Program Description
Azafady Conservation Programme Madagascar
Ratings and Reviews
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100%Overall
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The most amazing thing for me was being able to see lemurs every day. Living in the same area as lemurs and other fantastic animals was so cool, and to see how people live in the village was very eye-opening. I felt like I made a difference with my lemur observations, population and habitat studies. The people in the community were so wonderful, you could tell they really loved having us there, and the kids wanted to interact with us whenever they could. Even though we were "roughing it," things were pretty comfortable. I really enjoyed my time with Azafady working in the conservation programe, and I can not recommend it enough. Madagascar is an amazing place, and being able to help the animals and people there is very rewarding.
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I went on Azafady's Lemur Venture Program in the summer of 2008. It was an AMAZING experience, which immersed me in an interesting and different culture while also allowing me to learn an incredible amount about lemur conservation work in Madagascar. I enjoyed being exposed to other volunteers from many other countries, since I'm from the U.S., while also learning some Malagasy and getting to know our local guides.
The program brings you to both the city (Fort Dauphin) and more rural areas, and I think camping was a great way to do that. (Although, it did get cold at night, even in the summer!)
Doing lemur research was incredible. I was maybe 10 feet away from some of the most endangered animals on the planet, recording feeding habits and other things. We also did botanical counts and research on the folliage.


Not long into the ten weeks I spent with Azafady in Ste.Luce I was already plans ways to get back and work with them again! I learnt so much about the extraordinary wildlife of the region. I gained valuable research skills and first-hand insight into the problems and opportunities surrounding the forest fragments and the local community. I love the dedicated Azafady staff, the wise local guides, the joyful children in the conservation class, and I miss them every day. Ste.Luce is a stunningly beautiful place where you'll find fascinating animals and plants everywhere you look (the tiny brookesia chameleons and the woolly lemurs that slept above our tents were my favourites!). It is a very poor area, and Azafady are doing wonders to help people deal with the challenges that poses. The programme offers volunteers a chance to really get involved in this work. I could happily live the rest of my life with such an enthusiastic team, in those perfectly simple basic living conditions (very well fed by amazing chefs!), being outside almost all the time in the fresh air and sunshine, doing work that really matters, in such an incredible place with such wonderful people.