The Project
Conservation Work in Madagascar

Volunteer work varies greatly depending on the time of year, project programmes and schedules of coordinators, but all itineraries have the essential aim of assisting with conservation and development work in southeast Madagascar. Below are a few examples of projects that may be undertaken whilst on the scheme. These are listed under three main project categories.

Sustainable Livelihoods

Improved Food Security: In Madagascar, basic lack of food is an ongoing issue which claims many lives. For this component of the programme, volunteer activities are based around developing our demonstration and training sites, both in town and in idyllic but very poor rural villages, where the reality of life in Madagascar is impossible to ignore. Volunteers work on improved planting and harvesting techniques with improved crop varieties, and help us to develop our sites into thriving examples for the local community. A lot of emphasis is placed on implanting these project concepts into rural schools, and most groups will work with a rural school, working alongside teachers, parents and students to create school gardens, tree nurseries and teach other practical skills that are vital for the sustainable future of rural youth.

Beehive Construction: These are constructed with the beneficiaries and then donated to the poorest members of communities or to groups that have expressed an interest in beekeeping. Besides essential nutrients, a beehive can provide an income for the poorest families, through honey and wax production, which also curbs the environmentally destructive traditional honey harvest and provides the incentive to maintain abundant forest flowers near the apiary.

Construction of Fruit Driers / Seed Driers: Sun-drying fruit is a profitable micro-enterprise that is being promoted following experience with pilot models. Many people need start-up assistance in the form of a drier, provided by the project partners. Seed driers are beneficial because they allow local farmers to store seeds from a current harvest for future use, rather than have to buy new seeds each year. By drying the seeds before storage, farmers are able to ensure they will not be rendered useless by damp and pests.

School Building and Equipping: Volunteers help in all aspects, from building the actual school to supplying books and constructing furniture. A recent pioneer group built a brand new school from the ground up in fifteen days!

English Teaching: Volunteers will teach basic English to schoolchildren in the villages around Fort Dauphin, and by assisting our permanent English teaching program working with young unemployed youths in Fort Dauphin town. This is beneficial, as speaking English provides improved career opportunities, such as work in tourism or work with NGOs.

Health and Sanitation

Construction of Latrines: This will typically be for a local school and links well with Health Education lessons provided for school children by the project partners.

Health Education: Through songs, role play and demonstrations, volunteers will work with the project partners 'Health and Sanitation' team to inform children about the benefits of hand washing, brushing teeth and using latrines. This is where those of you who like to show off can really shine! For the quieter members of the group, there is always work backstage!

Well Construction: Clean water is, of course, vital to human life and a necessity to prevent the spread of diseases such as cholera, which are present in Madagascar. Our project partners, in the role of regional co-ordinator for Anosy Madagascar of the Africa-wide W.A.S.H. programme, are assisting the government of Madagascar to reach the goal of clean water for 80% of rural people by 2015. Volunteers will work with the construction team to build new wells requested by villagers and to repair or improve existing ones. We aim that all groups will complete at least one water point during the scheme. The July 2006 group completed three repairs and three brand new wells!

Environment

Setting Up Tree Nurseries: In 2007, for our 10th anniversary, our project partners have taken on the reforestation of 80 hectares of barren land. Crucial to this ongoing reforestation activity, we are in the process of setting up tree nurseries, both at the base in Lanirano and in a number of villages. We are currently focused on the propagation of large numbers of trees, both native and exotic, for this enormous task. Some of the native trees that we presently focus on include the critically endangered and endemic palms Dypsis saintelucei and Beccariophoenix madagascariensis.

Environmental Education: Environmental education in its many forms is a key prerequisite for conservation. This has involved the building of a forest information centre in Sainte Luce, the preparation and presentation of posters, and working with local children to raise awareness of the need for conservation.

Build Improved Stoves: We help local people build fuel-efficient stoves from local materials to cut the demand for firewood and make cooking quicker and safer.

Ecotourism Promotion: Environmentally sensitive tourism can help with generating income and conserving forests. Activities can range from developing nature trails and local facilities as part of the community forest stewardship project in Sainte Luce, to helping build simple structures that can be used to sell local produce and crafts to tourists in those villages that are visited regularly.

Field Studies on Threatened Species: This can be the monitoring of any one of a number of Madagascar's endangered species, from the brown collared lemur to loggerhead turtles. The results of this research provide information that is vital for international and national efforts to protect these species.