Humanitarian aid and volunteering abroad · Madagascar

Hello,

I’m a volunteer leader at a youth center (MJC), and we’ve been deeply moved by everything happening in Madagascar—extreme poverty, endangered animals, deforestation, and so on. Plus, one of our teens has a Malagasy friend, so our group wants to travel there next year. Throughout this year, they’ve planned fundraisers to collect donations (sheets, dish towels, schoolbooks, hygiene products, etc.) and funds to cover their trip and stay.

They’re really motivated and generous—they already volunteer in schools and senior centers, and they’re always welcomed warmly.

But so far, they haven’t found any organizations in Madagascar willing to host them for two weeks (orphanages, schools, animal protection parks, etc.). Does anyone know of any contacts, please? Looking forward to your replies. Have a great evening!

Hello, we’d like to travel as a family to Madagascar (2 parents, 2 kids aged 10 and 12). A first trip over 15 years ago completely amazed and moved me with its beauty, kindness, and life experiences—but also its poverty and hardship. That’s why I think it’s possible to introduce our kids to this island while also doing something useful through volunteering. The window is short—15 days in March 2020—which means avoiding the north and east of the island due to cyclones and focusing on the south instead. Some ecovolunteering projects exist online, but the cost is sometimes prohibitive, and kids are rarely accepted. Do you have any ideas or contacts? Thanks in advance!