Info on volunteering regarding lemurs in Madagascar?

Question

Info on organizations, etc. that aren't looking for $1500-$3000 is greatly appriciated!!! Dug through hours worth of sites and links and can't find anything other than "volunteer touring". So I'm paying for not only my work (obviously understand and perfer to pay for my expenses, considering sleeping in tents, room can't possibly cost that much anyway,lol) but, to pay that much, offering volunteer work, and then have someone have the audacity to tell me when I'm going to get up and what I will do that day, uh-uh... Though they do have alot to offer me, I feel I'm offering something as well, I DO have something to offer, it will be a true shame for me or anyone else that could potentially be the next Jane Goodall sp? to miss out due to something like that. Not to mention, if putting down that much money for a volunteer tour why wouldn't you just go on a vacation there and "take it in"? None the less, there are few people, organazations out there that offer this, just can't find em, lol

Answer 1

"I DO have something to offer"

What? Are you a vet? Or do you have many years of experience working with animals at a zoo? Are you a trained biologist?

Unless you have a degree and a great deal of expertise that nonprofits in Madagascar cannot find locally, you are an unskilled volunteer, and you will need to pay for your feel-good/learning experience. $1500-$3000 pays for your accommodation, staff to train and supervise you (to ensure your safety as well as to make sure you are engaging in appropriate behavior while volunteering), staff to liaison with local officials, staff for translation, probably some security, and in-country transportation. $3000 sounds about right. Contrary to what you might think, those kind of expenses in developing countries can be far more than you find in the USA or Western Europe.

You don't want to pay? Then get the expertise that is needed, that can't be found there already. Here is a web site that can help you learn more about the skills and experience desired by long-term placement organizations, or organizations that don't charge volunteers but require volunteers to be highly-skilled, and how you can start to gain such experience locally, wherever you are now.  

http://www.coyotecommunications.com/volu...