Community-Level Practical Conservation Education

Josia Razafindramanana, co-founder of Impact Madagascar, and the entire team of this Malagasy NGO are convinced that environmental educational should connect protecting biodiversity with the needs of local populations.

Based on this conviction, they built and launched a practical education outreach programme at their Dabolava site (Menabe) in 2014, which has since been duplicated in four other regions. In addition to raising awareness and sharing information, Impact Madagascar also offers practical solutions and hands-on training. 

Practical education and skills 

The NGO adapts its projects and activities for different audiences. Primary school children take part in hands-on activities and outings – for example, discovering the reforestation and restoration projects at the NGO’s tree nurseries. In villages, local households and schools receive training on practical environmental skills such as hygiene, healthy living, water purification, recycling, waste management and gardening. Families also improve their access to energy – for example, learning how to make fuel-efficient rocket stoves. Large-scale awareness campaigns focus on the importance of conservation, protecting the environment, preventing wild animal hunting and trafficking, and stopping the use of bush fires. 

This combination of practical training, research and awareness is already producing results. In the coming years, Impact Madagascar is looking to continue its environmental programmes, while reinforcing practical solutions to shared environmental problems to help communities face the challenges generated by climate change. 

Inspired by this commitment to environmental education in Madagascar? 

http://impactmadagascar.org/