Azafady has been working with communities in the town of Fort Dauphin and rural villages in the extreme south east of Madagascar for more than ten years. Fort Dauphin is the urban centre of Anosy, one of the country's most isolated and impoverished regions. The Anosy region is also home to some of the island's largest and most endangered remaining tracts of continuous pristine forest. This mix of extreme poverty and astounding biodiversity of flora and fauna throws up some unique development challenges.
In an effort to protect these rare ecosystems before they are lost forever, the Government of Madagascar recently established 14 'New Protected Areas' (NAPs) in the region. Azafady is helping improve the sustainability and local support for these NAPS by working directly with communities that live near them. Working with these communities has shown us their critical need is for improvement to health, access to education, and for training and information that helps prevent further damage to their environment. We run project programmes in Community Health, Sustainable Livelihoods and Environment. We take a holistic approach to development work and run the three programmes together, with coordination of all project activities. This allows each programme to contribute more fully to achieving our overall goal of improving the lives of people in Madagascar.
Volunteer
Azafady offers a number of unique and challenging volunteer placements in Madagascar - a vibrant country of beautiful scenery, exotic animals and welcoming people. Whether your passion is sustainable development or vital conservation work, Azafady can offer you an unforgettable experience.
Whichever programme you choose, you will be benefiting from Azafady's decade of experience of working in Madagascar with each scheme led by an award-winning team of experienced project leaders. No particular skills are required to volunteer with us and training is given locally. However, if you do have particular skills or experience in areas relevant to your project, this will enhance your contribution.
By volunteering with us it could help you to choose a new direction in life or to develop a career path you may already be on. It could be both a personal highlight and a practical stepping stone in a gap year or, for anyone at any time, a great way to go abroad for more than just a holiday.
The Pioneer Madagascar programme is a volunteering initiative run by Azafady since 2001. Volunteers on the program work on Azafady's projects in the field, gaining an understanding of the resource needs of impoverished village communities and how this impacts on conservation efforts. Camping in some of the most beautiful and remote parts of Madagascar, Pioneer volunteers work in three interrelated areas over the course of the programme: Typical projects include constructing wells and latrines; building and equipping schools; health and environmental education in rural areas; forest conservation; and sustainable income-generating activities such as bee-keeping and community vegetable gardens. For more details, see the Pioneer Madagascar Programme Guide. You will receive an all-round experience in the workings of a small development agency, an excellent background for anyone wanting to pursue a career in development or conservation. Pioneer Madagascar is also offered as an internship for those wishing to gain experience and/or credit for a college or university course. The Pioneer Madagascar programme is designed as a ten week scheme although shorter periods (from five weeks) may be available by prior arrangement.
Get the application forms for the Pioneer Programme or for an Internship or email info@azafady.org
Surfing Madagascar
It doesn't take much figuring to realise that Madagascar's southwest and southern coasts are positioned to pick up the same swells that feed the breaks of South Africa, and later Indonesia. And we're talking groundswells here, with wave periods typically in the mid-teens, and sometimes higher. That means power and penetration; enough to get the swell to bend 180° at one particular left said to be the best break identified on the island so far.
But there is a catch: well several. The window of opportunity is limited to the relatively short stretch of the Indian Ocean between South Africa and Madagascar. If there's no low-pressure activity in that zone there's no substantial swell. Even when there is activity the swells can come and go rapidly. The winds can be fickle as well. The trades tend to blow cross-shore to onshore at many of the exposed reefs and might just start up a bit earlier than you would like. Surfing might be limited to the morning, though not necessarily. The same left that bends 180° is offshore and actually works best with a southeast trade.
If there is swell and if the wind is right, the tide might still let you down. Most of the waves I saw and surfed were breaking on coral reef. They can be very tide-dependent, becoming dangerous when the water gets too shallow.
But catches aside, Madagascar offers many rewarding surfing opportunities on all its coasts. There are known spots, there are secrets, and there are spots waiting to be discovered. Don't expect perfection and you won't be disappointed, but you might be surprised. And whatever surfing experience you do have in Madagascar, it will be without a crowd.
The Southwest
The southwest is Madagascar's surfing wonderland. Many high-quality breaks can be found among the area's coral reefs. Given the orientation of the coast, and the direction of the prevailing swells, the best of these breaks tend to be lefts, although rights are also present.
During my short stay in the area I saw one world-class left, one almost as good, two other lefts, a right, and a peak - all within relatively short boating distances of one another. And you do need a boat to get to these places, most of which are between one and three kilometres offshore.
With hundreds of kilometres of reefs, bays and points stretching up the Mozambique Channel, the southwest also holds the real possibility of many more surfing discoveries. One rarely surfed and remote sand-bottom left was described to me as being as hollow as Kirra and at least as long as the "super bank" on Australia's Gold Coast.
The South
South of Itampolo (pronounced It-am-pul) the coast swings east, increasing the exposure to the swells, and to the winds. The water is still warm and corals still grow, but the fringing reefs begin to break apart, opening the way for inshore setups. Rock shelves and beach breaks start to predominate, all easily accessible from shore.
At Lavanono (pronounced Lava-nu) there is one recognised left point break as well as dozens of other unnamed reefs, including many with real potential to turn it on in big swells. But again you need luck as trades can blow onshore to cross-shore around the clock. Once the swell does come up and starts churning the sediments you also need to be prepared for water that is less than crystal clear.
From Cape Saint Marie, Madagascar's southern-most point, the coast starts to bend around to the northeast, completing the swing at Fort Dauphin (also called Taolagnaro). A minor surfing centre with a small local crew, the options in Fort Dauphin are limited to iffy beach breaks and Libanona Point, a reef break that reminded me of Fairy Bower in Sydney. It even has its own version of Surge Rock, though unfortunately there is no Winkipop-style outside section and the wind always seems to want to blow cross to onshore.
The East
Heading north from Fort Dauphin much of Madagascar's East Coast could be described as a featureless wave desert. Long straight beaches tend only to be interrupted by river-mouths. Sharks are also said to be present.
North from Ambila-Lemaitso the coast gets more interesting and the opportunities increase. Coral atolls and reefs become more common-place, and the coastline starts to be broken up with points and bays. There could be dozens of quality waves along this largely unexplored stretch.