Realizing the threats of the ongoing deforestation, the government has decentralized its forest administration and transferred a vast amount of forest land to be managed by local communities. The main objective of this empowerment is that the population, who remains the first beneficiary of the natural resources after all, learns to responsibly take care of their environment. The WWF’s and our volunteer’s role is to accompany and support the community associations who have been trusted with the forest administration: if these associations are not able to manage and use their assigned area rationally and in a resource-friendly way, just as well as to record and report all important actions, the government will withdraw the accorded authority from them.

More precisely, our volunteer work in Andranomilolo comprised regular meetings with the village community, supporting them with organizational matters, reforestation and forest restoration plans. This once even meant assisting with the organization of a big dance party (which included a DJ with his substantial sound system coming) to help gather money for the construction of a storehouse. Working with the local population also meant exercising a lot of patience: remembering meeting dates and being on time has far less relevance for them than tending vanilla and coffee fields.

Living closely together with the villagers for almost three months permitted us to become part of the community. We continually tried to raise awareness for the importance of the environment and thus its protection, during group meetings as well as individually. But we also motivated them to feel more responsible towards the community association and to be more dynamic and supportive regarding the tasks that come along with the forest administration transfer: attend reunions and bring themselves in, help with the tree nursery, reforestation and much more.

One of our most entertaining tasks was an environmental education with the kids, all the while keeping them animated with games and contests. 

We also assured the tree nursery’s maintenance and got some (dirty) hands-on experience in replanting sprouts with cow dung.

Going on a patrol with the Forest Police, which consists of five men elected by the villagers, was another unforgettable experience. These “Polisin’ala” control the surrounding woodlands, reporting any illicit logging or burning.

Besides all that, a lot of our time was consumed simply by “surviving”: fetching water, cooking rice three times a day (yes, three. Rice for breakfast, rice for lunch aaaaand rice for dinner. Seven days a week), checking the house for scorpions, washing clothes and walking three hours to the nearest bigger village to buy some vegetables kept us occupied when there was nothing else to do.

Living in Andranomilolo was quite a big personal challenge. The lack of sleep thanks to the deafening music next door, not having any privacy sphere, some drunk guys trying to bargain my price, or the troubles with adjusting to the change in nutrition are just some of them.

But still, getting to spend time in such a remote area and to live in such simplicity was a wonderful experience. The kindness of some of the villagers as well as the charm and vitality of the kids is something that I will never forget.