Meet Our Madagascar Sustainable Livelihoods Team

Manera-Solotiana Johnson Emmanuel (Latena)

Head of Sustainable Livelihoods

Latena has been running Azafady's sustainable livelihoods programme since 2002. He deems the knowledge that he has acquired over his time with Azafady as being more valuable, practical and useful than the 12 years of schooling he received. Latena has helped to set up sustainable beekeeping activities, community garden projects, women's vocational training courses and a medicinal plant garden at the Lanirano training centre among many other initiatives.

Jonathan Bird (Jon)

Sustainable Livelihoods Assistant

After graduating in 2004 Jon was keen to pursue a career in international development. He completed two internships, first as a Campaigns Assistant at Oxfam then as a Project Assistant in Mozambique for an HIV and livelihoods initiative. Following these experiences he worked for 3 years as an institutional fundraiser for the British Red Cross. This role involved liaising with programme teams to design new projects as well as writing proposals that helped secure over £450,000. Working with programme teams helped Jon to make the decision that he wanted to work on livelihoods projects overseas. He subsequently learnt French and completed a Masters in Social Development and Sustainable Livelihoods, gaining a first class degree. In July 2011 he joined Azafady to increase the capacity of the sustainable livelihoods department to plan, implement and evaluate their projects. This includes providing training and technical advice about various aspects of livelihoods programming. A big believer in the value of learning and innovation, Jon is very excited to have the opportunity to contribute to the continued improvement of Azafady's livelihoods projects.

Stacey Austin

English Teaching Coordinator

Stacey first came to Madagascar in July 2007 to participate in Azafady's Pioneer scheme. On returning home she completed a degree in Business Tourism Management before travelling to south east Asia where she got her first taste of teaching, taking part in an English summer camp in Thailand. Stacey then went on to teach Travel & Tourism in a college in Surrey while completing a Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS) training course. It was at the end of this year that Stacey realised her true passion for teaching and became inspired to continue her work in Madagascar, a place that had left a lasting impression on her and where she always knew she would one day return. She completed a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course and came to Fort Dauphin in October 2009 to volunteer with Azafady as an English Teacher for 6 months. Having thoroughly enjoyed this experience Stacey returned to Fort Dauphin in October 2011 as the English Teaching Coordinator of Project Mampianatra targeting high school students, middle school teachers and local Azafady staff. Stacey is excited about developing Mampianatra and welcoming short-term volunteers to assist with English teaching activities in order to ensure that this initiative is both successful and sustainable.

Positions open:

Agricultural Extension Manager

Small Grants Manager