NY AKO Concert in Lancaster – 14th June 2018

Money for Madagascar (MFM) is hosting the wonderful and amazingly talented NY AKO group on 14^th June 2018 at Lancaster Methodist Church, Scotforth Rd. Lancaster LA1 4TE at 7:30pm.

This family-friendly event will feature traditional Malagasy music and dance from around the Island. There is a suggested donation of £10 at the door (£5 for concessions) with donations going to our partners and projects across Madagascar, which support some of the most vulnerable people in the world.

Madagascar is a beautiful country with amazing people but it also one of the poorest in the world today with many facing water and food shortages, as well as poor education. This immense poverty also puts pressure on Madagascar’s beautiful and unique environment and this is why funding these projects through is so vital. Our projects support the Malagasy people in their day-to-day lives helping to reduce poverty, improve education, and also preserve and protect Madagascar’s beautiful and unique environment.

Madagascar also supports projects, which help the Malagasy people start their own businesses. Less than 20% of the population in Madagascar are in formal employment and so we work with partners who offer training, small grants, tools and materials, which help thousands of poor Malagasy start their income generating enterprises. By attending the Ny Ako performance you can actively help the Malagasy people!

For more information about our projects visit https://moneyformadagascar.org/ or to make a donation visit https://moneyformadagascar.org/make-a-donation/

Thank you

Written by John Garman

Lancaster Royal Grammar School’s Lenten Appeal

Every year students at Lancaster Royal Grammar School (LRGS) raise money for local, national, and international charities and this year students chose to help MFM and its continuing work in protecting and preserving Madagascar’s unique environment, promoting and assisting the sustainable development of Malagasy communities, and securing a better future for the people of Madagascar. MfM director Irenee Rajaona-Horne was invited to attend a cheque presentation and lunch at LRGS on the 4^th July where she met students and staff who organised and took part in fundraising activities.

Money for Madagascar was among charities who received a share of £16,000 raised by students at LRGS.

The boys managed to raise a grand total of £16,000 which was distributed between a few select charities, including £2625.00 which was given to MFM. This donation will help fund vital projects to preserve some of Madagascar’s unique species and habitats. The extreme poverty in Madagascar means that enormous pressure is placed on its environment including mass deforestation, and the risk of extinction to thousands of species found nowhere else on earth.

The Indri Indri Lemur is endemic to the Andasibe National Park where this donation will help fund conservation efforts

Thanks to the students’ efforts, MFM can support projects such as those run by our partner Mitsinjo who are planting precious wildlife corridors to help preserve the distinctive flora and fauna around Madagascar’s Andasibe National Park, such as the Indri Indri Lemur which is endemic to this forest. Projects such as those being run by Mitsinjo are vital for securing and protecting Madagascar’s environment and MFM could not do what it does without the amazing fundraising efforts of our supporters.

Workers at Mitsinjo who are working to restore flora around Andasibe National Park.

MFM would like to give a huge thank you to students and staff for all their incredible efforts in organising and planning fundraising activities which will so greatly benefit the Malagasy people. The students' enthusiasm for fundraising and supporting our charity was inspirational and MFM looks forward to working with LRGS in the future.

If you would like to find out more about MFM’S projects and work, or would like to make a donation, please visit www.moneyformadagascar.org

Written by John Garman

Money for Madagascar at the Lancaster University Community Day

Money for Madagascar recently had the opportunity to take part in the Lancaster University community day with its own stall and activities. With the MfM office being located in Lancaster, it was an excellent opportunity to speak to members of the local community and university about the work we do in Madagascar and to educate them about ways in which they can help some of the poorest people in the world today.

The stall included lots of information about who we are and what our work, and the work of our partner's involves such as conservation projects, supporting children’s centres, and other vital projects which aid those in poverty. It also included lots of different elements with some activities for the children including dressing up in Malagasy clothing (with lots of different hats!). Children who came really enjoyed dressing up and taking part in the activities and it was great to see them engaging with Malagasy culture. 

There was craft made by Malagasy people which ranged from model cars made out of recycled metal, to necklaces made out of seeds. The craft-work and attention to detail involved is very impressive and highlights the skill of the Malagasy people who too often lack the resources to tackle the issues they face. The Malagasy people know what they need to improve their standard of living and have the skills to put them in place, but they simply do not have access to the resources. This is why the projects that MFM is involved in are so important to ensure that key resources such as access to food, shelter and education are available to those in need.

This is why volunteers are so important to MFM. They contribute to office work, research tasks, fundraising activities and many more vital tasks that help MFM support the Malagasy people - there are always tasks which need doing, wherever you are.

If you or anyone you know might be interested in volunteering or wish toTo volunteer or make a donation in support of the charity please visit www.moneyformadagascar.org

Thanking Our Volunteers!

Volunteers and Staff at the Merchants Pub

On the 18th of June, we had a volunteer get-together in Lancaster. It was a small way of expressing our thanks to volunteers who contribute their time and skills to MfM, and also a chance for them to meet up with each other.

Not all our volunteers could make it but those who could had a choice of two events to attend. One related to a concert put up by Lancaster Millennium Choir, a faithful supporter of Akany Avoko. The concert was for an hour and it showcased their latest piece - Charlie the Cello. Some of our volunteers attended this event and were also able to sell some Malagasy crafts and greeting cards to raise money for our partners in Madagascar. Others joined us at the pub, and you can see from the picture above that we were enjoying some lovely summer sunshine. We want to say a special thank you to our volunteers for all their hard work and commitment!

Ash Rofe receiving certificate

Earlier on this month, one of our volunteers Ash Rofe received a certificate from the Mayor of Lancaster at the annual Volunteer Awards which are hosted by the Lancaster chapter of CVS (Council for Voluntary Services). He was nominated in the category for Young Volunteer of the Year. Ash has been an intern with us since October 2015 and he is returning to complete his undergraduate studies at Lancaster University. Ash has come in to our office once a week every Friday and contributed his skills and knowledge to help us with a variety of office tasks. We thank him for his time and efforts and wish him all the very best as he enters his final year of undergraduate studies.

We would also like to thank Alice Tooms our fundraising intern from Lancaster University who has completed her undergraduate studies and is moving on to new pastures. We do hope that both Alice and Ash will continue to be in touch with us and will spread the word about the work that our partners do in Madagascar!

Stride into the Tide

Join us for a knees-up in Morecambe Bay! 

 Back by popular demand…. MfM supporters will once again stride into the tide of Morecambe Bay on the 14th of July 2013. Our last stride across Morecambe’s alluring quick sands raised over £3000 to fund education for boys locked up in Toamasina prison.

This year we have booked the ‘Queen’s Guide to the Sands’ to accompany an exclusive party of Akany Avoko and MfM supporters on this iconic adventure.This is a rare opportunity to step out onto the shimmering sands of Morecambe Bay, admire the backdrop of majestic mountains and maybe find some Ambergris (Whale sick!). This beachcomber’s jackpot is highly valued by the perfume industry. Last week a beachcomber found a piece of Ambergris worth £100,000 in Morecambe Bay! So keep your eyes peeled.

As well as being a fun day for a good cause this is a golden opportunity not to be missed. This year our guide, Cedric Robinson, is celebrating 50 years of guiding people across Morecambe's infamous sinking sands. Although the sea air has clearly defied Cedric from aging, one day, sooner or later, Cedric will retire, taking with him the secret of the sands and the art of how to cross them. 

Places on the walk are in high demand with supporters from Cambridge, Oxford, London,  The Wirral, Llangadog and Madagascar already signed up. Local Lancastrians aged 8 to 80 are also limbering up - including parties from Lancaster Girls Grammar School, Quernmore Primary School, University of Cumbria Pre-school, Lancaster Millenium Choir and Lancaster Quakers.

Please do support the big MfM Stride into the Tide on the 14^th of July either by joining us for the knees-up or sponsoring someone else to get their pants wet!  Advanced booking is essential by contacting irenee@moneyformadagascar.org. More details will soon be featured on the Events page of this blog. 

Way Out of Sex Trap

Today AllAfrica.com described how thousands of Malagasy girls are turning to sex-work to survive, with as many as 1 in 7 of the population working in the sex industry in the port town of Toamasina.

MfM runs training programmes for teenaged girls to give them an alternative to sex-work. Here girls receive food, medical care, academic education and vocational training.

 Our next big drive is to help girls to set up their own micro-entreprise so they can earn a decent living. It cost £50-£100 to set a girl up with the equipment she needs to run a business like renting solar lights, hairdressing, dressmaking, selling food, or renting out a phone. 

This skilled sewing student was awarded a machine to start a dress-making business with her family.

This week we were delighted to hear that MfM supporter Andy Whitfield was celebrating a Big Birthday. We were even more thrilled when he announced that he would like people to make donations to MfM in lieu of birthday presents! This wonderful gesture has raised enough money to fund new businesses for five destitute teenaged girls. What a brilliant birthday legacy!

Thank you!

If you missed the story about Andy's choir raising their voices for Akany Avoko scroll down to the post about 'Unsung Heroes'.

To learn more about the struggles of teenaged girls in Madagascar follow the link
  Sex for Survival