History of The Madagascar Ankizy Fund

History

The Madagascar Ankizy Fund (ankizy means children in the Malagasy language) was established in 1998. Our Founder and Executive Director, renowned paleontologist, Dr. David Krause (Dave), has led numerous paleontological expeditions all over the world. In 1993 he fulfilled a childhood dream and journeyed to the remote island of Madagasar to search for Cretaceous fossils. What Dave found there was a treasure-trove of nearly complete fossil dinosaurs, crocodiles, amphibians, and even mammals. His early field crews spent time searching for these fossils and camping near the village of Berivotra in northwestern Madagascar (about an hour from the coastal city of Mahajanga). Shortly after beginning work there, Dave and the members of his expedition found themselves surrounded by children who were observing their work. Along with the remarkable fossils that they were finding, they also found some of the most abandoned and destitute children in the world, children who couldn't read and write, children who'd never been seen by a doctor or dentist and who were dying of easily treatable ailments.

Very quickly it became clear that the paleontologists were in a unique position to help these children. They were amazed to discover that 500 US dollars would pay the salary of a teacher for an entire year, and that 300 could buy school supplies for a year. With this knowledge in hand, members of the field crew came together with several relatively small donations, and The Madagascar Ankizy Fund was born.

The video linked on the right shows Dave himself describing the history of The Madagascar Ankizy Fund.