Week 1: Andranosoa

Week 1: Andranosoa

We arrived in Andranosoa apprehensive, knowing that there was a lot of work to complete in a short time. After a lack of progress on the first day waiting for materials and paint, days 2-4 saw a big push by the team to catch up on lost time.

Mrs McCall is queen of the camp, making sure that we are all well fed with delicious meals of beef stew (spicy!), pasta and sauce, and vegetable curry, all cooked over an open fire. Tonight sees chicken in white wine sauce- traditional expedition food?!

Wake up call is at 5.30 and work has begun at 7am. Boiling water over an open fire for 38 takes a long time! We are working so hard, bed time has been at 8.30 after songs and games around the campfire.

Half the team have painted the school with three coats of white emulsion overseen by Miss Ellis while the other half have made school benches with Mr Opie. The painting team are starting on the murals today and so far 10/20 benches are complete. It has been an amazing effort by all involved with few breaks, many blisters and lots of paint on clothes and faces. In a race to see who was the fastest to construct a bench, the girls team stormed it by beating the boys 42minutes to 44 minutes. Well done to Ainslie and Georgina Barrand.

Mr Cornish has been in charge of weather forecasting, and has a record of predicting it wrong every day. He still sticks to the fact that it doesn't rain in Andransoa in July even though a rainbow has been spotted over the camp! It has been very cold at night and coloudy and breezy during the day- so much for our solar chargers! Hoodies and fleeces have come in very useful. We are all looking forward to the warmth of the west coast although no-one believes that it will be 30 degrees and sunny as we shiver in our tents!


Any spare time has been spent interacting with the locals. Mr Cornish has been supervising English lessons, making sure that Lucy Morris teaches standard English rather than Essex slang. All of the team now now how to speak simple Malagasy thanks to the two interpreters that have been organised to work with us during our time in Andranosoa. 


The team were overjoyed this morning at the official opening of a new toilet block with high ceilings and a lock on the door. Previously we had to make do with a close to full drop toilet with giant spiders and doors that opened of their own accord. 


Sunday saw a fortunate turn in the weather and a blue sky day just in time for an afternoon visit  to a local restaurant with a swimming pool (freezing) and shower. All tucked into pizzas in a change to camp food. Lucy Chapman had enjoyed her 17th birthday the evening before with a celebratory BBQ on the roof terrace of a local landowner.


Tonight sees the much anticipated England vs Madagascar football game on the village pitch. With only 4 tufts of grass, an altitude of 4,500ft, hard soil and various potholes, the excuses for losing are already racking up. The locals have been in training for a week but with the height and weight advantage, Mr Cornish and his bulldogs (or Corn-puppies as they are now known) hope to bulldozer the opposition and bring a little cheer to English football fans.

The view across to the sacred hill

A rainbow over camp at breakfast- Mr Cornish is still adamant that it doesn't rain here. We are sleeping in the primary school classrooms in the background. 

The 20m walk to work for the painting team. The roof goes on the school today. 

George and Albert enjoy the sun while sanding wood for the benches. 

Lucy celebrates her 17th Birthday with team leader of the day (Ben) capturing the moment on camera. 

Houses on the sacred hill at sunset.

Eleanor, Lucy spend their break time playing games with the local children. The school is in the background. 

The local children are happy to see us knowing that their future will be better because of our fundraising.