SIX ENVIRONMENTAL STORYBOOKS, ONE AIM
Having worked as a marine conservationist and educator in beautiful, rural Madagascar, I was shocked at the lack of environmental educational material available in both the language of Madagascar and centred around Malagasy culture. Since education of the younger generations is such an integral part of conservation, I was passionate about improving this, hence Zara Loko was born - a dance between my greatest passions of environmental conservation, education, empowerment, illustration, and cultural preservation. Zara Loko translates to ‘sharing colour’.
Alongside the not-for-profit Malagasy publishing company, Vakoka Vakiteny (‘precious reading’), Zara Loko is creating six educational storybooks for the classrooms of Madagascar. They communicate the diverse and complex environmental challenges that is faced, ranging from deforestation and the loss of mangroves, to marine pollution and overfishing. The latest storybook, and those from here-on-out, include an engaging environmental education story (with a community-based solution), an infographic classroom poster, three classroom activities for teachers, an explanation of key words, and last but certainly not least, many double page, detailed illustrations designed to be adapted to the very low literacy levels in Madagascar.
3 BOOKS CREATED
4500 BOOKS PRINTED
25 SCHOOLS REACHED
My range of experience in conservation, illustration, and education means I enjoy both writing and illustrating these storybooks, whilst also fact checking with conservation charities on the ground and the latest research. The storybooks are designed to contribute to both the 4th and 5th Sustainable Development Goals of Education and Gender Equality, both integral to environmental conservation.
ZARA LOKO TO MAINLAND AFRICA
The long term goal of Zara Loko is not only to educate and inspire primary school children in Madagascar, but also to take our storybooks across mainland African countries too. By making the necessary changes to the script and illustrations, I aim to print this book in countries where deforestation poses a large threat to people, wildlife, and landscape - starting with Kenya and Tanzania.
"In the end we will conserve only what we love,
we will love only what we understand,
we will understand only what we are taught”
Baba Dioum
