Centre Lambahoany

Centre Lambahoany is a charity in Madagascar with two aims poverty reduction and nature conservation. It has two sections one in the rural community Fetraomby (ecotourism and agriculture) and one in the city Toamasina (hotel and social activities). The town section must make a profit to sustain the rural section.

About us

EMPLOYER PROFILE

- Madagascar

Centre Lambahoany is a charity in Madagascar, the big island off the coast of East Africa. Madagascar is well known among biologists and environmentalists because of its unique nature. Almost all animals - 90% endemic – and plants are endangered or highly endangered. Furthermore, the country ranks in the top ten of poorest countries, mainly due to bad government.

• 
  
• The initiators
  

The initiators, and actual coordinators, have a background in development co-operation and working with disadvantaged groups. They invested their own money and received some contributions from Dutch donor organisations, via their support group, a Dutch NGO (Stichting Vrienden van Toamasina). Apart from these two coordinators, there are 15 Malagasy paid staff. Work started in 2007.

• 
  
• Aims
  

Thus, the charity has two aims: poverty reduction and nature conservation. The two come together in eco-tourism and the introduction of agricultural methods to minimize slash-and-burn practices.

The project in Madagascar has two sections: rural development through co-operation with two local organisations in the rural community Fetraomby, and a tourism – cultural - social project in the city Toamasina on Madagascar’s East coast. (Toamasina is also known as Tamatave)

• 
  
• Fetraomby
  

With the local organisations in Fetraomby (25 villages) an ecotourism project was developed (housing, treks, training); as tourism dropped to an all-time low because of a coup d’état in 2009, the focus shifted to agriculture, also to protect their environment: improved techniques and practices, better irrigation of the rice fields, introducing animal traction, setting up nurseries for new trees, both for charcoal and as building material, and for reforestation. Villagers were recruited to guard their forests against illegal poaching and tree cutting. About a 10 000 people gained a better life. If more funds could be found this project could extend to other villages.

• 
  
• Toamasina
  

The other part of the project, the tourism-cultural-social project in Toamasina, started with the purchase of a dilapidated hotel, favourably located: near the city centre, near the beach and near the bus station (most of our tourists arrive by bus). The main building and the seven bungalows were refurbished and another building was turned into a conference centre. Local staff was hired and trained. A podium was added to give young artists a chance to perform and at the same time entertain the guests. The idea was to receive tourists here before they head off to Fetraomby (situated in the middle of nowhere, thus real rural life and wildlife, but hard to find on your own) and the profits could be invested in the project in Fetraomby. The bungalows are also available for any other tourists and the conference centre is rented out for seminars, workshops, festivities.

Our values

EMPLOYER PROFILE

- Madagascar

Centre Lambahoany is a charity in Madagascar, the big island off the coast of East Africa. Madagascar is well known among biologists and environmentalists because of its unique nature. Almost all animals - 90% endemic – and plants are endangered or highly endangered. Furthermore, the country ranks in the top ten of poorest countries, mainly due to bad government.

• 
  
• The initiators
  

The initiators, and actual coordinators, have a background in development co-operation and working with disadvantaged groups. They invested their own money and received some contributions from Dutch donor organisations, via their support group, a Dutch NGO (Stichting Vrienden van Toamasina). Apart from these two coordinators, there are 15 Malagasy paid staff. Work started in 2007.

• 
  
• Aims
  

Thus, the charity has two aims: poverty reduction and nature conservation. The two come together in eco-tourism and the introduction of agricultural methods to minimize slash-and-burn practices.

The project in Madagascar has two sections: rural development through co-operation with two local organisations in the rural community Fetraomby, and a tourism – cultural - social project in the city Toamasina on Madagascar’s East coast. (Toamasina is also known as Tamatave)

• 
  
• Fetraomby
  

With the local organisations in Fetraomby (25 villages) an ecotourism project was developed (housing, treks, training); as tourism dropped to an all-time low because of a coup d’état in 2009, the focus shifted to agriculture, also to protect their environment: improved techniques and practices, better irrigation of the rice fields, introducing animal traction, setting up nurseries for new trees, both for charcoal and as building material, and for reforestation. Villagers were recruited to guard their forests against illegal poaching and tree cutting. About a 10 000 people gained a better life. If more funds could be found this project could extend to other villages.

• 
  
• Toamasina
  

The other part of the project, the tourism-cultural-social project in Toamasina, started with the purchase of a dilapidated hotel, favourably located: near the city centre, near the beach and near the bus station (most of our tourists arrive by bus). The main building and the seven bungalows were refurbished and another building was turned into a conference centre. Local staff was hired and trained. A podium was added to give young artists a chance to perform and at the same time entertain the guests. The idea was to receive tourists here before they head off to Fetraomby (situated in the middle of nowhere, thus real rural life and wildlife, but hard to find on your own) and the profits could be invested in the project in Fetraomby. The bungalows are also available for any other tourists and the conference centre is rented out for seminars, workshops, festivities.