STAND UP FOR LIFE MADAGASCAR is a project born in 2012 in Ambovombe in southern Madagascar, following the encounter with a malnourished girl who at seven years old weighed only seven kilos.The project’s main objective is to protect life and encourage the fight against underdevelopment and hunger, based on fundamental values ​​such as solidarity and the defence of human and child rights.

Stand Up for Life is conducted by field specialists/local staff and is committed to fighting child malnutrition and tropical diseases, to raising awareness among local populations of correct hygiene and health behaviours and to promoting the social, cultural and economic development of the territory. In 2012, the “Canteen of Hope” was launched for the children of Ambovombe and in February 2023 the “House of Hope” was inaugurated.

The project became part of Busajo NGO in April 2023 and Valentina Bargelli (one of the creators and promoters of Stand up for life Madagascar) became a member of Busajo and remains the main contact of the House of Hope.

Today the House of Hope provides 300 meals a day in the canteen and takes care of the health of children, through daily health care and medical visits, sending the most serious cases to specialized medical centers. Children are taught essential hygiene rules and participate in environmental/health education lessons; in addition, every day they can take a shower and brush their teeth before returning to their homes.
After lunch, children can read books from the library, draw or play in the courtyard.

One of the goals we have set is to enrich the educational program in favor of the young users of the Canteen: in 2023, 100 children were enrolled in school, while in 2024 and in 2025, as hoped, we enrolled in local schools 300 boys and girls, who also received a full set of school supplies.
The program also includes remote support for children/families in serious difficulty or with significant medical pathologies.

In August 2025, the “Chiara and Valentina” prenatal and neonatal clinic was inaugurated in collaboration with the Manz-Aid association. The new clinic offers medical checkups and ultrasounds for pregnant women, neonatal checkups, vaccinations, therapies, and support for breastfeeding and weaning. Family planning is also provided, focusing on strategies and methods to manage the number and timing of pregnancies (the role of contraceptives).