Fourth Quarterly Report

Transcription

1 Fourth Quarterly Report January 2016 Guy Randriatahina, Programme Director Lot IVH 169 N Ambohimanandray Antananarivo Madagascar 1

2 These activities were carried out with the support and contribution of the following AEECL Zoo members If your logo needs updating, please it to 2

3 Table of content 1. Anabohazo Project Transportation of the building materials Construction and maintenance of well Scholarship Ecotourism Reconnaissance visit by a tour Operator Teaching World lemur festival... 6 List of photo Photo 1 Visiting the track construction in Anabohazo... Photo 2 Track in Anabohazo... 2 Photo 3 Construction materials... Photo 4 Loading the lorry with the construction materials... 2 Photo 5 Pump installation in Antsatsaka... Photo 6 Pump in Antsatsaka... 3 Photo 7 Pump marked with donor's logo... 3 Photo 8 Maintance of pump in Antafiabe... Photo 9 Maintenance of pump in Ampanolahy... 4 Photo 10 Tourists visiting Ankarafa... Photo 11 The "Ami de Zoo de Lyon"... 4 Photo 12 Meeting with teachers in Antsohihy... Photo 13 Teachers assessment... 5 Photo 14 Meeting with teachers at the tourist camp in Ankarafa... 6 Photo 15 Carnival Photo 16 Road show... 6 Photo 17 Lanto Boromé, Tsimbazaza Park Director... Photo 18 Jonah Ratsimbazafy, GS of GERP... 7 Photo 19 Mrs Ramiarison Claudine, representative of the MHESR Photo 20 Russell Mittermeier, president of SCC/IUCN... 7 Photo 21 Public raising awareness in Ambohijatovo... Photo 22 Public... 7 Photo 23 AEECL car

4 1. Anabohazo Project Construction of the trails is done. About 7 km trails is established by the villagers using their own means. The construction lasted one month and 10 people have completed the work. We did a local invitation tender for the construction in Anabohazo. We invited those who are interested to meet us up at the office in Antsohihy. Five service providers came and we presented to them the details of the construction project. Only one person accepted the offer. His name is Clarien and he has built the building at the tourist camp in Ankarafa. A contract was signed on 1 November Photo 1 Visiting the track construction in Anabohazo Photo 2 Track in Anabohazo 2. Transportation of the building materials We bought the building materials in Antsohihy and then transported them to the site. The lorry that brought these materials did not reach Anabohazo and had to return to Ambinda where the materials are stored while waiting for another vehicle. Few weeks later, we found a tractor while the rain already started. Therefore the tractor could not reach Anabohazo because of the bad road; it only managed to transport the materials at halfway. The materials had to return to Ambinda where they were stored in a house. Early arrival of the rain has caused the trail and made it impracticable mainly large vehicles. As result, the construction in Anabohazo is temporarily stopped and it will begin again in June. Photo 3 Construction materials Photo 4 Loading the lorry with the construction materials 2

5 3. Construction and maintenance of well Since 2014, three (3) pumps have built but they have not been completed due to the remoteness of the location as well and the unavailability of the well digger. Therefore we have to look for a well-digger in Antananarivo. The well in Antsatsaka was done the first. As the well is dry during the dry season, the well digger and his team had to dig up to 2 m under the existing wells. To avoid cutting off the rod which connects the piston to the pump, the well diggers put a well ring of 1meter at the mouth of the well. Photo 5 Pump installation in Antsatsaka Photo 6 Pump in Antsatsaka Photo 7 Pump marked with donor's logo In Kapany, the well-diggers remade the hole because the old one was collapsed. The well hole is about 7 meters deep. In Analamazava, the well-diggers brought down the 6 well rings inside the hole to avoid the dug well from collapsing, they are also put a lid at the well mouth. Two pumps are maintained in Antafiabe and in Ampanolahy. In Ampanolaha, the valve is broken, the well digger removed the defective part and replaced it with a new one. In Antafiabe, the pump mechanism is rusted and could not be able to pump out water. We brought new pipes and rods and replaced the defective parts. For these two villages, the villagers can now reuse these wells. Not only we build wells but also can maintain them when needed. 3

6 Photo 8 Maintance of pump in Antafiabe Photo 9 Maintenance of pump in Ampanolahy 4. Scholarship To improve the quality of education, a scholarship programme was launched by the Reserve Calviac. During the school year , ten (10) students have benefited scholarship from the Reserve Calviac. According to the school principal all of the students got good marks at school and passed their exams. However two of them left the school for family reasons. The school principal also reported that the scholarship has improved the exam results. For this new school year, five (5) new students are selected and they will join the others who have received the scholarship. 5. Ecotourism The tourist camp has received 7 visitors during the last quarter of 2015 including 4 tourists and 3 people who are already familiar with the project of AEECL. These 3 persons included 2 persons from the Ami de Zoo de Lyon and the last one is Czech primatologist who has worked in Madagascar. It is noted that the Ami de Zoo de Lyon gave some money for the camp improvement. They already planned to visit Sahamalaza since Photo 10 Tourists visiting Ankarafa Photo 11 The "Ami de Zoo de Lyon" 4

7 6. Reconnaissance visit by a tour Operator This December 21, 2015, the tour operator Madafocus led by its Director visited us in Antsohihy. Madafocus is a receptive agent of Matoke tours and Sawadee Reizen. They would go to Sahamalaza for reconnaissance. This travel agency that operates mainly in the southern part of Madagascar would expand its action site and would develop tourism in north and pass by Sahamalaza. The director of the tour operator would like to explore the access and the activities that the tourists can do during the visit in Sahamalaza. He also asked more information about the road accessibility and the existing infrastructure on site. They came by a 4WD car and planned to visit the forest to find the blue-eyed black lemur but as the rainy season is already started they were not be able to visit Ankarafa forest by car. 7. Teaching The AEECL subsidizes 69 teachers from 3 communes around the Sahamalaza National Park including Maromandia, Ambolobozo and Befotaka. Of the 50 schools that we visited, there are approximately 2850 children. These numbers are recorded from the beginning and at the end the school year. The teachers reported that 162 enrolled children which represent 5.68% did not complete the school year. The percentage of the children who achieved the school year increased. In addition, the teachers mentioned that the examination results have improved. Approximately 95% of candidates got the first national diploma. These academic achievements are the result of the teachers energy and motivation and the pupils assiduity. The school dropout is unintentional, it happens often during the rainy season. Some parents asked or forced their children to help them getting money. As an example, in the village of Ambodimanga, some children missed the class twice a week to look for crabs and sell them to Chinese people. Furthermore, during the rainy season access to the school is difficult due to the increase of the water thus the children cannot cross until the level drops. It is noted that the parents of the pupils are more often helped each other to build and maintain schools. Photo 12 Meeting with teachers in Antsohihy Photo 13 Teachers assessment 5

8 Photo 14 Meeting with teachers at the tourist camp in Ankarafa 8. World lemur festival The goal of this festival is to raise awareness about the importance of the lemurs and to improve knowledge about lemurs in Madagascar and also globally. This year the theme of the festival is "Lemurs: national heritage, friends should be protected". The second edition of the festival took place on the 30 and 31st of October The schedule is as follow: Day 1: The event started with a carnival from Mahamasina to the Botanical and Zoological Park in Tsimbazaza where the opening ceremony was held. About 9 schools and associations participated to the carnival. More than 600 persons from these 9 schools and associations did the carnival. Photo 15 Carnival Photo 16 Road show After the carnival various speeches were given by the director of the park (Mr Lanto Boromé), the general secretary of GERP (Prof Jonah Ratsimabazafy), a representative of the Ministry of higher education and scientific research, MHESR (Mrs Ramiarison Claudine) and the president of SCC/IUCN Primate Specialist Group (Dr Russell Mittermeier). A conference about lemurs was carried in the "Académie Malagasy" in the afternoon. 6

9 Photo 17 Lanto Boromé, Tsimbazaza Park Director Photo 18 Jonah Ratsimbazafy, GS of GERP Photo 19 Mrs Ramiarison Claudine, representative of the MHESR Photo 20 Russell Mittermeier, president of SCC/IUCN Day 2: A sensitization was held in the public garden of Ambohijatovo. About 1000 school children from 6 different schools were involved. Various activities such as environmental quiz, dance competition, lemur coloring contest and drama about the biodiversity of Madagascar including lemurs were conducted. Photo 21 Public raising awareness in Ambohijatovo Photo 22 Public 9. Signage To improve the visibility of the AEECL, the Zoological Society of East Anglia offered two magnetic stickers with the logo of the AEECL. They are stuck on the both front doors of the AEECL's car. 7

10 Photo 23 AEECL car 8