Life in Sainte Luce as an SCRP Volunteer
After 10 weeks as a volunteer on SEED Madagascar’s conservation research programme (SCRP), I am finally putting pen to paper to write about my time in Sainte Luce. Looking back on those weeks, it was a time so full of wonderful adventures, masses of learning and so many unforgettable moments that it is hard to do it justice.
In January, we were the first volunteers to be back in Sainte Luce after nearly two years of being away due to the disruptions and border closures caused by the pandemic. Yet as soon as our 4x4 came down the final bumpy track to the camp, we felt immediately at home. The local camp staff welcomed us with open arms – and even one of the friendly groups of brown lemurs from the area swung into the canopy above to say ‘hello’ and welcome us to Sainte Luce.
In Sainte Luce, you soon fall into the swing of a daily routine, slotting easily into camp life and heading out on morning, afternoon and evening surveys to collect data for SEED’s conservation projects. From seeing the colony of 400+ flying fox bats for Project Rufus to night walks through the forest spotting mouse lemurs and fat-tailed dwarf lemurs; from exploring the wetlands to collect data on floral biodiversity for Project Mahampy, to looking for endemic reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates in the wildlife corridors for Project Ala, there is never a day that doesn’t throw something new and exciting at you.
For those that are new to Madagascar, as I was, the Jurassic-Park-style landscapes are out of this world. As we hike our way from fragment to fragment of the littoral forest, sometimes many minutes will go by with not a word said or a thought in mind as we all simply absorb the wild beauty of it all. Journeys to work are adventurous and certainly never boring, often involving clambering our way through thick jungle, hopping on a pirogue boat across the river, or wading through wetlands and trying our best not to lose flip flops and crocs along the way!
Of course, with all our daily activities and walking, stocking up on food is essential. If incoming volunteers are in some way worried about the food in the bush - whether that be quantity, quantity or flavour - this is no concern. The smells coming out of the hut where our wonderful camp cook, Vayah, prepares meals throughout the day, followed by the much anticipated banging of pots to announce the food is ready, gets the whole team’s mouths watering. A delicious breakfast of crispy mofo (local bread deep fried dough balls), sweet rice porridge, banana cake and fruit keep us going throughout the morning’s work before a lunch of the finest rice and beans - a different type every day to keep us on our toes - and a dinner of fresh fish straight from the Sainte Luce shores or locally sourced vegetables, combined with ‘sakay’ (the famous Malagasy hot sauce).
There is plenty of down time in camp in between surveys, with Monopoly Deal and Bananagrams being the firm favourite games, or reading, chilling in a hammock or wondering into the hamlets of Sainte Luce to buy snacks and the beloved Malagasy THB beer from the village shops. You definitely work hard to play hard on the SCRP programme, and after a busy, yet rewarding, six-day week of work, Sundays are the chance to relax and explore the local area. The day we headed to the ‘secret lagoon’ behind the S17 fragment of the forest was certainly a highlight. Picnic in tow, we hopped aboard our pirogue and meandered through the beautiful mangroves, arriving to what can truly be described as paradise – a pure, untouched jungle-beach combination and not a soul in sight. We picnicked under the giant pandanis trees and spent the day looking out to the deliciously blue Indian Ocean horizons. The programme was also topped by the famous ‘bush parties’, which we enjoyed at the start and end of the scheme - getting a taste of Malagasy culture as the local guides and national SEED staff played us music and got us dancing (or attempting to) Malagasy style.
My time in Sainte Luce would not be the same without the local guides who have really left an impression on us all. Thanks to Solo, Rajiva and Babaly, we were guided safely through the forest each day, never getting lost, with spider webs and branches batted out the way. We were warned of wasp nests, had our pirogues paddled for us, and always with laughter, dancing, singing and enthusiasm for the work. As well as patiently teaching us Malagasy, the guides shared their impeccable knowledge of the land and its unique wildlife, and brought so much additional joy to the experience.
Leaving Sainte Luce after 10 weeks was not easy and I could have stayed on forever! I would recommend the SCRP volunteer programme to anyone and advise them to make the most of every second as it will fly by. Go with an open mind, ready to work hard and enjoy the most unique adventure of your lifetime!
