Achievements

Construction

• Our current project is the construction of a school in the village of Ampoagna.
• Renovated a daycare centre for intellectually disabled children on Nosy Be (March 2023).
• In collaboration with Tim Kohlbecher and the Leo Club Charity, a freshwater well was constructed in the village of Ampoagna (2019).
• In June 2018, MRCI began construction of the Ampoagna Clinic, which was completed in November 2018. A traditional opening ceremony was held by the local community, attended by government delegates and broadcast on national television.
• MRCI built toilets in Ampadinombe in exchange for 20,000 square metres of forest to rehabilitate (August 2017). Read more…
• Thanks to a donation of over $2,000 from ex-volunteer Chandler Renz, renovation work was carried out at the church school in Ampang. Classrooms were re-floored and painted, and a double toilet block was built.
• Renovation work at Ampang Premiere School was completed, including painting the building inside and out and constructing a fence around the flagpole (April 2017).
• A school was built in Andrekarekabe (January–March 2017).
• A dam was constructed to supply running water to Andrekarekahely and Andrekarekabe (December 2016).
• The basketball court in Ampangorina was repaired and repainted, followed by a community tournament to celebrate the upgrade (December 2016). Read more…
• The school roof in Ampangorina was repaired, and tables and chairs were painted (December 2016).
• A bridge was built to improve wet-season access to the village of Ampangorina (November 2016). Read more…
• MRCI constructed five toilet and shower blocks in total: two in Andrekarekabe and three in Andrekarekahely (2016). Read more here and here.
• Porches were repaired at a local shop in Andrekarekabe (October 2016).
• Playgrounds, including swing sets, were built in Ampangorina and Andrekarekabe (August 2015 & February 2016).
• The primary school in Ampangorina was painted inside and out (January 2016).
• Just under $10,000 has been raised through fundraisers, GoFundMe campaigns, and personal donations for community development projects (ongoing).
• School desks were renovated at Andrekarekahely Primary School (January 2016).

Marine

• Two cars were stripped and submerged to form part of an artificial reef known as “The Parking Lot”. Read more…
• A new artificial reef was created using transplanted soft and hard corals mounted on dome-shaped structures, forming a coral “orchard”. The first corals were installed in March with the approval of the Fisheries Minister of Madagascar.
• Regular beach cleans take place during spring tides, and divers are encouraged to remove litter during surveys.
• A second artificial reef, “Mad Hatter”, was installed in January 2017, with surveys ongoing on both reefs.
• The house reef in front of Turtle Cove and two neighbouring beaches became a no-fishing and no-anchoring zone (November 2016). Read more…
• Seven structures were installed as part of an artificial reef project (2014). Read more…
• Staff and volunteers participated in a governmental biodiversity survey in the Mitsio Islands with CNRO (2014), contributing to a successful case against oil drilling in northern Madagascar.

Forest

• Launched the Bamboo Straw Initiative, providing a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic straws for local restaurants. Read more…
• Established a pioneering agroforest on Nosy Komba in collaboration with the village of Ampasinomby (August 2017). Read more…
• The forest programme began Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) surveys across multiple habitats on Nosy Komba (June 2017).
• Hosted an international researcher studying parasitic wasps, resulting in the discovery of previously unknown species (June 2015). Read more…
• Over three years, more than 20 new species of birds, reptiles, and amphibians were documented on the island.

Teaching

• Successfully rebuilt Maradouko School after Cyclone Enawo and held a reopening ceremony attended by community leaders and officials (March–May 2018). Read more…
• The Ampang beginners class now has 18 regular students, with new learners joining weekly.
• Thanks to volunteer Taylor Schellenberg, $700 was raised to provide sports equipment to schools on Nosy Komba and Nosy Be (January 2017).
• A football tournament was organised involving three village teams and a volunteer team (January 2017).
• English proficiency tests were developed for beginner and teenage classes, with strong student results.
• Community picnics and extra-curricular activities have strengthened volunteer–student relationships.
• Two Malagasy Sakalava-to-English dictionaries were produced.
• Eight adult classes and eleven children’s classes teach English across Nosy Komba and Nosy Be (ongoing).
• Monthly environmental education days are held within local communities.

Future Goals

• Expand reef surveys across additional sites around Nosy Komba.
• Assess populations of potentially damaging species within the MPA.
• Publish scientific papers on reef restoration and turtle populations.
• Establish a women’s class in Ampangorina.
• Refurbish Maradouka School.
• Replant forest areas damaged by fire.
• Organise additional community sports tournaments.
• Improve wet-season access by building paths around camp.
• Construct a school in Andrekarekabe and provide English classes.
• Install freshwater systems for Ampasanombe village.
• Work with reforestation partners to mitigate deforestation impacts.
• Raise awareness of plastic reduction and marine conservation.
• Publish a long-term monitoring report on the MPA.