In the forests of Mangabe, in eastern Madagascar, the powerful call of the lemur Indri indri sometimes echoes through the canopy. For Voahirana Randriamamonjy, this sound represents far more than a simple moment of nature, it reminds her of where her vocation began.

“When I was a child, I loved walking in the forest and I was especially fascinated by lemurs, particularly the Indri indri.”

A childhood passion that gradually turned into a professional commitment. Today, Voahirana is a Site Manager at Madagasikara Voakajy, where she coordinates conservation activities in the Mangabe Protected Area, located in the Moramanga district.

For the past 16 years, she has worked in biodiversity conservation, guided by a simple conviction: protecting nature must go hand in hand with improving the well-being of the communities who depend on it.

A journey between agronomy, research and conservation

Voahirana’s path toward conservation developed gradually. After graduating in agronomy in 2004, she began her career with the NGO Adventist Development and Relief Agency, where she trained farmers through the TANTSAHA program. For several years, she supported agricultural cooperatives and trained nearly 2,000 model farmers in the districts of Moramanga and Anosibe An’Ala.

Her interest in nature and Madagascar’s ecosystems, however, encouraged her to deepen her knowledge. In 2010, she joined Madagasikara Voakajy as a research assistant.

This first experience marked a turning point. Soon after, she traveled to the United Kingdom to pursue a Master’s degree in Conservation and Land Management at Bangor University, a program that further strengthened her commitment to biodiversity conservation.

In 2013, she joined the Moramanga office, where she would later become Site Manager, responsible for coordinating programs and field teams.

Leading conservation on the ground

In her current role, Voahirana oversees conservation activities, coordinates local teams, and works closely with authorities and communities.

Her daily work involves coordinating field missions, monitoring project implementation, meeting with partners, and analyzing data collected from the protected area. Yet beyond management tasks and reporting, it is the human interactions that give real meaning to her work.

“What I enjoy most about my work is the relationship with different partners: colleagues, local authorities, and communities.”

The Mangabe Protected Area she helps manage hosts remarkable biodiversity, including the golden frog Mantella aurantiaca, an iconic species endemic to Madagascar. But for Voahirana, protecting biodiversity also means working closely with the people who live near the forest.

Training, listening and building with communities

One of her most memorable experiences dates back to 2015. That year, she organized participatory training sessions on sustainable agricultural techniques in seven villages surrounding Mangabe.

The exchanges with community members were so engaging that the days often extended beyond the planned schedule.

“I enjoyed training the communities so much that most of the time I even forgot to take my lunch break.”

These moments of shared learning reflect the approach Voahirana strongly believes in: conservation built with local communities.

Over the years, she has also witnessed encouraging changes. Young people who were once absent from protected area management activities are gradually becoming actively involved. Some are now VOI leaders, community representatives, or members of local conservation teams.

The challenge of a delicate balance

Working in conservation often requires balancing biodiversity protection with the needs of local communities. For Voahirana, these situations require dialogue and collaboration between different stakeholders.

“The challenge is to find the balance between biodiversity conservation and improving the well-being of local communities.”

According to her, conservation can only succeed if communities understand it and feel fully involved in the process.

A woman committed to nature

Voahirana is also convinced that women play a vital role in environmental protection, particularly in rural areas where they maintain strong connections with natural resources.

She encourages young women to pursue careers in environmental and conservation fields, sectors that need diversity, passion, and leadership.

After more than a decade working in the field, Voahirana’s motivation remains as strong as ever. Her mission is to contribute to sustainable biodiversity conservation while strengthening the involvement of local communities.

As she often says:

“Preserving biodiversity today means securing life and opportunities for tomorrow.”