Kindergarten Teaching in Madagascar, Nosy Be

To book an activity with us we require you to participate for a minimum of two weeks. Therefore, you would need to book a quantity of two for this activity, unless you choose a separate activity to go with it. See the ‘Related trips…’ section for more options.

Kindergarten Project in Madagascar

The kids at the kindergarten are right at the start of their school careers and the chance to start learning English at such an early age will prove invaluable for them further on. Like in kindergartens throughout the world, the teaching is informal as the children will want to play with you more than be ‘taught’. However, just by getting them enthused about coming to school, giving them some very basic English phrases such as simple greetings, you may as well have sown the seeds of a lifelong learning habit. The children will all be excited to see you and welcome you exceptionally, partly due to the natural and genuine friendliness of the people of these villages but also due to the fact that you will be one of the few foreigners they have ever met, up close!

CRB/DBS (Criminal Records Bureau) Check
It is required that participants complete a CRB/DBS (Criminal Records Bureau) check in order to take part in this project.

Start dates are every week of the year with your activities starting on a Monday. We therefore request you arrive from 08:00 to 20:00 on the Sunday before to receive a free airport pick-up and transfer. Early or late arrivals will incur an additional charge for the transfer and extra night including food, so arriving on the Sunday will be your better option.

Your trip will finish on the Saturday morning when you will need to vacate the accommodation.

• Cover up as much as possible in the spirit of the local culture to avoid embarrassment.
• Your clothes must not be too short, too tight or too revealing. Kindly make sure your shoulders and legs are covered.
• Dress professionally since you will be working in a professional environment while teaching the children.
• It is completely fine to wear western clothes as long as they fit the local standards
• Be thoughtful of the graphics, symbols or text printed on your clothing and avoid wearing clothing styles that might be inappropriate
• Be thoughtful to poor communities by not displaying expensive items and clothes
• Wearing local clothes could help you build a good working relationship with the community and the staff

Location

Nosy is an island off the northwest coast of Madagascar. Nosy Be is Madagascar’s largest and busiest tourist destination. It has an area of 320.02 square kilometres and its population was estimated at 73,010. Nosy Be means “big island” in the Malagasy language. The island was called Assada during the early colonial era of the 17th century. Here you’ll find volcanic lakes, lemurs, rum distilleries, Ylang Ylang plantations and breathtaking coral reefs that are practically begging to be explored. In May, come to experience the four-day Donia Music Festival. Perfectly located on the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia, Nosy-Be evokes feelings of discovery and adventure, the rich and endemic biodiversity will have begging for more. There are many spots that are perfect for ones who seek a golden opportunity to swim among turtles, stingrays or manta rays.

Accommodation & Food

In our centre, there is a dining room, a lounge area where you can hang out with fellow participants and a beautiful garden to relax. A balcony and large roof terrace is also available for you to spend some quality time. Furthermore, there is a refrigerator which you are welcome to use to store food and beverages.

Available Room Types

* Three meals per day during weekdays and two per day on weekends
** Water
*** At an additional fee

Food Arrangements

The meals are a mix of Western and Malagasy food, consisting mainly of vegetarian dishes including rice and vegetables. You can expect to have a chicken dish about twice a week. You can also use the kitchen facilities to cook for yourself or eat out at any of the local restaurants at your own expense.

Facilities

• ATM – The closest ATM to the Center is about 15-20 minutes away by bus or Tuk-Tuk from the accommodation
• Supermarket – The closest local supermarket is around 15-20 minutes away by bus or Tuk-Tuk from the accommodation
• Mandatory Orientation Day

On the Monday of your first week at this location, you will join our orientation day, to familiarise you with the surroundings as well as local culture. Your program will continue as usual from Tuesday onward throughout the rest of the week.

Schedule

• Welcome, introduction to Madagascar and the team, House rules, Dos and Don’ts, Code of
• Conduct and handling of documents
• Introduction about the neighbourhood and prices for taxi, tuk-tuk etc.
• Visit Ambatloka to get SIM Cards and visit the market area
• Lunch
• Malagasy Language lesson
• Activities & Events

No scheduled activities outside the program

Sights & Surroundings

You can get sun-drenched all year-round, and Nosy Be is a paradise for aqua activities. Nosy Be offers you a variety of activities which you can engage in your free time. The golden beaches are the highlights of Nosy be where you can swim, snorkel or even if you want to just sit back and enjoy the sunshine. Some of the beaches are namely,

• Palm Beach
• Andilana Beach
• Ambatoloaka Beach
• Andilana Beach

Nature enthusiasts and adventure lovers certainly find happiness around Nosy Be. Diurnal and nocturnal endemic lemur species, unique bird species, reptiles or indigenous plants and animals can be spotted among these breathtaking landscapes during your Nosy-Be weekend getaways. Please note that in Madagascar, the cyclone season is from January until April

Transportation
From this location we do not provide free transport to other locations

Accommodation
Volunteer camp with shared rooms (4-6 people per room); Basic but comfortable; Shared toilet and shower facilities; Communal areas for socialising and a beautiful garden to relax. A balcony and large roof terrace is also available for you to spend some quality time.

Food
3 meals a day are provided.

Airport Transfer
Included on arrival date. Ask us for details if you are arriving early/late. You be supported at the end of your trip in your onward travel.

Training
A full orientation and project induction takes place. You will also receive full training relevant to your volunteer role.

• Flights
• Travel Insurance
• Visas
• Vaccinations
• Spending money
• In country travel
• Laundry service
• Extra activities not on itinerary
• Departure transfer

Preferred Duration
There is generally no preferred duration but we believe that the longer you can stay the more you will experience and benefit.

Pre-requisites
Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for all participants arriving in Madagascar. Participants below 18 should have parental consent and participants above 65 should have medical clearance to take part in this program. It is important that you can speak English. All participants require a CRB check to take part in the project activities.

Ideal for

• Holidays and Placements in communities
• Work and Activity Breaks in Madagascar
• Volunteer Gap Years and Career Breaks in Madagascar
• Student Summer Holidays in Madagascar
• Gap year teaching work
• Teaching students
• English teaching work experience
• TEFL experience