Lemur Team - Staff & Training
Donation protected
Would you like to support a small grass-roots project that has clear goals, protects rare habitat, protects lemurs, and employs & trains local Malagasy people to take care of their biodiversity?
We hope that, if you are a lover of nature, a lover of lemurs, a lover of Madagascar and a lover of giving solid, life-changing support to young people in the developing world, that you will not only support this campaign, but, you will ask your friends to support it also :-)
We are Association FILANA and we need your help. We take care of five lemur species, from some of the smallest to some of the largest:
Sainte Luce Reserve is a small and precious protected area in the south east of Madagascar, purchased for conservation in 2009, and managed by our registered non-profit Association, FILANA. Here at the reserve we protect the habitat for five species of lemurs, abundant birds, reptiles, and rare ebony forest. This is the last, the absolute last piece, of absolute coastal forest, in south east Madagascar. Lemurs, only found on Madagascar, are the most endangered mammals on earth, and, they are all at risk of extinction.
But here, our lemurs are happy and safe, not in fear of humans, and are successfully and happily breeding every year.
Our non-profit, registered here in Madagascar since 2010, called Association FILANA , manages the reserve, and protects this rare habitat and this wonderful biodiversity. We fund conservation and engagement with local people through their direct employment as guides & rangers at our reserve, with money raised from our volunteering program .
Our volunteers and staff take care of the habitat, and work with local people (especially kids) on conservation education. This year, our conservation education activity has been about mangroves and sea turtles.
Our volunteers and staff have planted 7,000 mangroves around the river in the last year, and presented mangrove conservation education in the local school.
Sadly, only one sea turtle was saved and returned to the sea this year, but education has begun in the local school and with fishermen on the beach (below).
Above & below: Volunteers at work.
But the money that we raise from volunteering is not enough to keep the reserve going, and, this year we are running an ambitious campaign to really ramp up our support of conservation and local people throughout 2017 and beyond.
Right now, we have eight staff being supported by our efforts, aiming to have the strongest permanent team for conservation-good in this part of Madagascar. Not only will our team be guardians, managers and ambassadors of this incredible biodiversity and habitat, but, this program will build their individual professional capacity, making them strong team members with a whole new package of great skills, which will help these local people in their careers for the rest of their lives.
We want and need to reduce the funding pressure a little bit, to allow us to concentrate on the real work of conservation and training our staff, and, we want you to help us this year (and maybe annually?) to make this incredible conservation goal a reality. An incredible habitat totally protected from harm; healthy wildlife living in peace; a team of enthusistic young Malagasy conservation staff, well trained, capable, and well equipped to do their jobs. What a goal!!
Funds raised through this campaign will be transferred directly to our Malagasy non-profit bank account, and will be earmarked to only be used for this special project.
We hope that, if you are a lover of nature, a lover of lemurs, a lover of Madagascar and a lover of giving solid, life-changing support to young people in the developing world starting a career in conservation, that you will not only support this campaign, but, you will ask your friends to support it also :-)
We are Association FILANA and we need your support.
How we aim to spend funds raised:
Salaries = $9,500
Uniforms and kit = $2,500
Training = $3,000
These young Malagasy people are the stewards of this amazing environment, and, they are the future of conservation in Madagascar. Our work and your support will keep 8 young professionals in permanent employment in the field of habitat conservation. It's enormous.
Please help us this year to create a secure future for these young Malagasy people, and this amazing habitat.
Please follow us on Facebook and on Twitter for up-to-date news and photos from the reserve and about our volunteering program.
We all thank you for considering our request for support... please SHARE!!!
Organiser
Brett Massoud
Organiser
Noosaville, QLD