Working in collaboration with members of the local community, assist with developing and implementing initiatives that promote gender equality. This could involve organising and facilitating ongoing educational workshops for women and girls focused on a variety of topics, including self-confidence, sustainability, health and wellness and English literacy.
In Madagascar, gender disparities are still prevalent in various aspects of life and women and girls face significant challenges that limit their opportunities, including equal access to education and employment. The women on Nosy Be island have come together to form a network of women and girls focused on supporting each other, boosting self-confidence and agency, and providing training on career development, conservation awareness, and gender equality. You will work alongside this network to provide support, present workshops, and help with resource development and capacity building.
Alongside impactful community work, GVI’s Madagascar gender equality program also gives you a chance to challenge yourself, step outside your comfort zone, and immerse yourself in a new culture, all while developing a more global perspective and testing professional and personal skills like reliance, self-awareness and leadership.
Additionally, you will live and work on an eco-base on the edge of one of rarest and remotest ecosystems in the world, with local plant and animal species – including rare and endangered lemurs – right on your doorstep. With Nosy Be’s sweeping natural landscapes, beautiful swimming and diving spots, activities like hiking and camping, and rich and beautiful Malagasy culture, this is the adventure of a lifetime in one of the world’s most unique destinations.
Work with girls and women to improve their access to employment, life skills and economic empowerment.
Live on the edge of a national park filled with rare wildlife, tropical rainforest and adventure activities, and walking distance from the beach.
Don’t just travel like a tourist. Become part of the local community and culture to experience a unique way of living – authentically.
Support and empower ongoing community development projects on the ground that are led by inspiring local NGOs.
Partner with social impact projects that are owned and led by local organisations who guide initiatives according to community priorities.
Your unique expertise, skills and interests are matched to relevant community projects that address specific challenges.
Share meaningful experiences with like-minded, passionate changemakers from all over the globe.
With expert local staff, excellent reviews and 24/7 support at every step – you can relax and enjoy the experience stress-free.
Some of the example typical activities you could participate in on this program.
Receive expert training on gender equality project objectives and procedures, as well as gender in the local socio-economic context.
Lead workshops on trust and teamwork, confidence, human rights and health. Or run conservation-related workshops on topics like climate change.
Work with local women’s groups to define their goals and support them to achieve these objectives.
Gain experience teaching English as a foreign language to women and girls. Classes can be structured or informal.
Develop self-awareness, leadership, resilience and confidence, with support and advice from experienced GVI staff members.
Use your spare time during the week to self-reflect, raise awareness on community issues on social media, or fundraise for a local project.
In your free time on the weekend, visit national parks, the local market, enjoy the beach, or see what’s on offer in the bustling streets of Nosy Be.
Our base is located on Nosy Be island – also known as the “Perfumed Island” because of its ylang-ylang plantations, which give off a beautiful floral scent during their flowering season. This island is also renowned for its extinct volcanoes, ancient rainforests and an abundance of rare and incredible species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world, such as the Nosy Be panther chameleon, the Hawks’ sportive lemur and the Madagascan fish eagle. Nosy Be means “big island” in the local Malagasy language, and is located off the northwestern coast of Madagascar.
On our community development programs, you’ll have the opportunity to work on projects with a focus on teaching English or gender equality.
On our teaching programs you’ll assist with teaching the English language – supporting the younger students with the language, as well as assisting with their grasp of environmental education. That will take place in the mornings. In the afternoons, you will be doing the same for adults. English is a vital skill for people to learn as it’s highly sought after in the local job market and tourism industry.
When you join a gender equality program, you’ll help tackle gender disparities. On Nosy Be island, women and girls have created a network centred on mutual support, confidence and skill growth. This initiative covers areas like career advancement, conservation awareness and gender equality. Your role involves collaborating, leading workshops, and assisting with community empowerment initiatives.
If you choose to complete a wildlife conservation program in Nosy Be your work will include trekking through the Lokobe National Park, (a “strict reserve”), looking for signs of critically endangered lemurs and the great variety of bird, reptile, amphibian and butterfly species that call this rainforest habitat home. Forest surveys are conducted in the morning or at night. With spectacular sunsets and sunrises over the Indian Ocean, there are bound to be many priceless photo opportunities during the course of your program.
Your accommodation – which is a stone’s throw from the beach – consists
Upgrades are available at Les Bungalows d’Ambonara guesthouse, which is a quick 10-minute drive from our base (you’ll need a taxi, wa...
Travelling to and from Fascene Airport takes around 25 minutes, and...
You will have limited access to long-distance communications while on the program, so make sure that your friends and family know how often they can expect to hear from you. Par...
The Malagasy diet is mostly rice- and bean-based. A typical main meal consists of rice alongside servings of seasonal vegetables in a sauce, with...
Nosy Be has a hot, tropical climate all year round. The rainy, hotter season is between November and April, and the dry season from May to October. You can expect temperatures o...
We want you to make the most of the chance to live in – and contribute towards – the most diverse and unique wildernesses and communities on earth. Introducing GVI Experiences – immersive adventure, cultural and wellness activities exclusive to GVI that have been specially designed in collaboration with our local partners to support and stimulate sustainable economic development.
Enhance your impact. Expand your adventure. Explore your world.
Joining a program not only allows you to collaborate with local communities, but also offers plenty of opportunities to explore the surrounding areas or travel further afield over weekends to see what other parts of the region have to offer.
Field staff are a great source of advice, and have helped us put together the following information on local travel options. Many decide to travel before or after their experience (subject to immigration restrictions), solidifying the lifetime friendships established on the program. Please note that the below suggestions are not included in the program fee, and are for you to organise at your own expense.
You can spend time in the village and visit a local market, cafe or...
Mont Passot is the highest point on Nosy Be island, at 329 metres above sea level. It’s surrounded by eight crater lakes that are considered sacr...
June to September is humpback whale-watching season. During this season you can book a tour with a responsible, ethical tour provider. If you’re ...
Book a recreational dive to experience the exceptional variety of Indian Ocean marine life up close. Among the vibrant corals, you can spot a vas...
Visit one of Nosy Be’s many palm-lined stretches of golden beach, such as Andilana, Ambondrona, Madirokely and Ambatoloaka, and enjoy a relaxing day swimming in the warm waters ...
Visit the Sacred Tree, located close to Mahatsinjo village, on the western side of Nosy Be island. This huge banyan tree was planted by the queen of the Sakalava people in 1836,...
We’re based right on the edge of Lokobe National Park which holds the last remaining preserved primitive forest on the island of Nosy Be. The for...
South Africa is a mere three-and-a-half-hour flight from Madagascar. Fly to Johannesburg and book a safari tour through the famous Kruger National Park or experience the beauty ...
This breathtaking archipelago of islands is home to pristine beaches, coral reefs, nature reserves, as well as rare animals such as the giant Ald...
Visit the mainland to see a greater variety of species and experience other distinct cultures of Madagascar. See ring-tailed lemurs in Isalo National Park, hike the stone forest...
Madagascar is surrounded by many islands and islets. From our location on Nosy Be Island
Engaging intimately with a new context teaches global awareness, adaptability and critical thinking – skills highly valued in the modern marketplace. Local and cultural immersion is encouraged on all our programs around the world, and will also be one of the most enjoyable aspects of your experience. Luckily, there are many different activities that you can get involved in during your free time, or before and after your program.
On our community programs, the focus is on cultural topics, while on marine or wildlife programs the emphasis is more on the environmental element. Use your evenings and weekends to explore topics like local cuisine and religion, or how sustainable development challenges are affecting local contexts.
Marodoka village, which means “the ancient village” in Swahili, is located a few kilometres from Nosy Be’s centre. With exceptional architectural...
As a result of the island’s long isolation from neighbouring continents, Madagascar is home to endemic flora and fauna found nowhere else o...
The warm waters of the Indian Ocean surrounding Madagascar are home to a variety of marine species such as clownfish and manta rays. Depending on...
Many of Madagascar’s cultures have long-standing artisanal craft traditions. Some of these include intricate embroidery and brightly coloured baskets. Madagascar is also the pri...
The most notable festivals on the island of Nosy Be are dedicated to music. The Nosy Be Jazz Festival is held in April and the Donia Music Festival is held towards the end of Ma...
Most people in Madagascar speak Malagasy, a language with many dialects. The dialect that is most commonly spoken in the area in which we are based is Sakalava. Due to the influ...
If you’d like to find out what the experience of joining a GVI project is really like, simply contact us and we’ll put you in touch with one of our many Alumni.
We’ll try to match you to an Alum based on your location, nationality, age, stage of academic career, gender, and program interests. This allows you to gain insights into the experience that is most relevant to you.
Depending on your location you might be able to speak to an Alum over the phone or online, or meet up with them face-to-face at a coffee shop nearby. We also run a series of small events around the world where you can speak to GVI Alumni, Ambassadors and staff members.
Program Manager
Meet Padraig, also known as Pod, our Program Manager in Nosy Be, Madagascar. Pod is a passionate wildlife photographer and used to work professionally in the film and TV industr ...
When it comes to support, we ensure that each participant is provided with unparalleled, 360 degree support, from your initial contact with the GVI Family, all the way through your program, and even after, as you become part of the GVI Alumni Team.
As part of this promise, we will ensure, whenever possible, that one of our dedicated staff will be available to meet you at the airport. In most locations, we also set up a Whatsapp group to help with managing airport arrivals.
We will arrange with you prior to your departure that, should you arrive in the agreed upon pick up window, a member of our staff will be there to welcome you, easily identifiable in a GVI t-shirt or holding a GVI sign and wearing a friendly smile.
This means there will be someone there to greet you as you land, and from there you will be transported to your GVI base to start your adventure and meet the rest of your team.
All of our programs have short-, mid- and long-term objectives that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). This enables us to report on our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner, measuring which UN SDGs we are making a substantial contribution to. Furthermore, this will help our local partners and communities measure and visualise their contribution to the UN SDGs.
Prior to your arrival on base, you will be educated about the UN SDGs. Then once you arrive on base, you’ll learn about the specific goals we have in this particular location, our various objectives, and also clarification of how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these.
Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to be an active global citizen after your program, helping to fulfil our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.
With an abundance of diverse natural landscapes, a variety of unique, endemic species and a diversity of distinct cultures, there are many opportunities for expanding ethical and responsible ecotourism and cultural tourism throughout Madagascar, including on the Nosy Be island where we are based. The country’s truly special biodiversity makes it a precious conservation area. Our work on Nosy Be includes assisting local organisations and community members with gender equality initiatives and increasing their English language literacy so that they can better achieve education, economic development and conservation goals.
Conversational workshops with park rangers and other adults
We’re based at the edge of Lokobe National Park and work with the local community to improve their English language literacy through conversational English workshops. This skill assists them with achieving their conservation and professional development goals.
Primary school educator and student support
We work with several primary schooling educators in communities surrounding Lokobe National Park. We support them in improving their English language literary resources for learners between six and eleven years of age. In addition to creating resources for English language literacy, we also assist local educators with improving their resources on a range of other subjects and topics related to their goals for their students.
Community-led gender equality initiatives
Gender disparities exist in Madagascar, limiting opportunities for women and girls, especially in education and jobs. On Nosy Be, a women’s network promotes support, confidence and training, addressing key health and equality issues. We collaborate by expanding skill access, enhancing economic empowerment, and providing guidance for growth. This includes workshops, resource development, and capacity building within the network. Together, we work towards driving positive change.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals the GVI Nosy Be community hub contributes towards are Goal 4: Quality Education, Goal 5: Gender Equality, Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities, Goal 13: Climate Action and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
GVI Nosy Be long-term objectives:
1. Improve English language literacy resources for adults in the communities surrounding Lokobe National Park.
2. Improve English language literacy for Lokobe National Park park rangers.
3. Improve resources for primary school educators and their students in communities surrounding Lokobe National Park.
4. Support teacher training through workshops in educational approaches, skills and techniques.
5. Improve the opportunities and autonomy of local women and girls and raise awareness about the importance of women’s empowerment.
We won’t sugarcoat it — traveling abroad is usually a complex process that carries an element of risk. But this is exactly why we’re passionate about providing extensive support throughout the process as well as the highest safety standards during the in-country phase. We believe that volunteering abroad should not only be impactful, but an enjoyable experience that carries as little risk as possible. This is exactly how we’ve been able to maintain our reputation as the most highly respected volunteering organisations in the sector over the past two decades.
It takes courage to book a GVI program, get on a flight, and head off to somewhere new. Volunteering offers a level of cultural immersion that typical backpacking or holidays ju...
As the saying goes: ‘Expect the best, plan for the worst’. Cliched or not, we take it to heart. This tenet is at the core of how GVI operates when it comes to promoting the heal...
The weather isn’t just a topic for polite small-talk here at GVI. We have emergency action plans in place for all scenarios. So when the weather, or other natural forces, takes ...
Once GVI has matched a participant to a program that suits their passions and goals, our team aims to set the right expectations for them. In the event that false expectations a...
Make the most of our unique programs with these exclusively curated local adventure and wellness experiences.
