New Press! Newsletter Launch, Amazon Smile and Voyage to Ranomafana

We started off early from Tana to travel to our destination, Centre ValBio, located on the edge of Ranomafana National Park in southeastern Madagascar. This is a distance of roughly 420 kilometers, a distance that should normally take about 5 hours by car, but because of the poor road conditions usually takes about 9 or 10 hours.

Passing through many small villages bustling with activity and remarkable crumbling French colonial architecture, I was astonished to see numerous well-kept small villages clinging to the hillsides in shades of Madagascar’s red earth. Community is very important to the Malagasy and it was clear to see that these small settlements represent a type of cohesive structure that is part of the foundation of their rural society.

The Malagasy are a very industrious people as evidenced throughout our journey, as we passed numerous brick making facilities (photo above), farming with Zebu plows, shepherding herds of Zebu, harvesting and planting crops, marketing goods and generally keeping very busy. Not once did I see an obese person nor a baby stroller. Children walk everywhere and play independently once they learn to walk. The children walk great distances to attend school, sometimes an hour or more each way every day.

Very excited to report that our article in Mongabay has been shared more than 2000 times!

Please see additional new press on Madaworks: http://www.longislandernews.com/life-and-style/2016/1/28/nonprofit-madaworks-raises-3k-for-needy-children

See our first Newsletter! In case you missed it, click ‘subscribe’ on the newsletter: http://shoutout.wix.com/so/bLA6V22X?cid=30440c66-23d3-4484-8bd2-696cba8741bb#/main

Just a reminder that when you shop Amazon Smile or eBay Charity, please select “Madaworks” as your charity of choice! We are also listed on Guidestar, Members Give from American Express, and the PayPal Giving Fund.

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/47-5244680

http://charity.ebay.com/charity-auctions/charity/madaworks-org/115746/

More coming soon!