Forest conservation in Madagascar

I was looking for a reliable organisation to volunteer with, and came across IVHQ, who set me up with MRCI and it was the best time of my life!
First off: the food was awesome (rice, veggies, sometimes pasta or noodles, zebu, chicken, fish), the local staff were superb, the huts were spacious and clean, camp was really nicely laid out (we even had fancy western toilets and showers!) - I was very comfortable living there.
I did forest conservation on the island Nosy Komba: we did lemur studies (observing the diet & behaviour of wild lemurs and lemurs in the park), reptile transects (I LOVED these because it gives you the chance to walk through the forest and just look out for different species, I enjoyed being able to identify them too, it was way more interesting for me when I knew), line plots (frogs!)...I loved agroforestry, where we’d often go to local farmers’ plots to help clean/plant their land. Seedling collecting was great too, we got to plant it on MRCI’s plot of land, to encourage the growth of native species into the area, I was super interested in hearing different ways to farm to increase efficiency.
We had the chance to go to mainland Madagascar, in Ampohana, to build a clinic for the one doctor in the area. Such hard wrk making concrete in that heat, but I’m soooo glad I did it! At the opening ceremony a few weeks later, there were so many people there, I was so surprised at how they all rely on this small clinic?! Rum, zebu, dancing and music, it was the best celebration!
Free time at the weekends was well spent: we visited Nosy Iranjia and Tanikely, went on a whale shark trip, swam with turtles, saw sacred waterfalls, had party weekends in Ambataloaka and just hung out with everyone on the beach.
Met so many incredible people from all walks of life that I think I really can learn from, it feels so much like a family when it’s that intense for such a short period of time - I cried leaving them!
Would definitely go back 🤙🏼