Comoros Islands Conservation Programme

Ecovolunteers are needed to work on sea turtle conservation in the stunning Comoros Islands, as well development programmes within the community where they are living.  A "roots" experience for well travelled volunteers, wanting to experience local living with traditional communities in the Comoros Islands, whilst surveying sea turtles and carrying out important environmental work.

 

The Union of the Comoros (Comores in French) is situated at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, equidistant (approximately 300km) from continental Africa and Madagascar. It comprises three volcanic islands: Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli. The Comoros gained independence from France in 1975. The Comoros have been identified as one of the ‘hottest hotspots’ in terms of global conservation priorities - thus, this small island developing state is one of the world’s critical sites for natural resource-based development and has tremendous potential, not only for ecotourism, but for conservation investment and action.  Mohéli, where this programme is based, is known as "l'Ile Nature des Comores" - the Nature Island of the Comoros, where time seems to have stopped and where nature is well preserved and in abundance - mostly untouched by tourism.

 

Volunteers are needed to work on the island of Moheli, in the region of Hoani with the environmental association, HUPPE.  This programme will be overseen by C3, (Community Centred Conservation), which is an international non-profit company established in 2002 with the following mission: To develop conservation efforts worldwide by building the capacity of local individuals and institutions through grassroots research and training initiatives.  Operating from an administrative headquarters in the UK, the C3 team has over 30 years of experience in environmental research, education and management in Australasia, Oceania, Asia, Africa and the Americas with specialized expertise in the management of conservation programmes in small islands.

 

 

Programme details Volunteers will be working mainly on sea turtle conservation during the main nesting season.  Green turtles are seen nesting all year round so there will be survey activities taking place all year round - track surveys during low season and full monitoring during high nesting season.   Besides sea turtle conservation, volunteers will be required to help create sensibilisation events in the villages and any development work needed for the community, where the plan is to begin an ecotourism programme in the region of Hoani called Moimbasa.  Volunteers will be based in Hoani, but will assist Hoani and two other nearby small villages in the creation of hiking trails, construction of camping sites and other activities that C3 is currently putting in place with the community.   2008 Dates     1st May - 22nd May 2008 - project closed 1st June - 22nd June 2008 - 3 places available 1st July - 22nd July 2008 - 4 places available 1st August - 22nd August 2008 - 2 places available   Volunteers need to be able to speak relatively good French, as Hoanians speak French, not English.  Those who speak English can also help to teach English to the local Moheliens, as the education level is low and there are little resources for teachers to teach properly in the classes.    Volunteers will be working nights for turtle nest monitoring and mornings from 7 to noon during the day when doing community development outdoor work (ie trail building) with afternoons off.  When on turtle patrol at night, volunteers will get the following day off to sleep etc.  Most of the sensibilisation or school related work will be done in the morning as Comorians work from 8 to 2 pm Monday to Thursday. 8 to 11 on Friday and 8 or 9 to 12 on Saturday.

 

Volunteers should be aged over 21 years or more, and should be well travelled and experienced living and travelling in remote places with very few facilities.  They should be self motivated and also self-reliant, in order to adapt to difficult circumstances and culturally very different environments.  They need to be open minded, as Moheliens follow a very traditional Comorian culture.  In addition, volunteers needed to be either Francophone, or to speak a reasonable to good level of French (at least GCSE standard), as that is the language in which most communication is done on Moheli, and Mohelians speak French with a strong accent too, which makes it harder to understand (they also speak Comorian on Moheli, and in some remote areas, they don't even speak French).  Volunteers need also to be aware of the remoteness of the project and be comfortable not having immediate access to electricity, internet, mobile phone, hospitals, shops, bars etc.  

 

The cost for ecovolunteers for 3 weeks is 581 pounds, which covers all programme costs, including lodging in a shared bungalow (with another volunteer), all food (cooked by local women), airport transfer, project materials, project t-shirts, documentation, telecommunications between project managers on the island, local transportation between villages, all training and supervision by C3 and Huppe project manager, WorkingAbroad Projects backup and placement support, and so on. (Click here for more on costs breakdown).