Founded in 2012 by Anri-Louise Oosthuizen, an esteemed South African occupational therapist, Growing The Nations Therapy Programmes (GNTP) was established to address the inadequate care for individuals with disabilities and challenge the stigmas associated with them in Madagascar. Initially, our focus was on raising awareness and collaborating with the Ministry of Public Health and various medical institutions, providing pro bono therapies, assistive devices, and home visits.

In 2014, GNTP successfully advocated for the establishment of an occupational therapy curriculum at the Faculty of Medicine in Ankatso. By 2015, the program launched with nine pioneering students. Through persistent advocacy, occupational therapy was officially recognized as a profession in Madagascar in 2019.

In 2022, Anri-Louise faced personal challenges and returned to South Africa. Mr. Elysee RAKOTOMALALA (Zee) took over leadership to ensure the continuation of our essential projects, recognizing GNTP’s significant role within the community. Under his guidance, we remain dedicated to community-based rehabilitation, providing complimentary therapies, creating assistive devices, and training future professionals. To further ensure multidisciplinary care for our patients, we expanded our services in 2022 to include physical therapy (PT). This allows us to serve more than 1000 individuals each year.