Please note that this is an example only as not every programme will follow exactly the same itinerary. Yet generally, the first week consists of orientation in Fort Dauphin followed by several weeks in various locations in the field and ends with another week in Fort Dauphin.
- Arrive in Fort Dauphin.
- Orientation stage: Volunteers start getting to know Fort Dauphin (and each other and our staff). Coordinators from the projects give a basic introduction to the work they do and the projects that you will be working on. Advice is given on the need for cultural sensitivity when working in village communities and volunteers start lessons in Malagasy. There is a visit to Nahampoana Reserve, where volunteers will be able to have close encounters with several species of lemur.
- Lanirano: This is home for the volunteers whilst in the Fort Dauphin area, as well as a demonstration and training site for many of the projects going on in the villages. During this time, pioneers work on various expanding projects, including beehive construction, work in the fields and the preparation of songs/posters for the health and environmental education lessons that will be undertaken in the villages.
- Village 1 - Ebakika: Pioneers conduct health education and environmental education lessons, continue the English teaching started by past Pioneer groups, construct latrines for the two village schools, and build a tree nursery and fuel-efficient stove in a nearby hamlet.
- Village 2 - Sainte Luce: Volunteers will be help with a wide range of activities, such as collecting endangered plant seed; improving and expanding existing tree nurseries; and studying palms, birds and lemurs. Health education, environmental education and English teaching is also conducted.
- Return to Fort Dauphin to collect supplies, etc; do write ups of projects undertaken; work at Lanirano.
- Village 3 - Belavenoka: Initiating English teaching, health education, environmental education, construction of latrines for the village school, cleaning and repairing the village's existing wells, creating a vegetable garden for the school so the children's school meals of rice and beans can be supplemented with fresh fruit and vegetables, and constructing benches and desks for the school.
- Back to Fort Dauphin: write-ups of projects undertaken, so that future pioneers are aware of what progress has been made. You will have time to shop etc, before your departure.
- Optional independent travel, as roughly three weeks remain on the Malagasy visa.
