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, front row, seated second from left), has led numerous paleontological expeditions all over the world. In 1993 he fulfilled a dream and journeyed to the remote island of Madagasar to search for Cretaceous fossils. What Dave and his team found there was a treasure-trove of nearly complete fossil fishes, frogs, turtles, snakes, lizards, crocodiles, dinosaurs, birds, 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. These are 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 to make sufficient donations, and The Madagascar Ankizy Fund was born.