In July 2026, the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) and the Rufford Foundation are teaming up with local organisation Ary Saina to run a Learning Event for early career conservationists in Madagascar.
The five-day Learning Event in Andasibe will bring together 19 aspiring conservationists working in the region, including 16 CLP and Rufford alumni (emerging conservationists supported by Rufford Small Grants, CLP Career Placements and CLP Conservation Team Awards).
Hosted by local organisation, Ary Saina Association, the Learning Event will comprise interactive workshops on topics requested by past participants. This includes Fundraising training (co-facilitated by CLP Programme Officer, Eleanor Glass, and Rufford Grants Officer, Jo Cook) and a Behaviour Change workshop (facilitated by CLP alumna, Julie Razafimanahaka, Executive Director of Malagasy NGO, Madagasikara Voakajy). The Learning Event will also include field visits to experience local conservation challenges and biodiversity.
Contributing to CLP’s mission to build future conservation leaders, this Learning Event will create opportunities for the participants to fill any knowledge gaps, enhance skills, support future fundraising efforts, and engage in peer-to-peer knowledge exchange.
Ahead of the training, we’re getting to know who’s joining us in Andasibe and what’s motivating them to participate. Many of the trainees are PhD candidates and founders/leaders of national NGOs, working in diverse roles ranging from agronomist engineer and marine biologist to social worker and scientific animator. Yet, whatever their role, they are united in their aim to protect and restore Madagascar’s exceptional biodiversity. Find out more below.
 | Aina Aro Ambinintsoa Rakotoarison is a Site Operating Officer at Madagasikara Voakajy – a Malagasy NGO that CLP helped establish over 20 years ago. She specializes in natural resource governance, biodiversity conservation, and project management. Working in the protected areas of Analalava and Analabe Betanantanana in Ambatondrazaka, she collaborates with local communities to strengthen sustainable resource management. Her work focuses on promoting community engagement and linking biodiversity conservation with livelihood improvement to support both ecosystem protection and community well-being in Madagascar. |
Aurélien Ndrianjafy is a Malagasy conservation biologist, herpetologist and PhD candidate in Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation, and a team member of a CLP-supported chameleon conservation project in southwest Madagascar. He is passionate about Madagascar’s remarkable biodiversity, with a particular interest in amphibians and reptiles. Over the past five years, he has worked on biodiversity surveys, ecological research, and conservation projects.“Through my work, I hope to help protect threatened species while supporting and inspiring the next generation of Malagasy conservationists.”
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 | Beva Grilante is a marine biologist, conservationist, and environmental educator. He is currently a PhD candidate in Marine Sciences and Fisheries at the University of Toliara, Madagascar. He founded the Malagasy NGO, Mada Seagrass Research and Conservation, in 2025. He has led several community-based conservation projects in southwestern Madagascar to promote sustainable management of coastal ecosystems in the country. His work bridges scientific research and practical conservation action, with a focus on strengthening the resilience of marine and coastal ecosystems and supporting the well-being of coastal communities in the context of climate change. “I am deeply committed to advancing marine conservation in Madagascar.”
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| Chantia Mahavory is a Malagasy social worker and IEC (Information, Education and Communication) practitioner specializing in environmental conservation. She currently serves as IEC Thematic Leader around the Mangabe Protected Area. A graduate of the Institut Supérieur de Travail Social (ISTS) in Antananarivo, she completed a CLP internship in Environmental Education with Madagasikara Voakajy from 2023 to 2024. Her work focuses on environmental education, community awareness, and governance. Since 2025, she has facilitated SAGE (Site-level Assessment of Governance and Equity) workshops, promoting inclusive and participatory conservation practices. |  |
 | Eliette Noromalala is a PhD candidate at the University of Texas in Austin, USA. Her research focuses on disease transmission at the wildlife–livestock–human interface using a One Health approach. She investigates parasite transmission among wildlife, domestic animals, humans, and the environment to better understand cross-species disease dynamics. She also organizes environmental education programs at a school near Kirindy Mite National Park in Madagascar and leads Natiorala Conservation and the STEM Girl Association in Madagascar. |
| Dr. Elysée Rasoamanana is a plant biologist holding a PhD in Plant Biology. Her scientific work has focused on the biology, ecology and conservation of Madagascar’s baobab species. She is currently the President of the Association Analasoa. Through this role, she leads research, conservation, ecological restoration, and environmental awareness initiatives aimed at preserving the region’s unique ecosystems. Her work places particular emphasis on threatened species that face increasing pressure from habitat degradation and climate-related challenges. |  |
 | Fetratiana Rakotomanga is a Master’s graduate in Environmental Science from the University of Antananarivo and an ecologist specializing in forest restoration and plant ecology. His research focuses on natural regeneration processes, forest recovery following disturbance, and the ecological factors influencing plant establishment, being particularly interested in forest and landscape ecology and their applications to ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation.“My goal is to contribute to evidence-based strategies that support the preservation of Madagascar’s exceptional biodiversity.”
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Herizo Emmanuel Ravelomanana is an agronomist engineer, holding a Master’s degree in Forestry and Environment. As an environmental expert with over eight years of experience, he specializes in biodiversity conservation and community-led sustainable development. His career led him to coordinate the MIHARI network in southern Madagascar, before managing sustainable fisheries projects at Blue Ventures where he currently serves as National Advocacy Lead.“I want to drive strategic coalitions and amplify the voices of coastal communities at the heart of legislative reforms to turn ecological challenges into concrete results – aiming to secure these communities’ rights and establish sustainable resource management by and for the communities.”
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 | Holi Rabemananjara is a PhD student at the University of Antananarivo and a conservation educator. Her research focuses on assessing perceptions of the aye-aye and evaluating educational approaches to address negative attitudes toward this unique species. Drawing on a multidisciplinary background, she is interested in the intersection of conservation, education, and community engagement. She was a Rufford grantee in 2022. Holi is also a National Geographic Explorer and is passionate about travel, exploration, and learning from diverse cultures and communities. She also supports conservation efforts as a Database Manager of Madagascar Lemur Portal and Fundraising Support at GERP Madagascar. |
Dr. Jeannin Nicolas Rakotondrazandry is a Malagasy primatologist, researcher, and conservation practitioner specializing in the ecology, behavior, and conservation of the aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis). He serves as Site Manager for the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership in Andasibe and as a part-time lecturer at the University of Mahajanga. His work combines scientific research, biodiversity conservation, and capacity building, with a strong commitment to mentoring young Malagasy scientists.“Through collaboration with local communities, researchers, and conservation organizations, I want to contribute to the long-term protection of Madagascar’s exceptional biodiversity.”
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 | Jonathan Pépin: Of Malagasy origin and a member of the Vezo community of Toliara, Jonathan is a marine biologist, ecologist, and cartographer specializing in the conservation and sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems. As an early-career researcher, he is committed to advancing marine environmental conservation through research and collaboration. He is currently a PhD candidate at the Thematic Doctoral School of Marine and Fisheries Sciences (EDT-SMH), Institute of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (IH.SM), University of Toliara, Madagascar. He also leads a Rufford Foundation-funded project. |
Lovasoa Esperance Razafindravony was motivated from a young age by her passion for nature. She has worked at Centre ValBio for the last 10 years, working with the local Tanala and Betsileo communities to inspire and empower them to become conservation partners, live in harmony with nature, and appreciate the uniqueness and importance of biodiversity.“I studied biology in college with the dream of using my scientific knowledge to help both people and nature. Today, I am living that dream in the heart of the Ranomafana rainforest!”
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 | Dr. N. Nancia Raoelinjanakolona is a Malagasy ecologist and conservation biologist. She is a Research and Programs Fellow at the Ary Saina Association in Madagascar, the local organisation hosting the Rufford-CLP Learning Event for which she is the in-country co-ordinator. Nancia earned her Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar. Her work encompasses research on habitat fragmentation and plant–frugivore interaction networks, as well as conservation efforts focused on habitat restoration and biodiversity conservation. She was a Rufford grantee in 2023. |
| Notahiny Zafindretsaba is a scientific animator at Toliara Eco Restoration. She is also pursuing her Master’s at the Institute of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, University of Toliara, specializing in Fisheries and Aquaculture. Her research focuses on communities’ fish aquaculture development in Madagascar. |  |
 | Dr. Rickarlos Bezandry’s research explores the adaptation of endemic Baracoffea species to semi-arid environments in northwestern Madagascar. His research uses ecological, architectural, phenological, germination, and genomic approaches to support ex situ conservation and the valorization of endemic biodiversity in breeding programs for climate resilience. |
| Rindra H. Nantenaina is a PhD candidate at the Doctorate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Université d’Antananarivo, Madagascar. Her research explores the ecological importance of plant galls for frugivorous lemurs and their forest habitats. She is co-founder of the Ary Saina Association, leading conservation initiatives through outreach, social media, and field-based projects. She also serves as the in-country co-ordinator for the 2026 Rufford-CLP Learning Event in Madagascar, fostering collaboration and capacity building in nature conservation. She was a Rufford grantee in 2023. |  |
 | Dr. Rindrahatsarana Ramanankirahina is a conservation biologist from Madagascar. She works as a lecturer at the University of Antananarivo and as a researcher in biodiversity conservation. Her research focuses on lemur ecology, behaviour, and conservation, with many years of experience in field surveys across several protected areas. |
| Dr. Sylviane Volampeno is a Malagasy primatologist dedicated to conserving her country’s unique biodiversity. She holds a DEA (Diplôme d’Études Approfondies) in Animal Biology from the University of Antananarivo, and earned her Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal for research on the blue-eyed black lemur in Sahamalaza-Iles Radama National Park. Her work integrates primate conservation with sustainable development, community engagement, and environmental education. She is the Founder and President of Mikajy Natiora, and Deputy Chair of the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group (Madagascar Section), as well as a member of GERP. She led a CLP-supported project in 2014. |  |
 | Zo Samuel Ella Fenosoa is a Malagasy biologist and ecologist. She earned her Master’s degree at the University of Antananarivo where she studied wild mouse lemur responses to stress induced by their capture-release. Since then, she has collaborated on research mainly related to lemur-plant interactions. She has also focused on a study evaluating the interactions between epiphytic and parasitic plants and their dispersers in Madagascar’s rainforests, funded by a Rufford Small Grant. |
The CLP and Rufford teams are excited to meet these brilliant leaders at the upcoming Learning Event in Madagascar, which starts on July 10, 2026. While there, our trainees will have the chance to boost their skills, exchange ideas, initiate collaborations and make connections that could last for decades. CLP and Rufford are delighted to be able to play a part in their growth as conservation leaders and are excited to find out how the Learning Event will help them create lasting conservation impact.
Want to know more?
Through our partnership of BirdLife International, Fauna & Flora and the Wildlife Conservation Society, CLP has supported nearly 1,000 conservation projects over its 40 year history, generating significant and lasting impact through identifying and supporting aspiring conservation leaders around the world. Contact us at clp@birdlife.org for information on how you can support us or apply for one of our awards.