Child CARE Monaco : Education for all, a mission inspired by a journey
© Association Child CARE Monaco
Child CARE (Charity Association for the Right to Education) Monaco has been working tirelessly to promote education for disadvantaged children around the world, since 2012.
Founded by Martine Ackermann, the Monegasque charity, approved by the Government of Monaco, has set itself the mission of building schools and sponsoring children in India, offering educational opportunities to those who are deprived of them.
It all started with a family trip around the world that changed its founder’s life: “With my children and my husband we went on a world tour as a family, and we wanted the trip to have a humanitarian aspect too. I hadn’t had the idea of the charity yet at the time,” says Martine Ackermann. “We carried out a number of missions during our world tour. We went to orphanages and helped schools.”
The experience revealed to Martine the glaring inequalities in access to education around the world. “In India, we met a man who was doing what he could to teach street children. We helped him as much as we could during our stay. I said that at the end of my trip, I would go back to India. That’s what I did. Three months later, I went back with my suitcases and started seriously researching what was needed and what was being done.”
The non-profit quickly took shape on her return to Monaco. “I went back to Monaco, set up the charity and immediately told my friends about it. So we started sponsoring street children in Jaipur,” explains the founder. These children, from the untouchable caste, are “the ones you see on the street selling newspapers and such, who are sent to earn money because their family’s financial situation is precarious, or children who live in railway stations because they have no family.”
Two schools and a library bus for educational purposes
Today, Child CARE Monaco’s work focuses on several main projects in India. The first school, in the village of Trestha near Udaipur, has an intake of 90 girls. “Then I went to a very remote village where the Untouchable caste lives: Trestha. Within the untouchables, there are several more castes. I said to myself: this can’t go on, we’re going to create a school here,” says Martine Ackermann. Built in 2015, the school replaced ‘a grain silo’. The second school, called Cheysta, is in the south of India, in a region that was devastated by a tsunami. “When I got there, I could see that there was nothing left after they had been devastated. I was very touched by these women who, despite having nothing, had organised a small fund-raising campaign of their own to put a roof back on what they called the school. It was just a sheet of metal so the children were sheltered,” recalls the charity’s president. The co-educational school currently has 130 pupils.
Another project, the library bus, is a perfect illustration of the charity’s innovative spirit: “The bus goes around the shanty towns, where there is absolutely no access to schools,” explains Martine Ackermann. “We now have a television inside, bought thanks to one of our raffles during the rally. We use YouTube on the television, for example. Last time, we did a class on the body’s anatomy. We were singing, showing noses, shoulders, stomachs and feet. On the outside of the bus there are books, and we read them stories.” Her daughter Carla is the patron for this project, which is aimed at children from the slums who “have no access to anything, especially not buying a book. As you can imagine, that’s a huge luxury. So I bring back books that aren’t too heavy for me to carry around, with lots of pictures, because with pictures you can tell the story in your own way.” The bus provides balanced meals, literacy classes and cultural activities. “These really are neglected children. Our visit is eagerly awaited.”
At the same time, the non-profit also supports an orphanage in Jaipur, which is increasingly in demand due to the rise in child trafficking. Here too, hygiene kits and meals are essential.
Affordable sponsorship for a lasting impact
Child CARE Monaco operates entirely thanks to donations and sponsorships. The sponsorship system, which costs 179 euros per year, “includes schooling, two meals a day, clothing, school uniforms and hygiene kits. The price also covers teachers’ salaries, exercise books and all school supplies.”
The charity, which has 12 active volunteers, focuses on proximity and personalised support. “I go to India once a year. Volunteers come with me in October-November. It means they can talk about it. This year, I’m going with a doctor friend, a hairdresser friend, a musician friend and our treasurer’s assistant. Everyone has something to contribute to the school and that’s great. I usually teach English. I go into all the classes and try to make myself useful where I can. The schoolgirls want me everywhere, so I need to not disappoint anyone, and give everyone the same amount of time.”
The results are encouraging: “We now have three girls who are pursuing their studies. Two of them are going to be nurses and another is going to be a teacher. They were the first girls I helped when we started the charity,” the founder is pleased to say. Another notable success: “Thanks to our annual visits, we have managed to raise the marriage age in the village.” In February 2025 the school even received “an award from the Government of Rajasthan via the Ministry of Education. It was great to see the school’s name recognised in this way.”
To fund its activities, every September the charity organises a classic car rally in Monaco, a personal passion of the founder. “I’m a big vintage car enthusiast. That’s why every year, in September in Monaco, I organise the rally to raise funds.” This year the ladies’ rally, which will be held for the 12th time on 7 September 2025, has the theme “French Riviera – Chic & Glamour.”
“This unique event includes around thirty classic cars, and in recent years we have had the honour and privilege of having two from the prestigious Prince of Monaco’s Car Collection. The idea behind the Rally is to provide an alternative to the traditional galas: an original, elegant and festive way of thanking those who support our actions. In return for their generosity, I offer them a unique and throughly enjoyable experience.”
The charity is also expanding its activities in South Africa, which Martine Ackermann has visited: “I inaugurated this establishment last year. South Africa is also very poor. I visited a school, I helped it with school supplies and we’re going to keep doing so.”
Martine Ackermann believes education is “the only thing that can save the world. There’s no doubt about that, especially for girls, because unfortunately in many countries they are not treated the same as boys.” Her personal philosophy guides the charity’s work: “I think the world would be a much better place if we showed more solidarity. We need to not give way to individualism. We can all do something at our own level. I’ve always said to my children: where there’s a will, there’s a way. My world view is based on the values of solidarity and dedication.”
Practical details
Contact:
- Website: www.childcaremonaco.com
- Email : childcare@monaco.mc
Social media: Follow the non-profit on Facebook and Instagram to find out more about the children they help and their work on the ground.