A view of the campus at Little Nest School in Antananarivo, Madagascar

On the morning of May 14, 2025, the Beijing Changier Education Foundation accompanied the delegation of the China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE) in visiting Little Nest School. The school is located in the suburbs of Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, and boasts a history of over 30 years. It is a full-time institution offering education from kindergarten through high school, with more than 2,000 students and staff. In recent years, Little Nest School has been actively promoting the teaching of Chinese. In 2017, the school established the first Confucius Classroom in Madagascar. The Confucius Classroom at Little Nest School, part of the Confucius Institute at the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar, has over one thousand students learning Chinese.

During the nearly two-hour visit, China and Madagascar engaged in warm and meaningful interactions centered on education in the humanities, youth development, and cultural exchanges. President Zhang Yinjun attended the event along with Wang Changkun, Minister of the International Affairs Department; Zhang Xiang, Deputy Director of the Asset Management Committee; and Chen Xiaoyun, Vice President of the Maternal Love Academie and President of the Lingnan Maternal Love Academie.

Ms. Sahoby Ramahafalisoa Mampionona (The second one on the left), Chairwoman of the Little Nest Group, accompanied Mr. Li Jun (The second one on the right), Vice President of the China National Institute for Educational Research (CNIE), and his delegation on a visit to the Little Nest School.

Ms. Zhang Yinjun entered the classroom and warmly posed for a photo with the teachers and students.

The Chinese Embassy in Madagascar donated nearly 3,000 Chinese and Chinese-French bilingual books to the "China Book House" at Little Nest School.

The faculty and students of Little Nest School School warmly welcomed the visit of the Chinese delegation. During the campus tour, when the delegation entered the library donated by the Chinese Embassy in Madagascar, Ms. Zhang Yinjun, President of the Beijing Changier Education Foundation, expressed her willingness to donate a series of books on AIDS prevention education and life inspiration, independently published by the foundation, to the school. These books aim to provide local youth with systematic and scientifically-based reading materials on sexual and psychological health.

Chinese culture prominently displayed on the school walls

As the only 5A-level public welfare organization in China that provides mental health and life education to young people under the concept of "Education of Love," Beijing Changier Education Foundation also distributed school supplies, daily necessities, and small candy gift packs to all the students that day. They took friendly photos with the children, capturing a heartwarming moment. Zhang Yinjun stated, "Education of Love knows no borders. I hope that the philosophy and resources of Changier can nurture more soul-protecting flowers on the vibrant land of Africa."

The traditional Malagasy dance performed by Little Nest students.

Students from Little Nest played and sang Chinese songs on the keyboard

Students from Little Nest School performed Chinese Kung Fu

Students from Little Nest School performed Tai Chi Sword

Students from Little Nest School sang the song "I wanna say thank you" in Chinese.

During the visit, students from Little Nest School passionately presented a cultural performance rich in Chinese elements: from an electronic keyboard and vocal performance by the champion of the Chinese Language Challenge in the Madagascar division, to a Tai Chi sword demonstration, and a choral rendition of "I wanna say thank you". This showcase of the deep-rooted China-Madagascar cultural exchange deeply moved the guests present.

Li Jun, Vice President of CNIE (The first one on the left), spoke.

Li Jun, Vice President of the CNIE, in his speech, used the metaphor of a "little nest" to signify "a golden phoenix taking flight", encouraging the students: "Perhaps in 20 years, some of you will become ambassadors to China, engineers, or teachers, making outstanding contributions to your country and the world." He emphasized that the development of Chinese culture has always been intertwined with cultural exchange and integration with the outside world, and the teaching practice of the Little Nest is a vivid illustration of this process of mutual learning among civilizations.

Ambassador Ji Ping of China in Madagascar (The second one on the left) presented a souvenir to Ms. Sahoby Ramahafalisoa Mampionona (The first one on the right), Chairwoman of the Little Nest Group.

In his speech, Chinese Ambassador to Madagascar Ji Ping fondly reflected on the longstanding cooperation between the embassy and Little Nest. He said, "A golden phoenix has flown from here, and the Chinese language these children have learned has become the warmest memory of their lives." Ambassador Ji also presented the school with an exquisite lampwick embroidery souvenir featuring Chinese pandas on behalf of the embassy, symbolizing the close bond and cultural exchange between the peoples of the two countries.

The group from the Beijing Changier Education Foundation happily took photos with the students.

This visit not only showcased the responsibility and commitment of Chinese social organizations in China-Africa cooperation but also reaffirmed the professionalism and foresight of Beijing Changier Education Foundation on the international public welfare stage. In the future, the Beijing Changier Education Foundation will continue to explore localized approaches to education, mental health, and maternal love education practices in Africa. It will collaborate with more grassroots educational institutions like Little Nest to jointly create a better environment for the growth of African youth.