Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Saturday, 23 April 2011
Mr Cornish in Madagascar
I am flying home to the UK today after a very successful visit to the South West of Madagascar.
Due to a lack of internet connection, I have been unable to update the website, but over the Easter weekend I will make sure that all of the photos, information and a draft itinerary are posted. I am just finishing off two videos of the project visit and so they will go online in the next few days too.
Here are just some of the photos from the last few days to whet your appetite. Click on the photos for a larger view.
The Avenue de Baobab
A Grey Mouse Lemur in the Kirindy Forest
A typical Vezo fishing house built on the beach
A Vezo lady smoking fish at sunset.
A boy from the Vezo boat building community in Belo-Sur-Mer
Sunset over the Baobabs
Hopefully our final destination- the Ecolodge at Belo Sur Mer
An excursion to a nearby island from the Ecolodge.
Snorkeling, whale watching and fishing excursions are possibilities at Belo.
Due to a lack of internet connection, I have been unable to update the website, but over the Easter weekend I will make sure that all of the photos, information and a draft itinerary are posted. I am just finishing off two videos of the project visit and so they will go online in the next few days too.
Here are just some of the photos from the last few days to whet your appetite. Click on the photos for a larger view.
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Mr Cornish in Madagascar Days 4-5
As I had the car, I decided to drive to Andasibe, Madagascar's most accessible area of rainforest.
This will be our first stop after arriving in Antananarivo. 3 hours dive to the east, it contains one of the highest levels of biodiversity of any area of rainforest in the world. Thankfully it wasn't raining- and stayed virtually cloud-free all day! I have made arrangements for accommodation, transport and guides for 2012. We will be staying in Hotel Feno-ly- Ala in chalets overlooking the forest.
I spent this morning walking in the forest to carry out a risk assessment. I was fortunate to see a wealth of animals including four species of lemur, chameleons, geckos, frogs and many birds. The walk was completed by a very quick swim in a freezing natural swimming pool.
A critically endangered Diademed Sifaka
A view across the lake to the forest.
Callumna Malthe; A rare type of chameleon that I have never seen before
The waterfall and natural swimming pool
This will be our first stop after arriving in Antananarivo. 3 hours dive to the east, it contains one of the highest levels of biodiversity of any area of rainforest in the world. Thankfully it wasn't raining- and stayed virtually cloud-free all day! I have made arrangements for accommodation, transport and guides for 2012. We will be staying in Hotel Feno-ly- Ala in chalets overlooking the forest.
I spent this morning walking in the forest to carry out a risk assessment. I was fortunate to see a wealth of animals including four species of lemur, chameleons, geckos, frogs and many birds. The walk was completed by a very quick swim in a freezing natural swimming pool.
Mr Cornish in Madagascar Days 2-3
I have just spent the past two days in the village of Andranosoa organising the school building project. I was able to borrow a 4x4 from a friend and drove there with my interpreter and project manager, Roland.
Andranosoa is a village 20km to the East of the capital Antananarivo with a population of 1,700. The village shows signs of development with community water taps, electricity supply and an extremely full primary school. Most of the villagers are poor farmers; the main crops being rice and manioc. Currently there are 20 secondary pupils who get up at 5am to make the 1 1/2hr journey on foot (some barefoot) to the nearest secondary school 10km away. We found many more pupils of school age who were not going to school because of the distance.
I was honoured to stay in the house of the President of the village who wanted us to see for ourselves and understand the need for a secondary school. During the two days Roland and I carried out the following:
- Met with the village elders to understand their concerns over the lack of a secondary school
within 10km
- Made a fundraising video highlighting the problems faced by one boy- Mamy
- Made a video to give a background to the village
- Took lots of photos for promotional materials
- Visited the planned site for the new school
- Visited the primary school in the village
- Visited the secondary school 10km away
- Met with the vice-mayor of the area
- Interviewed students that go to school and those that don't.
After all of the above, I can categorically say that there is a huge need for a new school and that we have the backing of the students, villagers, village elders and mayor. All that needs to be done now is a decision on when the designs will be completed and building started. The following photos were taken during our stay. Please click on them to enlarge.
The skyline of the village is dominated by a rocky hill which is used as a burial area for previous members of the Malagasy Royal Family.
Andranosoa is on a hill, surrounded by rice paddies and fields.
Most of the houses are in the traditional style of the Merina tribe- two story, two rooms wide, made of wood and plastered with soil. Houses often have outbuildings for cooking or to keep animals.
The village has a medieval feel with the ox-carts and building design.
Andranosoa is a village 20km to the East of the capital Antananarivo with a population of 1,700. The village shows signs of development with community water taps, electricity supply and an extremely full primary school. Most of the villagers are poor farmers; the main crops being rice and manioc. Currently there are 20 secondary pupils who get up at 5am to make the 1 1/2hr journey on foot (some barefoot) to the nearest secondary school 10km away. We found many more pupils of school age who were not going to school because of the distance.
I was honoured to stay in the house of the President of the village who wanted us to see for ourselves and understand the need for a secondary school. During the two days Roland and I carried out the following:
- Met with the village elders to understand their concerns over the lack of a secondary school
within 10km
- Made a fundraising video highlighting the problems faced by one boy- Mamy
- Made a video to give a background to the village
- Took lots of photos for promotional materials
- Visited the planned site for the new school
- Visited the primary school in the village
- Visited the secondary school 10km away
- Met with the vice-mayor of the area
- Interviewed students that go to school and those that don't.
After all of the above, I can categorically say that there is a huge need for a new school and that we have the backing of the students, villagers, village elders and mayor. All that needs to be done now is a decision on when the designs will be completed and building started. The following photos were taken during our stay. Please click on them to enlarge.
Sunday, 10 April 2011
Mr Cornish in Madagascar Day 1
I am back in Madagascar for the first time in 3 1/2 years and it's as though I had never left.
I had a good flight via Nairobi and was met by a friend- a teacher from my old school who lent me his car for the day. I then had to quickly get used to driving on the right, avoiding the many cyclists, oomby (cows), and people who also need to use the roads.
This photo shows the view from the aeroplane flying over the landscape of the north west. Notice the lack of trees and the bright red colour of the river caused by soil erosion due to the deforestation.
My first port of call was to visit Roland the project manager in his office in a town 10km outside of Antananarivo. I was there to present a gift of football equipment to him for use with the boys' team that he coaches. The equipment was kindly donated by Ardleigh Green Primary School so thanks go to Mr Morris and all of his staff for this gift.
A photo of Roland, his football team and me at the official handover!
I had a good flight via Nairobi and was met by a friend- a teacher from my old school who lent me his car for the day. I then had to quickly get used to driving on the right, avoiding the many cyclists, oomby (cows), and people who also need to use the roads.
This photo shows the view from the aeroplane flying over the landscape of the north west. Notice the lack of trees and the bright red colour of the river caused by soil erosion due to the deforestation.
My first port of call was to visit Roland the project manager in his office in a town 10km outside of Antananarivo. I was there to present a gift of football equipment to him for use with the boys' team that he coaches. The equipment was kindly donated by Ardleigh Green Primary School so thanks go to Mr Morris and all of his staff for this gift.
A photo of Roland, his football team and me at the official handover!
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