Volunteering

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Teaching English Volunteering in Madagascar

Support conservation and economic development in Madagascar on this English teaching volunteer program.

Durations: 2 - 12 weeks
Fieldwork hours35 hrs of fieldwork per week
Participant ratio1:6 staff to participant ratio
9 participant reviews
GVI experiencesIncludes GVI Experiences
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Travel flexibility, because life happens! Modify your booking, even up to 48 hours before departure. T&Cs apply.

Program information

Travel to the edge of Lokobe National Park, the sole remaining ancient rainforest on the island of Nosy Be. You’ll work with teachers in the surrounding communities to improve the English literacy education offered to students between the ages of 6 and 50. Your work on this program will directly contribute to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education.

Overview
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Program overview

Its tropical location and iconic animal species mean there are many opportunities to grow the ecotourism industry in Madagascar. Many local Malagasy people are very much aware of this and know that English language literacy is one more tool they can use to help them achieve this goal.

On this program, you’ll be assisting local Malagasy people with accomplishing their English literacy goals. You’ll be based on the island of Nosy Be, a location with many tourism employment opportunities for local people. Our community hub is located on the edge of Lokobe National Park, the last remaining rainforest on the island, home to critically endangered lemur species and bordered by a tropical beach. 

In the mornings, you’ll take a short walk to the surrounding communities where you’ll work with local teachers to prepare English language literacy resources for their learners. In the afternoons, you’ll participate in conversational English workshops with adults from local communities.

During the course of your program, you’ll have the opportunity to learn the local Sakalava Malagasy dialect. In your free time, you can go swimming, snorkelling and diving in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean among coral reefs, tropical fish, sea turtles and dolphins.

Highlights

Economic development
Economic development
Assist local educators with English language classes aimed at improving access to economic and employment opportunities.
Explore Lokobe National Park
Explore Lokobe National Park
Live and work on the edge of a national park filled with rare wildlife, adventure activities, and within walking distance from the beach.
Get immersed in the community
Get immersed in the community
Don’t just travel like a tourist. Become part of the local community and culture to experience a unique way of living-authentically.  
Contribute to enduring impact
Contribute to enduring impact
Support and empower ongoing community development projects on the ground that are led by inspiring local NGOs.  
Join locally-led initiatives
Join locally-led initiatives
Partner with social impact projects that are owned and led by local organisations who guide initiatives according to community priorities.  
Use your skills for good
Use your skills for good
Your unique expertise, skills and interests are matched to relevant community projects that address specific challenges.  
Make friends for life
Make friends for life
Share meaningful experiences with like-minded, passionate changemakers from all over the globe.  
Enjoy a hassle-free, safe trip
Enjoy a hassle-free, safe trip
With expert local staff, excellent reviews and 24/7 support at every step – you can relax and enjoy the experience stress-free.  

Activities

Some of the example typical activities you could participate in on this program.

Teacher training
Teacher training
Receive expert training on education project objectives and procedures, how to evaluate and monitor projects, and the local cultural context.
English classes
English classes
Gain experience teaching English as a foreign language to children, young adults and women. Classes can be structured or informal.
Teacher capacity building
Teacher capacity building
Take on additional responsibilities such as working closely with our partner organisations to help train and upskill more local teachers.
Professional development
Professional development
Get crucial career-building exposure to working and communicating within a diverse team and a specific local context.
Personal development
Personal development
Develop self-awareness, leadership, resilience and confidence, with support and advice from experienced GVI staff members.
Pursue individual passions
Pursue individual passions
Use your spare time during the week to self-reflect, raise awareness about community issues on social media, or fundraise for a local project.
Free time
Free time
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.

Skills

  • Community empowerment
  • Cross-cultural communication
  • Social issues
  • Student engagement
  • Teaching English as a second language
  • Teaching workshops

Program details

 
Included in your program, at no extra cost.

Make the most of our unique programs with these exclusively curated local adventure and wellness experiences.

Offered once a month, expand your adventure with GVI Experiences. These are just some of the activities offered on your program!
Take Malagasy lessons
Take Malagasy lessons
Explore the cascades of Nosy Be
Explore the cascades of Nosy Be
Visit a sacred Baobab tree
Visit a sacred Baobab tree
Snorkel in a marine wonderland
Snorkel in a marine wonderland
Sunset from Mont Passot
Sunset from Mont Passot
Sleepover in Lokobe National Park
Sleepover in Lokobe National Park
Connect with our alumni
Want to connect with some of our past participants about their adventures? Get in touch with hundreds of friendly ambassadors all over the world who would be more than happy to answer any questions.
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9 reviews

Sara Frisk Helstrup

2 Dec 2024
The base and team in Madagascar is wonderful. They are hard working and engaged with their work. The food was nice as well, overall a great experience. 

Emilie Norregard-Nielsen

29 Nov 2024
I absolutely loved my time here and I cannot recommend the program enough! Teaching was truly so giving and I loved the bonds that I created along the way! Nosy Be is truly a gem.

Sally Kristiansen

9 Nov 2024
My 4 weeks teaching in Madagascar has been amazing. The community programme is very well prepared and you see the impact in your work immediately. Nosy Be is an amazing place with great culture, people, food, nature and wildlife. I can highly recommend working with GVI om this project!

Poppy Humfrey

24 Jul 2024
My overall experience was very fun! The staff are so kind, helpful and friendly. They are always there to help you.

Charlie Brauer

20 Jun 2024
Hey my names Charlie Brauer, I spent 10 weeks in Madagascar with the GVI program.My number 1 highlight of my trip was the amazing connection the volunteers had with the community, we played football matches, basketball games and got to experience the true culture. The work was also the best part of the experience, the students are extremely thankful for your help and welcome you with open armsThe relaxed lifestyle, warm weather and great landscapes lead to some great experiences like swimming with turtles, relaxing on beaches and some beautiful sunsets overlooking the island.10/10 experience

Olivia Houpert

17 Jun 2024
Even though I only stayed 10 days, my time with GVI Madagascar was truly an unforgettable experience, and I owe much of that to the incredible staff who made it all possible. From the moment I arrived, I felt welcomed and supported. Their dedication and passion for the projects were evident every day, and it was inspiring to see how much they care about making a positive impact in the community.Reflecting on my time in Madagascar, one of the most memorable aspects was the amazing group of volunteers I had the privilege to work alongside. The diversity within our group brought a wealth of perspectives and skills, and it was incredible to see how we all came together with a shared purpose.Teaching English in Madagascar was a truly rewarding experience, largely due to the wonderful students and community members I had the pleasure of meeting. Their enthusiasm for learning and their warmth made every day a joy. Watching the students grow and develop their language skills was incredibly fulfilling, and I felt honored to be a part of that journey.In general, my experience with GVI in Madagascar was life-changing. The support from the staff, the friendships with fellow volunteers, and the connections with the local community made this program exceptional. I leave with a deep sense of gratitude and many wonderful memories. Thank you all for making this journey so special!

Victoria Otzen

25 May 2024
The last 8 weeks have been absolutely fantastic and it is not easy to say goodbye to the super nice people I have taught for the last two months and all the other volunteers and staff on the base. I can only highly recommend coming to Nosy Be and participating in the GVI program!

Dylan Cuttelod

11 Nov 2023
It's a wonderful opportunity to help others who you will never forget. It allows you to understand local communities. It also allows you to grow as a person and discover new passions even it at first you are scared because you don't know people you will rapidly make close friends.

Hannah Kirk

21 Jun 2023
I chose to participate in a GVI programme, wanting to ultimately work in education in developing countries, and having heard of my cousin’s positive experience volunteering for the organisation. Now that I have completed my volunteering experience, I am more certain than ever that the career I want to pursue is in the area of research and fieldwork in countries that are developing, potentially even working for GVI is something that I am now looking further into. From the very beginning when I was picked up by my base leader, Jazzy, the experience was incredible. During the week, the volunteer work was not only hands-on and motivating but very touching and fulfilling, getting to really know and understand each of the individuals that we taught and worked with. On the weekends, exploring the different islands around us (Nosy be) and learning about the culture just from walking around and exploring via tuktuk was an absolute fever dream, and the other volunteers that I spent my weekends with were all so lovely and passionate too. The hardest part about the whole experience was coming home!

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