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About us..

What is Moidjio ? 
 
Moidjio is born from a need of conservation on Comoros Archipelago. Our Association was created in 2008 in order to answer to an increase in the poaching rate of sea-turtles on the island of Moheli and from passion for marine mammals from it funder. Moheli includes a fantastic marine park that represent half of the island, a sanctuary for marine and terrestrial biodiversity. Despite numerous initiatives and a political context often chaotic, conservation of Comorian biological patrimony is in real danger. Means for research and conservation are inexistent and not a priority. It is in this context that Moidjio is born ! Tired of seeing marine turtles being massacred by thousands, cetacean being harassed by tourists, poison freely disposed in rivers, natural primary forest disappearing, water resources lowing down and nobody to intervene. Moidjio was created from a local whiling of stopping environmental abuses in Comoros. Moidjio is composed of variety of people: local Farmers/Fishermen that see there resources disappearing, of worried parents asking themselves what future for their children, of local politics whiling to make a change, of international scientists that give of their free time and competency, of volunteers that give hands and wings to our projects. Moidjio is a French and Comorian charity created by Comorian and French people with the aim to cooperate and exchange, born from a common whiling to go froward and respect each other needs.  
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The name "Moidjio" is coming from the beach we are now living on. It is the place of the strong spirits ! A beautiful beach on the southern part of the island, right in the middle of the marine park of Moheli, right in front of wild islets of Nioumachua, a major site for nesting marine turtles (green and hawksbill), a marvellous breeding, feeding site for marine mammals such as humpback whales and the so rare Dugong.
 
Objectives of the Charity 
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  • To develop research programs studying Comorian and Indian Ocean fauna and flora. 
  • To develop partnerships at a regional, national and international level in order to create research networks and ease interpretation and diffusion of scientific results. 
  • To advise and actively participate to conservation of the Comorian and Indian Ocean biodiversity. 
  • To publish our scientific results in scientific journals with an eye to make science evolves. 
  • To welcome and care for scientific volunteers and eco-volunteers from all nationality so as to participate to research. 
  • To participate to villages life by developing fun activity always around environmental education. 
  • To participate to the development of the island of Moheli and Comoros by producing English, environmental, sustainable agricultural courses to anyone of any social and ethnic origin. 
  • To participare to the safeguarding of Comorian traditions and culture by opening it to the world. 
 
Since 2006, we are looking at solutions for the conservation of this fabulous piece of hearth. We started by acquiring, this very same year, a land and not any kind! Moidjio Beach has been an eye opener for us all. Indeed, this beach is an ancient coconut plantation exploited by settlers and then replanted for land stabilisation. Since then it has been occupied by farmers harvesting plantains. This beach is nearby the Village of Nioumachoua and never been protected from marine turtles poachers. Nevertheless this place reviled lots of great secrets: A blessed spot for biodiversity. 
 
It is with very much joy that we discovered gradually the treasures that hided this place. Four family of Mongoz lemur come to eat there, hawksbill turtle are coming to nest, it is the residence of the rarest owl of the world, barns owl, flying foxes, birds and coral reef, really well preserved.  
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What do we do? 
 
We gave ourselves several missions of conservation, research and education.

Conservation : 
  • Protect nesting site for marine turtles of Comoros. 
  • Restoration of Mangroves and coastal zones. 
  • Trees plantation against erosion and for lemurs feed. 
  • Creation of observation charts for wild animals.  
 
Research: 
  • Inventory of the C2 stock of humpback whales, acoustic and behavioural studies. 
  • Inventory of dolphins populations 
  • Inventory of nesting sea-turtles, feeding behaviour.
  • Mapping, Health check and composition of sea-grass meadows, mangroves and coral reefs. 
  • Study of sea and terrestrial birds (identification, numbers evaluation, nesting grounds) 
  • Study of lemurs population (numbering, social and feeding behaviour)
  • study of Livingston bats population (Roosting trees, numbering) 
 
Education: 
  • English courses to schools and community members. 
  • Sustainable Environment courses to villagers. 
  • Caring for Comorian students and help them in creating projects within Comoros. 
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