Walk for Azafady - Sunday March 16th.

10am till 4pm. Meeting at Lewes train station at 10am prompt.

Azafady is a charity that helps communities and sustainable development in poor and remote areas of Madagascar. Check out www.madagascar.co.uk

The walk will be led by Huw Wyn (founder of Tigers nest) and Amchi Tsewang Smanla (a 7th generation Tibetan healer from the remote himalayan kingdom of Ladakh).

The route:

Lewes Brooks Circular Walk of 9 miles. This is a 9 mile circular walk starting south of Lewes and taking in the villages of Iford, Northease, and Rodmell. On the walk you cross the Greenwich Meridian a total of 4 times, and enjoy some panoramic downland views from the valley of the Lower Ouse.

Our first walk is inspired by Rebecca, who will be going out to Madagascar in Early April to work with the charity. Money raised on this day will allow Rebecca to fulfill the charities fundrasing requirements and she will spend almost 3 months volunteering for the charity.

Whilst the walk allows us opportunity to connect with the earth and so hopefully encouraging respect; it is also an opportunity to focus that in a grassroots way toward Madagascar - a land in need of preserving; which in turn is effectual to the entire world...so encouraging higher levels of awareness in all respects.

Azafady is a volunteering organisation working with Madagascar - the worlds 4th largest island, with a staggering diversity of plant and animal species, some 80% of which are found nowhere else on the planet. 

All the money raised will help Azafady to;

• support local communities by providing appropriate health and sanitation infrastructure and education; and by helping to develop alternative sustainable livelihood strategies to improve their wellbeing;

• protect and enhance the unique environment of Madagascar by providing an opportunity for people from 'developed' countries to get an understanding of the complex issues in conservation and development.

This is done with help from volunteers, such as Rebecca, who take part in a range of construction work, conservation research and educational activities.
 
While one of the most biologically richest place on earth, Madagascar is also one of the worlds poorest countries. Only about a quarter of the 17 million population has access to safe drinking water - as few as a tenth in rural areas - and the infant mortality rate is a horrendous 1 in 10. The country typically spends as much on debt repayments each year as it does on health and education combined. Annual per capita income remains one of the lowest in the world and the population often have to struggle to survive.

Azafady, basically means 'please' in malagsay, or more specifically 'excuse me'....or even more specifically', it translates as 'may it not be taboo to me'. Malagasy people are extremely polite and can be quite elaborate in their expressions.