Generally, the first week consists of orientation in Fort Dauphin followed by several weeks in various locations in the field, ending with another week in Fort Dauphin. Below is an example of the sort of itinerary you could expect from your time in Madagascar.

Arrive in Fort Dauphin

Fort Dauphin (or Tolagnaro as it is also known) is the major town in south-east Madagascar. It enjoys one of the most pleasant climates on the east coast. Built on a small peninsula, the town is bordered on three sides by beaches and backed by lush green mountains. It is a lively town offering a variety of restaurants and nightlife. When in Fort Dauphin, volunteers camp at the stunning lake-side site of Lanirano which is also the home of Azafady’s sustainable livelihoods training centre.

Orientation Stage

Before volunteers head out to work with local communities, we feel it is vital that they are fully briefed on the work of Azafady and the Malagasy culture. For this reason, during your first week as a Pioneer, you will undergo a detailed orientation about Madagascar, the Anosy region, local customs as well as an introduction to the work you will be doing over the next ten weeks. Advice will also be given on the need for cultural sensitivity when working in village communities - Malagasy communities have a complex system of fady (taboos) which it is important that volunteers observe. Volunteers will also have a chance to visit Nahampoana Reserve for an up-close experience with several species of lemur.

Project work

Below are a few examples of projects that may be undertaken whilst on the scheme. Volunteers usually spend 2-3 weeks at a time working on projects in the bush, interspersed with a few days in Fort Dauphin to allow catching up on e-mail, shopping, eating out etc.

School building
Pioneer volunteers are helping Azafady to address the high demand for schools in the rural commune of Mahatalaky in Fort Dauphin. Mahtalaky is made up of 16 fokontanies (villages), each made up of several outlying hamlets. The commune is vast and communities isolated from each other. Many fokontanies have no formal educational services and children are forced to walk up to 20km per day to attend school in other communities. Volunteers help in all aspects from building the actual school to supplying books and constructing furniture.

Well construction
The Malagasy government is aiming to provide 80% of rural people with clean drinking water by 2015. Azafady and the Pioneer program are helping to achieve this aim by building new wells as requested by village communities and repairing and improving existing ones. We aim that all volunteer groups will complete at least one water point during their time in Madagascar.

Reforestation
Azafady is currently undertaking the reforestation of 80 hectares of barren land with the help of Pioneer volunteers. Volunteers are helping both in the propagation and planting of large numbers of trees for this enormous task.

Improved food security
Basic lack of food is an ongoing issue which claims many lives in Madagascar. For this component of the Pioneer program, volunteers assist in developing our demonstration and training sites both in Fort Dauphin and in idyllic but very poor rural villages. 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.

Education
Each Pioneer itinerary includes an educational component. This may be teaching English to children in rural villages or unemployed young people in Fort Dauphin; health education in the form of songs and role-play to inform children about the benefits of hand washing and using latrines; or environmental education to raise awareness of the need for conservation of local forests.

Building Improved stoves
Pioneers are helping Azafady to promote the construction of “improved stoves” in an effort to reduce both the pressure on the forest and improve the health of local people and the time spent collecting firewood. The stoves promoted are simple and can be made from local materials: they create an enclosed cooking space which requires 60% less firewood, shorter cooking times, and lessen eye and lung problems through the reduction in smoke.