemistry from Imperial College London and a PhD degree in solar hydrogen production from KAUST, Saudi Arabia.
“I joined Give Them a Smile in 2018 after visiting the country for the first time in 2017. I love Madagascar, its people and nature. And I believe education is the best way to help all three.”
Daniel Binham
Teacher
Daniel holds a BA Hons. with Math from the University of Cambridge. He also has several years of volunteer
teaching experience. He joined GTS in 2019.
“I've always wanted to make a difference by teaching, and meeting Tsiky has given me the perfect opportunity to do just that.”