GEM, Polished

By AdminAfrica, Capacity Building, Conservation, Education, GEM, Lemurs, LIFE, Little Green Guards®, Madagascar, Mammals, Maromizaha, Primates, Volunteers
GEM doll makers’ latest creations (photo © LVDI International)

Established in 2017, GEM (which stands for Groupe des Entrepreneurs de Maromizaha) is one of LVDI International’s community development projects based in Maromizaha, a critical rainforest located in eastern Madagascar. Maromizaha is home to a spectacular array of plants and animals, including 13 highly endangered species of lemurs. To decrease local people’s reliance on the forest and increase the protection of lemurs, GEM provides local families an income generating alternative livelihood. Currently GEM has over 70 members from 10 villages; all are women who used to be charcoal makers and rock breakers. Through the GEM venture they now have become skilled doll makers.

 

Changing lives - GEM women have gone from rock breakers to doll makers. (Photos © LVDI International)
Changing lives – GEM women have gone from rock breakers to doll makers (© LVDI International).

 

Achieving a Greater Impact

By supporting the GEM women, we are also securing a brighter future for their children through LVDI International’s education program, the Little Green Guards®. This program not only boosts children’s learning in Biology, English and Art, but also cultivates their appreciation and love for nature. The added knowledge and skills will benefit the children throughout their life.

 

Getting ready for a Little Green Guards® lesson. Dr. Andy Phillips (President/CEO) developed a locally-relevant and age-appropriate curriculum that incorporates Biology, Conservation and Art in a bilingual (Malagasy-English) format. (Photo © LVDI International)
Getting ready for a Little Green Guards® lesson. Dr. Andy Phillips (President/CEO) developed a locally-relevant and age-appropriate curriculum that incorporates Biology, Conservation and Art in a bilingual (Malagasy-English) format (© LVDI International).

 

GEM is win-win program for the people and wildlife of Madagascar. (Photos © LVDI International)
GEM is win-win program for the people and wildlife of Madagascar (© LVDI International).

 

Empowering the Powerless

The GEM women live in villages that are not on the electrical grid. But, the lack of electricity has proven to be only a minor inconvenience for these determined and talented women. With our donors’ generous support we were able to furnish cast-iron hand-crank sewing machines, fabrics and other doll making materials for the women to build their business.

 

Rose Marie Randrianarison (Madagascar Program Coordinator, front center) delivers a sewing machine and doll-making materials to the GEM women of Morafeno Village. (Photo © LVDI International)
Ms. Rose Marie Randrianarison (Madagascar Program Coordinator, front center) delivers a sewing machine and doll-making materials to the GEM women of Morafeno Village (© LVDI International).

 

Acquiring New Skills

Most GEM women had never used a sewing machine before joining the group. Last August we organized the first training session for them in Anevoka Village. The women have continued to improve their doll-making skills and even taught new members in their communities.

 

GEM women gather at Anevoka's town hall for a workshop on how to use their new sewing machines. (Photos © LVDI International)
GEM women gather at Anevoka’s town hall for a workshop on how to use their new sewing machines (© LVDI International).

 

What GEM women want - Rose Marie Randrianarison organized the training workshop to help the doll makers improve their sewing skills. (Photo © LVDI International)
What GEM women want – Ms. Randrianarison organized a workshop to help the doll makers improve their skills (© LVDI International).

 

Reaching New Heights

The GEM women have come a long way since the beginning (see posts Diamonds in the Rough and GEM – The New Jewel of Maromizaha). Their dolls are absolutely beautiful, and each doll now carries an official GEM label.

 

All these new and greatly improved dolls need are homes! (Photo © LVDI International)
Pick me! Pick me! All we need is a home (© LVDI International).

 

Thank You So Much!  Misaotra Betsaka!  Merci Beaucoup!  Grazie Mille!

We sincerely thank our supporters for helping the people of Madagascar and saving the magnificent lemurs!

 

LVDI International staff and volunteers with GEM women at Anevoka Village (photo © LVDI International)
LVDI International staff and volunteers with GEM women at Anevoka Village (© LVDI International)

 

The diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema) is one of the critically endangered lemur species we are protecting in Maromizaha. (Photo © LVDI International)
The diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema) is one of the critically endangered lemur species we are protecting in Maromizaha (© LVDI International).