Peace Corps Volunteers in Madagascar are teaching English, conducting health education and child survival activities, and working on natural resource management and community development.

Education

Volunteers live in underserved rural communities and work with students, teachers, and the larger community to improve capacity to speak English and use English in the workplace. Working in cooperation and collaboration with central and regional curriculum professionals, Volunteers also support the government's initiatives to raise the standard of teaching, develop teaching resources, and strengthen links between schools and communities.

Environment

The goals of the environment project are to reduce degradation of natural resources, develop capacity of local individuals and institutions, and enhance management capabilities of responsible government officials and non-government organizations. Madagascar has several national parks and protected natural areas. Volunteers provide training for managers of protected areas, community members, and other local groups to improve conservation in these areas. Volunteer projects include environmental education, income-generating activities, eco-tourism, ecological monitoring, community development, construction of fuel-conserving stoves, forestry, rice production, agroforestry, and gardening.

Health

Volunteers help communities address health issues through promotion of behavioral change and effective dissemination of health messages. The messages promote the prevention of childhood illness, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted disease prevention, family life skills, and other reproductive health information. Volunteers work with community leaders and organizations to disseminate health messages that are critical to the survival of mothers and children.