Jennifer Carpenter took a break from her job as a Systems Analyst in Dublin to join the Azafady Short-term Community Construction programme in southeast Madagascar in April 2010 for 3 weeks, this is an extract from her blog about her whole experience:

I fell in love in Madagascar with a boy named Jamal. He’s about 7 [...]

S.-Xaali O’Reilly Berkeley was a Conservation Volunteer with Azafady on the Lemur Study module for 4 weeks in April 2010
“Woolly,” whispers the forest guide, stressing the last syllable and lengthening it in an almost french manner, while pointing into the midst of forest cover. “Woolly – see?” And before you can spot the first Woolly [...]

Reza Pakravan joined Azafady’s short-term volunteering community construction programme and helped build a school for 2 weeks in April 2009 as a break from his career as a financial analyst. He was so inspired by Madagascar and Azafady’s work in the southeast that, since returning, he has continued to raise funds for Azafady’s Project Sekoly; [...]

A Day in the Life of a volunteer on the Azafady Conservation Programme – by Jenn Beard, USA, Volunteer in April 2010

Today is my 17th day as an Azafady Conservation Volunteer. Although no day is the same, I can at least give you an idea of what a typical day might be. We are awakened [...]

“Hard to know where to start …. but they say at the beginning is usually best. As some of you know, i finally left the UK 8/1 after 2 cancelled flights due to the snow. Arrived in Fort Dauphin a little jaded after all the flying but ecstatic to finally be in Madagascar. The nothingness, [...]

Touching down in Madagascan soil for the first time truly feels like you’ve entered a special and unique place. From the slightly hair raising walk across the tarmac into the smallest arrival hall you can imagine…everything is spectacularly different from home, especially the beautiful sunshine! We met at Antananarivo airport ready to spend the night, [...]

We arrived back in town from the bush on Friday the 13th October, ironically no camion break down this time! Suddenly the flushing toilets and running water seem like a luxury to be savoured. Thank god for the long house in the rain and bless those pineapples, vitamin C never tasted so good!
We’ve been working [...]

Hi, my name is Jessica and I decided to get involved with Azafady before the start of my gap year in the summer of 2008. I had always wanted to spend some time in Madagascar and lemurs have fascinated me ever since I learned about their existence, so the Lemur Venture programme was just what [...]

By Samm Short – Project Development Specialist, Azafady

It is mid-morning, and the electricity has been off for over an hour. In the searing heat of a Malagasy summer, Azafady staff put pen to paper in a fevered effort to work through the power cut; there are after all deadlines that have to be met, with [...]

We’ve just returned from Volobe - a beautiful remote village in south Madagascar - only a 2 hour bumpy ride and 3hr hike from Fort Dauphin!
The journey began in typical Malagasy fashion with the camion breaking down just outside Mahatalaky, where all the Pioneers were accosted by hundreds of school children on their school break. [...]