Nosy Komba Construction
Donation protected
Dear Friends,
As some of you may know, I have been living the dream in Madagascar for the past 4 months! More specifically, I am on Nosy Komba, a small island off the Northwest coast of Madagascar. This literally translates to Lemur Island- picture ‘Madagascar’ the movie. Apart from making lifelong friends, learning to speak a bit of Malagasy, and exploring this beautiful country and culture, I have been working for an organization called Madagascar Research and Conservation Institute (MRCI). I am coordinating the Community Program here. The program is twofold; we host volunteers both to teach English and to carry out construction projects in local communities.
This country is abundantly rich. I see plants and animals on a daily basis which exist nowhere else in the world. I am surrounded by unparalleled natural beauty. I am immersed in a fascinating and sophisticated culture. Most importantly, I am privileged enough to spend every day learning from profoundly intelligent, happy, and welcoming people. However, there is no way around it- people are inexcusably poor in terms of money and economic opportunity. Madagascar is among the 10 poorest countries in the world, with 90% of the population living on less than 2 dollars a day. With people living off of pennies, even a small investment in infrastructure can pose an insurmountable barrier to a community.
In an effort to bridge some of these barriers, MRCI has recently begun a construction partnership with a nearby village, Andrekareka Hely. The village is very isolated, only accessible by boat or by rough forest paths. There is an estimated population of 300 people, with another 200 living in the surrounding area. The primary means of employment are fishing, subsistence agriculture, and hammering granite by hand to sell as gravel.
Earlier this month, a joint community meeting was held involving the residents of Andrekareka Hely and volunteers from MRCI, with the goal of establishing a list of community needs for construction projects. That list is as follows:
1) Public Toilet Block- there are currently no toilets in Hely. Villagers use the surrounding area, which contaminates drinking water. Building a public toilet block would eliminate this problem and decrease the incidence of diseases such as Typhoid Fever.
2) Water Cistern- the current water situation in Hely is dire. During the rainy season, water is supplied through a simple system of pipes from a nearby waterfall. During the dry season, this water is inadequate to meet the needs of the village. As a result, for 6 months out of the year, residents of Hely must carry buckets of water from small streams or fill buckets in other villages several kilometres away.
3) Trash Burning Pit/Dump Site- there is no infrastructure in place to dispose of trash properly. Currently, much of the trash ends up in the ocean, where it wreaks havoc on the local coral reef. Burning trash is not an ideal solution, but it is better than the available alternatives.
4) Pharmacy Building- the nearest pharmacy is 5km away, over a rough hiking trail. The nearest hospital is on an adjacent island. If the residents of Hely are able to provide a pharmacy building, the government will be obligated to supply medicine and a trained worker.
We have begun work on a public toilet block, the community’s first priority. The residents of Hely have provided a construction plan and a foreman. Residents are taking it in shifts to work with our volunteers to provide the necessary labor. However, the completion of the toilet, as well as future projects, is outside of MRCI’s funding capability.
This is where you come in! We are asking for donations to go toward the cost of construction materials. We have set a fundraising goal of $5,000, although any amount we are able to raise will have a positive impact here. Our hope is that we can sustain a long-term relationship with Hely village and complete all of these essential projects in the coming months.
I will be returning home in July (yes Mom and Dad, you can breathe a sigh of relief). However, I will maintain the close relationships that I have formed with local community members, as well as with the permanent staff at MRCI. I can ensure you that even after I return home, the money from this fundraiser will go to the right place.
Please consider making a donation. This cause is far from home but close to my heart. I hope that we can share in improving the quality of life for a small but deserving community in a beautiful corner of this world we inhabit together.
Thank you,
Julia
Community Meeting!
Ground has been broken.
Will is working hard.
Mixing cement.
As some of you may know, I have been living the dream in Madagascar for the past 4 months! More specifically, I am on Nosy Komba, a small island off the Northwest coast of Madagascar. This literally translates to Lemur Island- picture ‘Madagascar’ the movie. Apart from making lifelong friends, learning to speak a bit of Malagasy, and exploring this beautiful country and culture, I have been working for an organization called Madagascar Research and Conservation Institute (MRCI). I am coordinating the Community Program here. The program is twofold; we host volunteers both to teach English and to carry out construction projects in local communities.
This country is abundantly rich. I see plants and animals on a daily basis which exist nowhere else in the world. I am surrounded by unparalleled natural beauty. I am immersed in a fascinating and sophisticated culture. Most importantly, I am privileged enough to spend every day learning from profoundly intelligent, happy, and welcoming people. However, there is no way around it- people are inexcusably poor in terms of money and economic opportunity. Madagascar is among the 10 poorest countries in the world, with 90% of the population living on less than 2 dollars a day. With people living off of pennies, even a small investment in infrastructure can pose an insurmountable barrier to a community.
In an effort to bridge some of these barriers, MRCI has recently begun a construction partnership with a nearby village, Andrekareka Hely. The village is very isolated, only accessible by boat or by rough forest paths. There is an estimated population of 300 people, with another 200 living in the surrounding area. The primary means of employment are fishing, subsistence agriculture, and hammering granite by hand to sell as gravel.
Earlier this month, a joint community meeting was held involving the residents of Andrekareka Hely and volunteers from MRCI, with the goal of establishing a list of community needs for construction projects. That list is as follows:
1) Public Toilet Block- there are currently no toilets in Hely. Villagers use the surrounding area, which contaminates drinking water. Building a public toilet block would eliminate this problem and decrease the incidence of diseases such as Typhoid Fever.
2) Water Cistern- the current water situation in Hely is dire. During the rainy season, water is supplied through a simple system of pipes from a nearby waterfall. During the dry season, this water is inadequate to meet the needs of the village. As a result, for 6 months out of the year, residents of Hely must carry buckets of water from small streams or fill buckets in other villages several kilometres away.
3) Trash Burning Pit/Dump Site- there is no infrastructure in place to dispose of trash properly. Currently, much of the trash ends up in the ocean, where it wreaks havoc on the local coral reef. Burning trash is not an ideal solution, but it is better than the available alternatives.
4) Pharmacy Building- the nearest pharmacy is 5km away, over a rough hiking trail. The nearest hospital is on an adjacent island. If the residents of Hely are able to provide a pharmacy building, the government will be obligated to supply medicine and a trained worker.
We have begun work on a public toilet block, the community’s first priority. The residents of Hely have provided a construction plan and a foreman. Residents are taking it in shifts to work with our volunteers to provide the necessary labor. However, the completion of the toilet, as well as future projects, is outside of MRCI’s funding capability.
This is where you come in! We are asking for donations to go toward the cost of construction materials. We have set a fundraising goal of $5,000, although any amount we are able to raise will have a positive impact here. Our hope is that we can sustain a long-term relationship with Hely village and complete all of these essential projects in the coming months.
I will be returning home in July (yes Mom and Dad, you can breathe a sigh of relief). However, I will maintain the close relationships that I have formed with local community members, as well as with the permanent staff at MRCI. I can ensure you that even after I return home, the money from this fundraiser will go to the right place.
Please consider making a donation. This cause is far from home but close to my heart. I hope that we can share in improving the quality of life for a small but deserving community in a beautiful corner of this world we inhabit together.
Thank you,
Julia
Community Meeting!
Ground has been broken.
Will is working hard.
Mixing cement.
Organizer
Julia Harrison
Organizer
Mound, MN