On Friday 12^th October, our Community Development Program organized a BBQ for our Ampang Beginners student, Silver. A long-term goal on our Community Development Program is to create interactive and fun activities between the community and volunteers with the view to building relationships and embracing culture immersion.  The BBQ was a huge success.  Other activity initiatives include basketball and soccer matches, which the community and volunteers really enjoy participating in.

Volunteers decided early in the week that they wanted to organize a BBQ in town. With the help of the Community Development Program staff the event was organized and Rojo, our Community Development Program Manager, collected the money needed to purchase the food. Silver had hosted the previous BBQ and was very welcoming when asked if he would want to host another. Once at Silver’s home volunteers learned traditional Malagasy cooking techniques and helped Silver and his family prepare and cook the food, as well as setting the table. Fish and Chicken were the main courses with sides of salads, fries, bread and a delicious dessert of fruit salad. While the food was being cooked the volunteers were able to practice their Malagasy with Silver and his family, as well as a few neighbors! Silver was also able to practice his English which he said he really enjoyed.

Once all the food was prepared and the table was set, everyone queued up and grabbed a plate. Silver’s home has a large patio out front where everyone took a seat, enjoyed their food, and each other’s company. The food was delicious and it was a great way to end a fantastic week! We definitely look forward to many more events like this in the future!

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Fundraise Game Between  MRCI Volunteer Team

& Ampang Women’s Basketball Team, ASJETNO

On Thursday the 26^th of July, MRCI volunteers participated in a fundraising event for the local Ampang Women’s Basketball Team, ASJETNO. MRCI held a Volunteer vs ASJETNO basketball game to help fundraise the teams trip to the national tournament! MRCI has helped sponsor the team throughout the season and was able to fundraise enough money to get the team to regionals this year. (Past volunteers also managed to fundraise enough money to get the team new uniforms so the team could match at regionals.)

Staff and Volunteers spent the afternoon at the Ampang basketball court cheering on the games, and collecting donations from spectators. The fundraising goes towards the transportation, accommodation, entrance fee, and other basic necessities while at the tournament for the team. The national tournament is being held just south of Antananarivo so fundraising is necessary to make the trip possible for the girls.

Our volunteer girls team gave the game their all and managed to end the game in a tie! The volunteer boys team was not as lucky, but they managed to end in a close game! The volunteers all had a great time enjoying food from the local vendors, cheering on the games, and spending time with the community.

At the end of the day MRCI managed to raise 110,000 Ariary towards the girl’s travel fund! More fundraising basketball games will be organized for the future since the Volunteers enjoyed this fundraiser so much!

Want to help our Team? Find out how Here

The Ampoagna Clinic Will Changes Lives For The Better,

Volunteer with us in Madagascar and make a difference!

Last week MRCI began construction on a medical clinic in the small village of Ampoagna, located on the mainland. The mayor for the region, who is also the only local doctor, currently has nowhere to see and treat his patients. Twelve volunteers and staff member travelled to Ampoagna on the Spirit of Malala, bringing lots of cement, willing attitudes, and an abundance of enthusiasm.

When we let the villagers know that the Spirit of Malala was starting its journey to Ampoagna, they ran down to the beach to await its arrival despite being told the trip would take several hours. The volunteers were greeted warmly when they arrived. The local President and the village Mayor gave touching speeches encouraging the villagers to help the volunteers as much as possible and inviting the volunteers to make Ampoagna their home during their stay.

Throughout the next several days, the volunteers worked side by side with the villagers to make hundreds of concrete bricks. They accomplished so much that MRCI sent extra supplies mid-way through the trip! When they weren’t building, they played football with the children and taught English lessons.

The volunteers came back to camp raving about their experience in Ampoagna. Despite very simple living conditions and no access to any but the most basic amenities, they left feeling wonderful about their contribution and meaningful interactions with the local community. Over the next two months, MRCI is looking forward to sending several more groups of volunteers. The next group left for Ampoagna on July 1^st, with the goal of turning those bricks into foundations for the clinic.

Learn More About Our Community Development Program

Author: Emily Borth

Photo by Mark Thijssen

We are all Volunteers

Life in the village means living as part of a very inter-connected community. Everyone helps everyone; that is just part of life here. In the span of a few minutes, you can gather large groups of people to help pull boats out of the water when rough weather hits. Food is often shared. Childcare duties are shared. There is a general air of connectedness. It isn’t unusual for a passerby to ask to share your drinking water, whether they know you or not. People help one another when it’s needed. There never seems to be any shortage of people willing to help out whether it is carrying something heavy off a boat or helping a neighbor rebuild their house. When something needs doing, people just pitch in to get it done. It is one of the things I love about the place and the people here.

Mamoudou Tavandra Mohibo embodies this since of community. The 34-year-old grew up in Marodoka and now raises his 9-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter here. He keeps active within the community here and during his free time plays football on the local team. But for the last seven years, his main duties in the village come at the school. Mamoudou teachers primary school there at level three. For years now, he has watched the ebb and flow of EPP Ambanoro school district in Marodoka. He was there when the storm, cyclone Enawo destroyed a quarter of their school in March 2017.  The history of this village lives within his long-reaching memory and his love for the community is easy to see. He gentle kindness and giving nature have proven to be a powerful force in helping with the schools rebuild.

Photo by Mark Thijssen

Our construction team often brings a packed lunch since Marodoka is quite a distance from Turtle Cove, our base on Nosy Komba. Every morning, volunteers catch the 6:00am boat from Nosy Komba to the port in Hellville on the neighboring island of Nosy Be. They then catch a tuk tuk from Hellville to Marodoka. So, in order to make the most of their time there, they bring a packed lunch so they can work longer before returning to Komba. Often however, they do not bring plates. The glass plates are heavy and at high risk of breaking on the journey, so they just do without. Our forest team solves this problem by using large leaves as plates. But in the village, plate-sized leaves are not as easy to come by.

Mamoudou, seeing this predicament, didn’t hesitate to host the team at his house, just around the corner from the school. His children play outside as the volunteers settle in, his wife handing out plates to the group. This became a regular part of our routine as we rebuilt the school; lunch at Mamoudou’s house. One of our construction volunteers, Mark Thijssen, got to experience this tradition during his time with us. Inspired by Mamoudou’s kindness and his experiences in the village, Mark wanted to give the school a gift before he left. He spent some time taking photos of students at play outside the school and printed them out. With help from the teachers, he hung posters filled with these photos in each of the school’s classrooms.

Photo by Mark Thijssen

Beyond being a source of inspiration to our volunteers and providing plates and a place for lunch, Mamoudou’s support yields something even more tangible. He spends much of his free time at the schoolhelping with the actual construction process. He has been involved in work from the very beginning and just this week helped put the final coat of paint and finishing touches on the classroom. He stands viewing the almost finished classroom, a look of pure contentment on his face while the children play, running in circles around the building. This is what community means.

Check out our Community Development Program!