SEED Madagascar - www.madagascar.co.uk

I did the program way back in 2009 but the experience has stayed with me vividly ever since. For one thing, I absolutely fell in love with Madagascar, especially the southeast corner where we were based out of. I'd intended to explore more of the country but a military coup put an end to those plans. They even evacuated the US Peace Corps, but we stayed, and it was totally fine in that area. The Malagasy people were very genuine and kind; the Malagasy staff at SEED (Azafady, as it was known then) were fantastic, just top-notch in their respective fields (from the camp cook to the scientists), but also charming and fun to be around. We built a school, finished a well, planted thousands and thousands of trees, did public health outreach, did some research in the conservation area, all while moving back and forth from the Fort Dauphin base to various campsites in the bush. I have a thousand good memories; I'll just say I highly recommend this volunteer program.

I volunteered with SEED Madagascar during the autumn of 2018 on their Community Development programme where they gave me the opportunity to work within the local community and prioritise their needs in the work we did. Every day seemed to bring a new and exciting challenge from helping on the construction of a new school building where you work alongside a local construction team who are very friendly and accommodating during your work, to trekking to remote rural villages to make assessments on wells constructed by SEED as well as follow-ups on training they run for beekeeping in the area to help encourage a diverse range of livelihoods in the area to supplement the small scale agriculture already done by most families. The town of Fort Dauphin which you stay during the programme is also surrounded by some beautiful landscapes to add to the experience that awaits you.

My time with SEED was unforgettable! There is no place like Madagascar and I was lucky enough to be immersed in the culture and collecting data on the diverse environment for a full 10 weeks. I had a chance to camp in the bush nearby local villages and interact daily with local children, lemurs, and geckos of all sorts. SEED is a wonderful organization and if you get the chance to volunteer for them- DO IT! The local staff is incredibly educated and friendly, and the international staff make you feel right at home. Camping in the bush is not easy, but I learned so much about the benefits of living a simpler life. Also, Madagascar is simply beautiful and the beaches are to die for! Your time spent with SEED will not be wasted.

I was a little worried that I was too old to volunteer in this programme, however the staff at SEED made me feel so welcome age wasn't an issue. I volunteered to teach English and again was worried as I hadn't been to university but had completed a TEFL course, and again there was no need to worry the TEFL course was all I needed. During my stay I met some wonderful people. It was the hardest but the best thing I have ever done. Its hard to see such poverty, however the people really appreciate what you are doing for their community and I can honestly say to anyone who is thinking about volunteering do it!

It is weird to say that I loved my experience here, because the experience included a stark view of the world; it is difficult to believe that the poverty of this country and its citizens can coexist in a world with other developed countries of affluence and wealth. However, I found myself completely immersed in the experience of understanding the complexities of these issues and excited to help with the current work. I really enjoyed my experience working in the Pioneer program and then participating in the Conservation program. Each program immersed you in a community and I was able to learn about Malagasy culture in a respectful, yet participatory way. You experience the poverty that you help to alleviate, and it is clear that you can see SEED's tangible impacts throughout the community.

SEED was extremely helpful in both my preparation for the trip, and support throughout my program.

I was on the Pioneer program for a total of eight weeks and loved almost every minute of it! The construction work challenged me just enough to drive me to improve my own skills, and if there was something I did struggle with the local construction team and the guides were always there to help. I found that the nature of our work meant that the volunteers worked together well as a team and therefore I have now made (hopefully) friends for life from across the globe.

One of the aspects I enjoyed the most was the chatting that we all started when we were working, because it wasn't just the volunteers and the Malagasy guys in separate groups, there was a lot of overlapping between everyone, resulting in me learning a lot of Malagasy while I was there. Of course, we worked hard, laying bricks and levelling the ground in preparation for pouring a concrete floor among various other tasks.

Another benefit of doing the Pioneer program is that if you are volunteering for 6 or more weeks, the last two weeks are spent at the conservation permanent location in Saint Luce, which meant I was able to get a view of the consvation efforts that SEED undertakes as well as making an immediate difference in the construction side of the program.

This programme has something to offer everyone. If you are considering a career in charity or with NGOs, if you are interested in wildife and conservation, if you simply want to travel and immerse yourself in an utterly unique place and culture, then look no further. I can promise that there will never be a dull moment, that each day you will be experiencing something new and unique. During my time on the programme in 2013 I might be assisting with some light construction on one day, only to be trekking to remote communities to assess their needs and the impact of climate change the next. As an added bonus Fort Dauphin and the surrounding region is perhaps the most beautiful place I have ever been, during your time off from helping with the charity there will be myriad chances to enjoy it.

I volunteered with SEED Madagascar in the Autumn/Winter of 2011 for 10 weeks. In this time I was part of a team helping to build a school in a rural village outside of Fort Dauphin, and towards the end of my time, we built fuel efficient stoves in remote communities in the surrounding area. Living in the areas where the projects were based, we met and worked with the people that these projects directly effect, making the work ever more rewarding.

I cannot recommend this programme enough, having come straight from sixth form at the time, I did a lot of developing and learning, the experiences I had will stay with me forever. The teams in the UK and Fort Dauphin are very supportive of all staff and volunteers before and during their time in Madagascar, they are always happy to help. We learnt the local language with lessons from our local guides, whilst getting involved with the local communities and culture. In short, I wouldn't think twice about returning to do this project again, this experience above and beyond anything similar.

All in all I had a fantastic experience in Saint Luce, albeit a brief one. The day to day routine becomes engrained in you very quickly, but I loved the certainty of a routine. Overall it was a perfect balance of walking transects spotting lemurs whilst plenty of time to relax at the beach for example. I learnt that patience is key with nature and things will not always go to plan, but the best moments were often the unexpected. I cannot more highly recommend the volunteer conservation programme. I genuinely felt the research driven schedule has given me an authentic insight into the struggles and joys of conservation work in a truly unique location.

This may indeed sound extremely cliché but the people and place made it so enjoyable. Firstly all the Research Assistants were very approachable and willing to assist in every way. If you felt unwell or needed a rest it would always be possible to opt out of any activity. Secondly all the local guides genuinely cared about your welfare and are incredibly knowledgeable. They have an incredible ability to spot camouflaged insects that to most people are impossible to see. Special thanks to the person for ordering Daniel and me pizzas when we were ill and famished in town!

Overall my personal highlight was merely the environment of Saint Luce. The sunrise walks to Manafiafy, the walk up the road to see the electric thunder at night; these are merely a couple of examples. Any journey in a pirogue boat was perilous and tranquil in equal measure! I saw species I had no idea existed but to be honest I’ve forgotten their names already. What I will remember is the people and memories; Daniels tent accident, Larissa’s pirogue slip, and of course any moment lemurs came flying through camp!

Stunning scenery, unbelievable wildlife encounters, passionate scientists, enthusiastic guides, brilliant kids, awesome volunteers, rice and beans, laughter, some rainy days, and lots of games... volunteering with SEED Madagascar's conservation programme was one of the best things I have ever done! From the moment I first saw the white sand of the campsite until it was time to wave goodbye to the amazing staff as we set off on the camion ride back to Fort Dauphin, I had the most incredible time. Conservation club with the children of Ambandrika school and Manafiafy school, where they learnt about conservation issues relevant to their local environment, was a highlight for me. It was rewarding to know that we were helping to educate the future generation to help them to protect and preserve the remaining forest fragments. My advice? Take good waterproofs... it was a challenge when it rained non-stop for a week and all of our clothes and shoes were wet! Everyone stayed remarkably cheerful throughout however, (lots of card games were played), and camping felt luxurious once the sun came out again!