By Anthony Arnold | Director and Field Operation Coordinator
Many thanks to all of you who have recently given a little love to Madagascar.
Please check out this movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCbMMFEicFM of kids in the Ranobe village, who spontaneously gathered this week to sing an amazing song after HoAvy has installed a 500L water tank, contributed by UofM Masters Students, on the top of the research center (about 20+ feet/6+ meters off the ground).
Watch the kids celebrate the first water delivery system in the village, resulting in (relatively) high water pressure and delivery out to the field around the research center. Expanding irrigation infrastructure to improve agriculture productivity and access to clean drinking is on the top of HoAvy's list for 2010-2012.
The song I suppose has been composed for some time now, and I haven’t got an exact translation but I understand they are signing about HoAvy, the water for drinking, no more charcoal and how Martina has a strong head!
Your support, in one way or another has made this a reality, and please consider donating today. http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/community-outreach-center-for-ranobe-sw-madagascar/
This is our big day whatever you donate will be matched but only on September 16. HoAvy is in the middle of our 2010 fund-drive to build a community center in the Ranobe village http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/community-outreach-center-for-ranobe-sw-madagascar/.
We need to make a big push to reach our goal in 15 days and if you have been considering it, today we could really use your help by making a small donation and passing on this link to your friends and networks.
Working directly with local people is the best way to conserve the unique bio-diversity here in SW Madagascar and is why we need your help to reach our goal to build this community center and do a lot for a small village at the edge of the world.
This week in Ranobe construction will ramp up, after a cool winter hibernation here in the south we have a lot of work to do, finish the mud-walls inside the building, put in a mud floor, and start landscaping.
The next few weeks will be busy and exciting; we will host the World Wildlife Fund and a number of other sponsors and local collaborators at the research center for a nursery work shop, horse back eco-tour excursion through the forest and further discussion about defining the first Spiny Forest reserve.
Thank you for your support and please stay tuned for more updates.
Anthony for HoAvy
Tulear, SW Madagascar
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