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Program Description
Help and support small local communities in and around the beautiful island of Nosy Be in Madagascar. This Construction and Renovation project aims to build and renovate school buildings which are essential for the growth and development of the children.
You will volunteer alongside a local coordinator, local families and other participants. This can be hard, physical work, involving manual labour as you will be brick laying, carpentry, painting, waterproofing, laying tiles, landscaping & gardening and also improving the community’s hygiene and sanitation facilities.
Program Duration & Availability
Min duration (weeks):1
Aims & Objectives
To assist with local communities in building, renovating and decorating the local schools, in order to help add value to the quality of education within the school. To provide a better environment for the local children and community.
Schedule
Monday to Friday
Start by having a meeting with the coordinator, who will discuss with you what is required on your project. You will mainly be doing light construction work and painting the school buildings to be enjoyed by the local kids.
You will also be making tables and chairs, constructing and renovating the playground, constructing paths, building toilet facilities, repairing the school walls and helping to build new classrooms.
Construction and renovation work is also available in more places and when required in the local area.
Location
Nosy Be (meaning ‘big island’) is an absolutely stunning island off the north-west coast and is Madagascar’s largest and busiest tourist destination. The population is estimated around 73,010 and the island has an area space of 320.02 square kilometres.
On Nosy Be island you will find volcanic lakes, lemurs, rum distilleries, Ylang Ylang plantations and beautiful coral reefs. There is just so much to explore on this amazing island! In May, you can experience the 4 day Donia Music Festival. Situated on the Indian Ocean, on Nosy-Be island you can relax on the best white sand beaches, take a boat trip through the jungle, go trekking to see lemurs or snorkel alongside turtles and manta rays in the clear waters.
Accommodation & Food
About the Accommodation
You will stay at our volunteer house, where there is a dining room and lounge area to socialise with fellow volunteers. There is also a beautiful garden to relax in during time off. A balcony and large roof terrace are also available for you to chill out in.
There is a kitchen and refrigerator which you are welcome to use to store any food and drinks you require.
Available Room Types
Standard Room | |
All meals included | Yes * |
Free beverages | Yes ** |
Persons per room | 4 -6 |
Wifi in public areas | No |
Laundry facilities | Yes *** |
Safety box | No |
Lockable rooms | Yes |
Hot shower | No |
Private bathroom | No |
Bed linen | Yes |
Towels | No |
Air conditioning | No |
Fan | Yes |
Mosquito protection | Yes |
* Three meals per day during weekdays and two per day on weekends
** Water
*** At an additional fee
Food Arrangements
Your meals will be a mix of Western and Malagasy food, usually consisting of vegetarian dishes including rice and vegetables. You can expect to have a chicken dish around twice a week. There are kitchen facilities for you to cook your own meals or you can eat out at any of the local restaurants nearby.
Facilities
There is an ATM and a supermarket around 15-20 minutes away by bus or Tuk-Tuk, from the volunteer house.
Mandatory Orientation Day
During your first Monday, you’ll join our orientation day. This is to get familiarised with the local surroundings and to learn about local culture and customs. Your project will continue as usual from Tuesday and throughout the rest of the week.
Schedule
- Welcome meeting, introduction to Madagascar and local co-ordinators, general/ house rules, Dos and Don’ts, Code of Conduct, plus handling of documents
- Introduction to local areas, useful information on prices for taxis ,tuk-tuks, etc
- Visit Ambatoloaka to buy SIM cards and visit the market
- Lunch
- Malagasy Language Class
Activities & Events
No scheduled activities outside the program.
Sights & Surroundings
The sun shines year-round here, with Nosy Be being a beach and sea lovers paradise, hosting incredible snorkelling and diving. Nosy Be is packed with activities to get up to during your free, the most popular is checking out the paradise beaches. Here are just a few of the stunning beaches you can visit:
- Palm Beach
- Andilana Beach
- Ambatoloaka Beach
- Andilana Beach
Wildlife lovers and adventure enthusiasts will certainly be at home in Nosy Be too. See if you can spot the diurnal and nocturnal native lemur species, count the unique bird species, see reptiles or indigenous plants, whilst trekking through the lush jungle. There are also scuba diving & snorkelling tours and inland boat trips.