What inspired you to work for SEED Madagascar?
What inspired me to work for SEED is the unique position it holds at the intersection of research, hands-on fieldwork, and community engagement. It’s rare to find an organization where you’re not only contributing to scientific research but also actively living and working within the community that the project supports.
Madagascar itself is an incredibly unique place. Many people don’t get the opportunity to experience rural southeastern Madagascar, especially the remaining littoral forests, which are some of the last of their kind in the world. Being able to work in such a biodiverse and threatened environment is both a privilege and a responsibility.
What motivates me most is seeing the tangible impact of our work. Because we live in the community, we’re not removed from the outcomes; we see how conservation efforts, education, and research directly benefit local people. Being able to develop my career while contributing to meaningful, positive change is what truly inspired me to join and continue working with SEED.
Describe a typical day at work.
A typical day starts early. I usually wake up around 5:30 or 6:00 a.m.—I like having a bit of quiet time before the day begins. Breakfast is at 6:30, and we’re very fortunate to have a camp chef, so all our meals are provided.
After breakfast, we head straight into the field. The morning usually involves a survey—this could be long-term biodiversity monitoring, such as lemur or herpetofauna surveys, or sometimes tree planting as part of the reforestation project. Fieldwork normally takes up most of the morning.
We return to camp for lunch, and in the afternoon, we focus on data entry and analysis. Since we rely on solar power, we try to make the most of the daylight hours for computer-based work. Most days also include a night survey.
We head back into the forest around 7 p.m. to monitor nocturnal species, and we might finish anywhere between 9 and 11 p.m., depending on the length of the survey.
Alongside research, there’s also the day-to-day running of the camp. That includes managing logistics, ensuring equipment is charged, supporting volunteers, and making sure everything operates smoothly. So it’s a balance between field research, data management, and camp coordination.
What challenges do you often face, and how do you overcome them?
Working in rural southeastern Madagascar comes with a number of challenges. One of the biggest is being resource-limited. For example, we rely heavily on solar power, which means our ability to complete computer-based work depends on the weather. When conditions aren’t ideal, we have to be flexible and adjust our schedules accordingly.
We also work in a relatively isolated community as foreigners, so building trust is essential. It’s important that the community understands we’re working with them, not just in their space. At the same time, we’re careful not to create dependency. Our goal is to build resilience and agency — ensuring that when we eventually leave, local stakeholders have the knowledge and capacity to continue the work independently. To navigate this, we collaborate closely with our national staff, who provide critical insight into the local context and cultural nuances. Their guidance helps us approach challenges in a respectful and effective way.
There are also environmental challenges — cyclones, heavy rainfall, extreme heat, and equipment failures are all realities of fieldwork here. You can’t prevent every obstacle, but you can anticipate many of them. Planning ahead, maintaining equipment, and building flexibility into our schedules help us stay prepared.
On a personal level, isolation can also be challenging. Living and working in a remote environment means spending a lot of time alone. I’ve learned the importance of setting aside time for myself — staying connected with friends and family, going for walks, and reminding myself why I chose this work. Reconnecting with that sense of purpose helps me stay motivated, especially during difficult periods.
Brown lemur visiting the campsite in Sainte Luce.
What are some current projects you are working on?
SEED has been running research programs for over 20 years, so there are a number of long-term projects currently underway. These include biodiversity monitoring of lemurs and herpetofauna, research on bat species such as the Madagascan flying fox, conservation work with endangered palm species, and the Ala Reforestation Project.
Since my background is in agroecology and agricultural sciences, I’ve been primarily involved in the reforestation work. Our goal is to extend existing forest corridors to help reconnect fragmented littoral forest habitats. In Sainte Luce, one of the key challenges is that local communities rely heavily on forest resources, often in ways that aren’t sustainable. Through the reforestation project, we’re working to develop and implement more sustainable restoration practices that both support biodiversity and respond to community needs.
We’re currently setting up experimental trials to evaluate which planting strategies and species combinations are most effective in this specific ecological and social context. A big part of our work is understanding not just what works ecologically, but what works for the community as well — ensuring that conservation efforts are practical, sustainable, and beneficial locally.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
I would tell myself to be flexible and open-minded. When you’re working in a different cultural context, it’s essential to adapt — not just your work style, but also the way you communicate and interact with others. Things won’t always be done the way you’re used to, and that’s okay. Being open to different approaches is part of the growth. Traveling, especially to somewhere as different as rural Madagascar, means you’re going to meet people from many backgrounds and perspectives. The more open you are, the more you’ll learn.
I’d also tell myself to embrace discomfort. Some of the most meaningful experiences come from pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. You learn so much about yourself, what you value, what challenges you, what you enjoy, and what you don’t. And the only way to learn those things is by actually going out there and trying.
What makes SEED Madagascar special?
What makes SEED special is its ability to combine scientific rigor with meaningful community engagement—at least in the department where I work. It’s not just about validating our own assumptions; it’s about going into communities, understanding what is actually needed, monitoring progress over time, and continuously adapting our projects to meet both community and project needs.
Another unique strength is how fully integrated our staff and volunteers are within the community. By working closely with national staff, we come together to empower communities and build long-term resilience. This collaborative spirit isn’t limited to one department; it’s something you can see across all projects, which makes SEED truly distinctive.
I also believe that SEED’s continuity in the Anosy region is something truly special. Over time, long-term engagement has built genuine trust within the community. That sustained presence allows for deeper impact, something that short-term, project-focused organizations often struggle to achieve.
Miguel and the SCRP team in Sainte Luce, working together to support local conservation initiatives.
Why should someone choose SEED Madagascar over competitors?
I think SEED stands out because of its scale and focus. We’re a relatively small organization working in one specific region of southeast Madagascar, which allows us to be highly specialized and deeply embedded in the communities where we operate. Rather than spreading resources thinly across multiple countries or projects, we concentrate our efforts where we can create meaningful, measurable impact.
Another key difference is our community-centered approach. We work very closely with national staff and local stakeholders to develop solutions that are practical and sustainable in the long term. The goal isn’t just to implement projects, but to build resilience and local capacity so that progress continues independently.
Because we live and work in the community, we see the direct outcomes of our efforts. That proximity creates accountability and ensures that funding is directed straight into on-the-ground projects where it makes a tangible difference.
Ultimately, SEED offers a combination of scientific rigor, long-term commitment, and genuine community partnership that sets it apart.
What hopes do you have for the future of SEED Madagascar?
Looking ahead, my biggest hope for the organization is that the continuity we’ve built in Anosy continues to grow into something fully community-led. A major part of our work has been building resilience and strengthening local capacity, and I hope that over time we can continue shifting leadership and decision-making power from international staff to Malagasy staff.
Ultimately, I would love to see the organization run entirely by Malagasy professionals — with international staff stepping into supportive or advisory roles rather than leading. That transition would represent true sustainability and real community agency. It would mean that the systems, knowledge, and trust we’ve built are strong enough to stand on their own.
If we can reach that point, I think it would be one of the clearest signs that our work has truly succeeded.
What is SEED Madagascar’s mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
SEED’s mission is to promote sustainable environmental management, education, and community development across rural southeast Madagascar. What makes the organization unique is that it approaches these goals holistically with different departments working together to address interconnected social and environmental challenges.
I work within the Conservation Research Programme, where our focus is on biodiversity monitoring and protection. We conduct long-term ecological monitoring to track population trends of endangered and understudied species, including lemurs and herpetofauna - frogs, chameleons, and snakes that are often overlooked but ecologically important.
This data collection and analysis are critical. It allows us to understand how species populations are changing over time and helps inform conservation strategies at both the local and regional levels. We’re one of the few organizations in southeastern Madagascar conducting consistent, long-term monitoring of this kind.
Beyond data collection, a key part of our work is community engagement: ensuring that local stakeholders understand the importance of biodiversity and how forest conservation connects directly to livelihoods.
We also share our findings more widely so that people outside Madagascar are aware of the environmental pressures facing these ecosystems and can contribute to conservation efforts in meaningful ways. Through research, collaboration, and community partnership, we’re working toward SEED’s broader goal of sustainable development that benefits both people and biodiversity.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
Working in the conservation department, we host many volunteers who support us with data collection and field research. Our hope is that when participants leave, they truly feel that they’ve made a meaningful contribution, not only to our scientific work, but also to the community we live and work alongside in Sainte Luce.
Many of our participants are master’s students completing their theses, so we also hope they gain valuable professional experience. By working closely with trained scientists and coordinators, they’re able to develop practical research skills, deepen their understanding of conservation work, and see how science is applied in a real-world context.
Beyond the technical skills, we hope they leave with a genuine appreciation for Madagascar, for its ecosystems, its communities, and the unique challenges and opportunities that come with working in such a special place. Ideally, they return home with a stronger sense of responsibility toward conservation and a deeper understanding of what community-based, long-term work really looks like.
The beautiful scenery around Sainte Luce.
How do you help support participants?
Working in a remote camp with a small team means that participant support is incredibly important. We want volunteers to feel that they’re not only contributing meaningfully, but also that they’re supported, heard, and comfortable in what can be a very unfamiliar environment. Living and working in rural Madagascar isn’t always easy, especially for participants who may not have a scientific or field background. So we make sure communication is always open. We check in regularly, create space for questions, and encourage honest conversations about how they’re feeling and how the experience is going.
Support also extends beyond the work itself. We provide tents so they have a comfortable place to sleep, all meals are prepared for them, and we guide them through daily camp life so they understand what to expect. Professionally, we walk them through the surveys we conduct and explain not just how we do them, but why the work matters. Providing that context helps them feel more connected to the bigger picture.
Outside of work hours, we try to build a positive community atmosphere, whether that’s having conversations, going for walks, or playing games together. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure participants feel safe, supported, and able to make the most of their time here.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
I think it’s important to travel abroad and experience new cultures because it gives you a completely new perspective. In my own life, I’ve had the opportunity to live in several different countries alongside people from backgrounds very different from my own. Those experiences have challenged the way I see the world and helped me understand that there isn’t just one way of thinking, living, or solving problems.
Travel pushes you outside of your comfort zone. It encourages you to try things you might never have considered before and to adapt to unfamiliar environments. In doing so, you don’t just learn about other cultures, you also learn about yourself. You begin to understand what you value, what excites you, and where your passions truly lie.
Ultimately, experiencing new cultures broadens your worldview and opens doors you may not have even known existed. It builds empathy, resilience, and curiosity — qualities that stay with you long after the trip is over.
Why do you think learning a new language is important?
I think learning a new language is important because it allows you to connect with people in a way that simply wouldn’t be possible otherwise. When you make the effort to speak someone’s native language, it shows respect, and people genuinely appreciate that effort. It creates an immediate sense of openness and mutual understanding.
Language also carries nuance, humor, emotion, cultural references, that often doesn’t fully translate. When you speak to someone in their native language, you access a different layer of their personality and culture. For example, when I lived in France, speaking French allowed me to form friendships in a deeper way. I was able to see a different side of people than I might have if we had only communicated in English.
The SCRP team in Sainte Luce with volunteer Malte (in the centre).
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
To me, meaningful travel is about taking something lasting away from the experience. It’s not just about visiting a place to take photos or staying somewhere comfortable — although there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s about growth.
Meaningful travel means stepping outside of your comfort zone, meeting new people, and trying things you wouldn’t normally try. It might mean forming a deeper connection with a friend you’re traveling with, or building relationships with people you meet along the way. It’s about being present enough to let the experience change you in some way.
Ultimately, meaningful travel is when you return home with more than just memories — you come back with new perspectives, stronger relationships, and a better understanding of yourself and the world around you.
What does ethical global engagement mean to you?
To me, ethical global engagement means prioritizing the needs, voices, and leadership of the communities we work with. It’s about making sure we’re not simply validating our own assumptions or advancing our organization’s agenda, but actively listening and responding to what the community identifies as important.
In this context, working in rural Madagascar, that means ensuring participants and community members have an active voice in decision-making. It also means national staff are not just involved, but are at the forefront of the organization — leading initiatives and shaping long-term direction.
Ethical engagement is also about sustainability. We’re not here simply to provide services or temporary support. The goal is to build resilience, strengthen local capacity, and create frameworks that allow communities to thrive independently. Ultimately, success means that the systems in place are strong enough that they don’t rely on our continued presence.
For me, ethical global engagement is rooted in respect, shared ownership, and a long-term commitment to empowerment rather than dependency.
