We are getting ready to host our pilot camp this summer, and we have an incredible team lined up to help us. Learn more about each staffer below:

Travis Morgan

My name is Travis, and I am from Pennsylvania. I love meeting new people and enjoy traveling. I have great leader skills and find it fun to help people along any path they are on. I like helping people, and I like the idea of a program like this one. It has me very eager and excited to be apart of this new family and I can't wait to get started. Volunteering is a hobby of mine and whenever I get the chance, I spring to help out. Thanks for the opportunity, and I can't wait.

Xizi Yu

Hi everyone! My name's Xizi Yu, but you can call me Jo. I'm from China, right now a medical student in Shanghai. I'm really looking forward to participating in the camp and meeting so many amazing people!

Kevin Thor

Hi! My name is Kevin Thor & I am originally from a small town in Nebraska in the US, and I'm currently living in southern Vietnam! I studied Management and Communication Studies at University, and always was busy serving in organizations for leadership development and speaking skills, as well as traveling often to learn more about people around the world. In Vietnam I am teaching English and working with nonprofits, but what I enjoy the most is meeting with my students outside of class and finding ways to boost their confidence in themselves. I am also obsessed with drinking iced coffee and always looking to start a conversation with someone new!

I'm excited to be involved with Camp Fihavanana following my time teaching in Vietnam to continue to help youth develop their leadership skills and learn more about themselves. Nothing makes me happier than helping lead others to be the next generation of leaders! This will be my first time to Madagascar, so that will also be exciting to immerse in the culture and learn from everyone I get to meet along the way.

Stella Xu

Hi I'm Stella! I'm 16 and am currently a junior attending Lakeside School in Seattle, WA. I spend my free time volunteering at Jubilee Reach with Jessica and at Seattle Children's Hospital. In the future, I hope to study science and global relations in college, and pursue a career as a doctor, hopefully overseas in underprivileged communities. I'm really excited and honored to be on this trip, and hope that we make a real difference!

Manda Aron’ Ny Aina RAKOTOANDRIANA

Je m’appelle RAKOTOANDRIANA Manda Aron’ Ny Aina, un jeune homme malgache de 21 ans. Sur le plan personnel, j’étudie la macroéconomie à l’Université Catholique de Madagascar, et actuellement je suis en Master 1. On me dit souvent que je suis une personne très calme et un peu sévère. Pour moi chaque chose a son temps, quand il faut être sérieux, je suis sérieux, sinon je suis une personne qui aime bien rigoler et partager des points de vu avec les autres. En matière de loisirs, le sport que je pratique le plus est le football (au moins 2 fois par semaine), mais j’aime aussi les autres sports tel que le volleyball, le rugby, la natation, la musculation, etc… En dehors du sport, j’aime cuisiner et lire des livres d’apprentissage et non les livres d’histoire. Sur le plan social, j’aime adhérer à des organisations qui œuvrent pour des bonnes actions sociales. J’appartiens au scout catholique depuis mon enfance jusqu'à maintenant, et je compte y rester pour toujours. Je suis un chrétien pratiquant et j’aimerais bien faire du partage avec les autres croyances. En tant que scout, j’aime bien prendre soin des jeunes car j’aimerais contribuer au développement de la société en apportant à chacun un peu de mes compétences, expériences, rêves,… Enfin, dans cette brève biographie, j’aimerais présenter quelques mots qui me servent de ligne dans la vie: Foi-Discipline-Responsabilité-Honnêteté-Excellence-Partage

Jimmy Rique RAKOTONIRINA

A personal fulfillment for me, Camp Fihavanana is a good opportunity to apply my life as a scout. It is a playground offered for me and my skills. As a Scout, I would like to share my culture through activities and get to know others.

On the 12th of December 2012, I was at my first formation camp as a head of unit Scout in Ambatomasina. The participants came from the four corners of the country (Madagascar) and therefore brought different lifestyles. Throughout our training, which lasted 5 days, we shared the differences in our lifestyles with our small group. This posed difficulties: mode of thought, way of doing things, apprehension. I learned that one must be attentive, propose his ideas, emanate his worries and animated to wait for a specific objectives.

I tend to be social and sociable. To put forward the fihavanana in spite of the differences, to reach together, to work together, to succeed together. Experience in game, animation and scouting are my way of life.

Jacobin Ainatsiferana

I am a fun and outgoing young man. I am 26 years old and I really enjoy encouraging people from different walks of life to achieve the goals that they have, and help create dreams for those who don't know what it's like to dream dreams. I enjoy getting to know people and hearing the stories they tell about their life experiences.

Meet the 2017 Camp Fihavanana Team!