Dr. Abigail Ross Foundation for Applied Conservation

09/28/2026

We were so happy to take part in Festival Indri! 💚 It was a joy to spend time talking with local families and children, sharing our work, and celebrating together.

A special highlight was the Women’s Association of Andasifahadimy debuting their new logo. Such a proud moment for the group!

We’re so grateful to our volunteers for their time, energy, and enthusiasm, and to the Commune of Andasibe for bringing everyone together for this celebration.

09/18/2026

We’re proud to share a recent talk given by Dr. Justorien Rambeloniaina at the Wildlife Disease Association conference.

In “Breaking the Rescue Bottleneck: The Illegal Lemur Trade,” Justorien (Donovan) discusses the challenges surrounding the illegal capture and trade of lemurs in Madagascar and the need for stronger, locally led systems to respond when animals are rescued.

Dr. Donovan’s work reflects an approach to conservation that goes beyond rescuing individual animals. Protecting Madagascar’s lemurs also means strengthening local veterinary capacity, supporting communities, protecting forests, and addressing the underlying pressures that bring people and wildlife into conflict.

We are incredibly proud to have Donovan helping lead this work in Madagascar and to see Malagasy conservation leadership represented on an international stage.

🎥 Watch his full talk here: https://youtu.be/BUxfghxQQ4A

09/16/2026

A warm welcome to Teach For Madagascar - TFM! TALY Corps volunteers, Mamy and Fy, who have arrived in Anevoka and visited our community healthcare clinic in Andasifahadimy! They will support the public primary school in Anevoka and lead frequent community education activities in Andasifahadimy, bringing learning, environmental awareness, and community health together.

Through TDARFAC’s partnership with Teach For Madagascar, we’re connecting education, healthcare, and conservation through a One Health approach—recognizing that the health of people, animals, and the environment is interconnected.

Healthy forests help protect water sources and provide habitats for wildlife, while clean water and healthy surroundings support community wellbeing. Education makes these connections practical, helping us understand how everyday actions—from handwashing and safe waste disposal to protecting forests—support healthier families, animals, and ecosystems.

Thank you, Mamy and Fy, and the Teach For Madagascar team. We look forward to learning and growing together!

09/05/2026

08/26/2026

Nanasongadina ny Alatsinaininay teo ny fifaliana tamin’ny fandraisana ireo mila torohevitra sy fitsaboana tao amin’ny “Toeram-pitsaboana hoan’ny Vondrom-piarahamonina” tao Andasifahadimy. Maherin’ny 20 isa ireo tonga nisitraka voalohany ny tombontsoan’ity foto-drafitr’asa ity tamin’ny marainan’io andro io. 🩺🏥
Ny tapany hariva kosa dia nisitraka ny fampiofanana mahakasika ny fahasalamana sy ny fahadiovan’ny fadimbolana ny vehivavy tsy vaky volo tao Andasifahadimy. 👩‍🦰
Etoana dia misaotra an’ny Heart Reach Madagascar, Mme Toutoune ary ny solontenan’ny vehivavy tao Andasifahadimy izahay tamin’ny fiaraha-miasa sy ny fahavononana ary ny fandavantena hianatra sy hizara hoan’ny namana. 🤝
Tsy ho ela indray dia hampiofana ny mponina avy any Sarango sy ny manodidina indray izahay. 🌳

Our Monday was filled with joy as we welcomed community members seeking advice and medical care at the “Community Health Center in Andasifahadimy”. More than 20 people were among the first to benefit from the services provided by this vital facility that morning. 🩺🏥
In the afternoon, the women of Andasifahadimy took part in a training session focused on Menstruation health and hygiene. 👩‍🦰
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Heart Reach Foundation, Mrs Toutoune and the women’s representatives of Andasifahadimy for their collaboration, enthusiasm, commitment, and willingness to learn and share their knowledge with others in the remote community. 🤝
Very soon, we will also be welcoming residents from Sarango and the surrounding areas, extending these much-needed services to even more members of the community. 🌳

08/21/2026

We are happy to share some developments from Andasifahadimy:

1. Art That Speaks for One Health 🌿🐾❤️
We are happy to share the beautiful new murals at the Clinic in Andasifahadimy! 🎨
The mural in the education and training room highlights the One Health approach that TDARFAC is working to promote: healthy people, thriving alongside healthy wildlife and healthy environments.
Here in Andasifahadimy, the forest is the village’s fence, and wildlife are our neighbors. This close connection reminds us of our responsibility to protect the incredible natural treasure that surrounds us. The mural also reflects the strong motivation and willingness of local communities to safeguard the precious forests for generations to come. 🌳🐒
In the children’s room, our message is simple and inspiring: Learn. Grow. Share. 📚🌱🤝

2. Strengthening Healthcare for Mothers and Children 💙
We are pleased to share that a strong collaboration has been established with CSB II Andasibe, following a meeting between the TDARFAC team and the Head of CSB II Andasibe, Dr. Heritiana Randriarilala.
Together, we have identified practical solutions to bring healthcare services closer to people living far from health facilities, so that children and pregnant women can receive their vaccinations properly and on time. 💉👶🤰
This collaboration is an important step toward making essential healthcare more accessible to communities in remote areas.
We sincerely thank CSB II Andasibe and the Ministry of Public Health for their support and commitment to improving the health and well-being of mothers and children. 🙏
More updates and exciting developments are coming soon. Stay tuned! 📢

3. Women at the Heart of Conservation 🌿💚
We are very happy to introduce a strong women’s association working at the grassroots level in Andasifahadimy, ready to join forces with us in protecting the environment and our precious wildlife. 🌳🐒
We are proud and grateful to have the opportunity to work hand in hand with these committed women who are taking an active role in building a more sustainable future for their community.
We look forward to sharing more about the collaborations and initiatives that will begin very soon. 🤝🌱

08/19/2026

Save the Date: 2027 Applied Conservation Grants

TDARFAC will accept proposals for its 2027 Applied Conservation Grant cycle from December 10, 2026 through January 8, 2027.

Applicants must habitually reside in a country where non-human primates occur naturally in the wild, and proposed projects must demonstrate a clear and direct connection to non-human primate conservation.

Eligible work may include applied biodiversity research, public or environmental health, education, policy engagement, fieldwork, and community-based conservation.

Members of the upcoming *February 2027* Conservation Masterminds cohort are eligible for priority consideration. This means that Conservation Masterminds applicants do not receive automatic funding or additional points during review; however, when proposals are comparably ranked and available funding is limited, preference may be given to an eligible Masterminds cohort member. All proposals must meet the same eligibility and submission requirements and undergo the same double-blind review process.

Interested applicants are encouraged to review the full requirements now and begin preparing early.

More information, application guidelines, and writing resources are available using the QR code below.

Please share with conservationists, researchers, students, and colleagues working in primate-range countries who may be interested.

08/10/2026