ZARA AINA INC
14 STUYVESANT OVAL 2C, NEW YORK, NY 10009 www.zaraaina.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: Zara Aina helps at-risk children expand their capacity for achievement through theatrical performance and storytelling.

Zara Aina is a Malagasy phrase that means share life. Broadway actors Lucas Caleb Rooney and Bryce Pinkham founded Zara Aina to help at-risk children expand their capacity for achievement through theatrical performance and storytelling. Established in 2012 with headquarters in New York, Zara Aina is a non-profit organization working with partners to develop sustainable programs that empower and change lives.

Youth Company & Antananarivo Clubhouse: In 2019, Zara Ainas programming closely mirrored 2018. Again in the Fall, the Malagasy staff facilitated, created, and produced a large show at the American Embassy and took it on tour, all on their own.There continue to be approximately 15 children served in Years 1-3 of our theater programming, as well as approximately 15 street children from the surrounding neighborhood.The 4th year curriculum continues to focus on test preparation, English and French classes, and career development, with internships at the Center, students enrolled in vocational training, and students in outside internships as well. For the first time in Zara Ainas history, one of our original students was given a job at a bakery, after completing his internship there.Andtwo female students passed their national exams, and began attending High School. The Malagasy staff partnered with German NGO GIZ and Catholic Relief Services for Theater for Development projects in locations outside the capital city of Antanarivo.

Mobile Library: Launched in 2016 in partnership with the UK-based Vape Club, Zara Ainas Mobile Library project distributes useful books to rural villages across four regions of Madagascar. The books focus on practical knowledge such as ways to improve agricultural practices, family relations and health, environmental issues, sexual health, DIY and trades. In 2018, the Mobile Library continued to distribute seeds and fruit trees to participating communities, along with literature about care and cultivation.When the Library is not actively engaged in a tour, the van is used by Zara Aina staff to transport the Youth Company and Zara Aina oversees the overall operation of the Program and provides administrative support to Library staff.

Zara Aina was able to offer an expanded number of trips to work with at-risk and middle school students in the greater New York City area and in Alabama, with workshops at:Win Shelter Harlem:6 ZA volunteers led two different multi-day residencies at two Win Shelters in Harlem. Each time they worked with 10 kids ages 5-15, who learned the ZA warm-up and games, and built original characters, songs, and scenes, which they performed for family and friends at the end of the residency.JCCA Pleasantville Cottage School:5 ZA volunteer facilitators led our third multi-week residency at the JCCA of Westchesters Pleasantville Cottage School. For 2 hours each week for 6 weeks, we worked with 5 kids ages 8-16 to use our pedagogy and curriculum to build original acts for their school-wide talent show.BAMA Kids:8 ZA volunteers took our 5th trip to work with BAMA Kids. This time, we brought teaching artists with several specific disciplines: Acting, Music Production, Poetry, and Dance. Students took workshops in each of these disciplines and made final pieces which they showed in a big sharing at the end of the week.Rhinebeck Middle School:Zara Aina continued its ongoing relationship with Rhinebeck Middle School in fall 2019, leading a daylong workshop where the kids got the chance to bring to life onstage true stories about Climate Change in the US and Madagascar, and perform them for their peers and the staff.

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