P A G E 2
D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5
V O L . 4 , N O . 2
US Ambassador and Prime Minister Visit
Continued
Although Ambassador Yamate had to return quickly
to Tana, on the following day the staff members of the
US Embassy went to Manantenina to meet with
Marojejy guides, porters, cooks and villagers to discuss
the protection of Marojejy National Park. People talked
about their challenges for the protection of Marojejy
which are primarily poverty and lack of education.
People who go inside the park to destroy it don’t
understand the law and they think it’s the only way to
survive, so they asked support for their livelihood. Luke
Zahner of the embassy encouraged people to discuss
with their deputy (representative) about their problems
because that is part of their responsibility at the
assembly – to listen to their people and try to find
solutions to their problems. After a long discussion, the
US Embassy staff walked through Manantenina to see
the village and meet local people. In the afternoon Guy
Tam Hyock, the president of the APPA association and
SAVA Conservation collaborator for fish farming, invited
us for lunch after watching the film about SAVA
Conservation’s fish farming project in Andapa. The
group visited Guy’s fish ponds, then at the end of the
afternoon the visitors explored from a higher view, the
beauty of the green rice fields of the Andapa basin. On
November 12 Dan, Salvador, and Erik visited
Antanetiambo nature reserve, and Luke did an
interview with the local radio channel in Andapa. They
all returned to Sambava the same day. DLC-SAVA
Conservation was very pleased to host the US
Ambassador, Embassy staff, and Prime Minister. The
visit raises SAVA Conservation’s profile both in the
region and nationally.
Logo and credit on each raincoat.
Post-ceremony refreshments hosted by SAVA Conservation.
MNP CLP guards wearing their new raincoats.
Ceremony at SAVA Conservation office, L to R
MNP Marojejy/Anjanaharibe Sud director, An-
dré Mboly, Ambassador Yamate, Lanto
