From 28 April to 10 May 2018, Naturevolution successfully organized an awareness-raising mission in the New Makay Protected Area in Madagascar. A mission that aimed to test our very first pedagogical trunk in some schools of Makay before a generalized development to the whole of Makay.

The educational trunk consists of colorings, masks, puzzles, flyers, dominos. . .

The project

This educational kit was designed with the aim of raising awareness among the people around the Makay about the richness and fragility of its biodiversity. It consists of devices to awaken to nature: games, books, posters, frescoes… Designed and created by Alix Thiebault, a science illustrator, with the invaluable help of primatologist Christine Avril and the advice of Naturevolution, these devices bet on aesthetic and educational qualities.

The field team, consisting of about ten people, including two eco-volunteers, went to 3 villages and had the trunk tested on more than 200 children in five schools. The Malagasy animators, trained in the use of the games, made it possible to interact and exchange on the theme of the environment.

Mission team made up of Naturevolution staff, beekeeping specialists, our talented illustrator (in red) and eco-volunteers.

Sessions divided into 2 parts

To introduce the subject, a large 3m x 1. 5m fabric fresco depicting the Makay and its ecosystems is displayed. On this fresco, small hooks allow you to place fabric subjects, representing animals, plants, humans and objects. Led by the animators, the activity is for the children to come and place these subjects in the appropriate environment, but above all to open up discussions: Where does this animal live? What does he eat? Where to place the men? What are they doing in the Makay? There are many issues to be addressed.

A child from Tsivoko places the animals of the Makay on the fresco.

The children are then invited to spread out around small stands that offer different games, run by the animators. The two eco-volunteers are not left behind and take part in the games with the children. The teachers and school principals, excited, quickly appropriate the contents of the trunk: puzzles, dominoes, memory, assembly games, research, coloring… there’s something for all tastes and all ages, in such a way that the trunk made it possible to offer activities to almost 100 children at the same time. Schooled and out of school, children and adults, the trunk brings together the smiles and screams of children for half a day.

Children try to combine animals and diets

Encouraging beginnings

The amazement and enthusiasm surrounding the passage of this trunk are encouraging for the rest of the adventure.. Indeed, we are only at the beginning of the project. This mission confirmed the finding that the people around the Makay River do not know much about the fauna and flora that live there.

These wake-up devices will need to be complemented by media that will convey a more committed environmental message. The trunk will then have to enter a development phase, because the objective is to leave it in the villages. The presence of facilitators, who are familiar with the issues and the contents of the trunk, is essential and will make it possible to train teachers in the autonomous use of the different materials.

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This mission was carried out in parallel with our first activities in support of beekeeping in Makay. Thanks to Evelyne and Christine, eco-volunteers on this spring mission. Everyone who participates in our eco-volunteer missions – that is, maybe you! – make possible, both physically and financially, our conservation actions for the preservation of the new Makay Protected Area.