Comoros Islands Conservation Programme Further Details
AmenitiesThe community of Hoani is most welcoming and will cater to volunteer needs really well to the best of their resources. There are taxi brousse going from Hoani to Fomboni (the capital) and to other places on the island although these taxis are usually full and do not run all day long, but it is possible to get on them. You could rent a vehicle with a driver on a day off for a tour of the island. There is no cell phone network in Hoani and for Internet access, you have to get on the taxi brousse to Fomboni.
You will be provided with a landline phone number so that family members can call to check if you are OK, but you would not be able to receive daily phone calls from home as the number would be from a private house. In addition, its important to note that the island offers basic living conditions, for example you cannot buy any alcohol on the island, or go out clubbing etc. - it is very "roots" living, as the people say there. Mohéli has a tourism page worth visiting, which provides ample information on activities to do, the islands and so on: http://www.moheli-tourisme.comMedical requirements
Medical facilities in the Comoros are extremely basic, anything beyond a minor medical emergency would require evacuation to Mayotte. Serious medical emergencies necessitate evacuation to Nairobi or Dar-es-Salaam, where full medical facilities are available. A charter plane would be required for evacuation, and so all volunteers are required to have adequate insurance to cover any costs that ensue. Malaria is prevalent in the Comoros, including Plasmodium falciparum, which can cause deadly cerebral malaria. All volunteers are required to take Doxycycline prophylaxis for malaria, and complete any other vaccinations required by doctors in your respective countries. Use of mosquito repellent and mosquito nets is mandatory. For safety measures, British volunteers should register arrival with the British High Commission in Mauritius, French citizens with the Embassy in Moroni, for any emergencies, other nationalities, please check this.
Travelling to the Hoani
Flights to Moheli can be quite expensive, as this island is off the tourist route, and it also requires a few changeovers. The cheapest flight is around 650-700 pounds with Yemenia Airlines departing from France or the UK. Often passengers flying the Yemenia are required to spend a night in Yemen. Yemenia will place its passengers in a hotel and take care of logistics in Sana, but this option means more time travelling. Another option is to fly with Kenya Airways to Moroni, with a stop in Nairobi - flying firstly to Nairobi with an airline of your choice, and then onto Moroni with Kenya Airways - this can cost up to 1000 pounds in total. An additional option is to fly to Mayotte with Air France and then from Mayotte, fly to Moheli with a short stop in Anjuan with the airline, Comores Aviation. The flights from Europe to Mayotte may be cheaper, as there is more competition. If arriving in Moroni, you can also take Comores Aviation to Moheli (round trip cost is 80 Euros). If you need to spend a night in Moroni, we have a contact that will charge you 15000kmf or 30 euros a night, including airport pick up and breakfast, and dinner would cost 2500kmf or 5 euros. Airport pick up is best to arrange.
Medical facilities in the Comoros are extremely basic, anything beyond a minor medical emergency would require evacuation to Mayotte. Serious medical emergencies necessitate evacuation to Nairobi or Dar-es-Salaam, where full medical facilities are available. A charter plane would be required for evacuation, and so all volunteers are required to have adequate insurance to cover any costs that ensue. Malaria is prevalent in the Comoros, including Plasmodium falciparum, which can cause deadly cerebral malaria. All volunteers are required to take Doxycycline prophylaxis for malaria, and complete any other vaccinations required by doctors in your respective countries. Use of mosquito repellent and mosquito nets is mandatory. For safety measures, British volunteers should register arrival with the British High Commission in Mauritius, French citizens with the Embassy in Moroni, for any emergencies, other nationalities, please check this.
Travelling to the Hoani Flights to Moheli can be quite expensive, as this island is off the tourist route, and it also requires a few changeovers. The cheapest flight is around 650-700 pounds with Yemenia Airlines departing from France or the UK. Often passengers flying the Yemenia are required to spend a night in Yemen. Yemenia will place its passengers in a hotel and take care of logistics in Sana, but this option means more time travelling. Another option is to fly with Kenya Airways to Moroni, with a stop in Nairobi - flying firstly to Nairobi with an airline of your choice, and then onto Moroni with Kenya Airways - this can cost up to 1000 pounds in total. An additional option is to fly to Mayotte with Air France and then from Mayotte, fly to Moheli with a short stop in Anjuan with the airline, Comores Aviation. The flights from Europe to Mayotte may be cheaper, as there is more competition. If arriving in Moroni, you can also take Comores Aviation to Moheli (round trip cost is 80 Euros). If you need to spend a night in Moroni, we have a contact that will charge you 15000kmf or 30 euros a night, including airport pick up and breakfast, and dinner would cost 2500kmf or 5 euros. Airport pick up is best to arrange.
Visas
Volunteers need to get a visa from the Grande Comore island with the Foreign Ministry (Ministere des Affaires Etrangere) - this will be pre-arranged for you by the C3 staff so that you just need to present your letter to immigration upon arrival. In addition, the government in Moheli will be informed about the project, so that entry at Moheli airport is facilitated when the volunteers arrive.
MoneyIt would be best if volunteers bring cash, Comorian francs are the best, but if not, Euros can be changed at the bank in Fomboni. Travellers cheques are very difficult to use and are not recommended to bring, and credit cards cannot be used in Moheli. Please note though, that volunteers will not need much money to spend once in Moheli, except for things like pop drinks which are 300kmf/ 0,60 Euros each and crafts for souvenirs made out of coconut leaf and other tree produce which is not costly. Volunteers would also need money for taxi rental, which costs around 15000kmf or 30 euros total with a chauffeur per day. We estimate that you would probably not need more than 50 Euros per week extra for your spending money, of course this depends on extra activities that you would do outside of work.
ClimateThere are two main seasons: wet and hot during the months of November to April (equivalent to the summer) and dry and windier during May to October (equivalent to the winter). During the winter months it can be quite cool at night, so you may want to bring long sleeves and long trousers for the nighttime, in fact, it is best to wear long clothing for mosquito bites. The rain falls quite heavily and it will be necessary for you to wear full waterproofs. Otherwise proper sunblock, sunglasses and a hat is recommended as it gets really hot during the summer time.
How to get involved?
If you are interested in joining this project, you will need to fill out the online application form (you can also print it out and send it to us by post) – to secure a placement on the project, please complete and submit the form including two references and your deposit of £120. If for some reason, your application is declined, we will reimburse this deposit fully. However for those who are accepted, the full amount needs to be paid one month before departure. Once the full sum is paid, you will receive a pre-departure package with all detailed information on your project, the Comoros, suggested items to bring etc.
If you are interested in joining this project, you will need to fill out the online application form (you can also print it out and send it to us by post) – to secure a placement on the project, please complete and submit the form including two references and your deposit of £120. If for some reason, your application is declined, we will reimburse this deposit fully. However for those who are accepted, the full amount needs to be paid one month before departure. Once the full sum is paid, you will receive a pre-departure package with all detailed information on your project, the Comoros, suggested items to bring etc.
