World Expeditions: Community and Charity Projects

World Expeditions are trekking and adventure travel holiday specialists who ran their first trekking holiday in Nepal in 1975. Since then they have pioneered sustainable small group trekking and adventure travel holidays to every continent on earth.
 They have a small group adventure tour to suit nearly every age or fitness level. From awe-inspiring trekking holidays in the Himalaya to cycling adventures in Asia; expedition Antarctic cruises or a cultural adventure touring odyssey along the Silk Road; family adventures, wildlife safaris, mountaineering expeditions - they offer over 500 high quality, well thought out trekking & adventure travel tours.

The tours that I am interested in are the ‘voluntourism’ tours that involve both travel and taking part in community projects. World Expeditions has a vision – to make the world a better place for people in need. Voluntourism; Eco Tourism - no matter what you call it, they invite you to share in this vision.

Community Project Travel (CPT) is a unique “philanthropy” program that They have operated since 2005, functioning entirely as a ‘not-for profit’ division of the company. The program offers purposeful voluntourism style adventures for everyday travellers, where the main objective is to improve the lives of other people or the environment in a meaningful and sustainable way.

Since its inception the CPT program has successfully completed 38 humanitarian and conservation projects across many countries; including 11 in Nepal, 10 in Australia, 5 in Peru, 4 in Tanzania, 3 in Vietnam, 2 in India, and 1 in each of Kenya, Cambodia and Laos. This wonderful result was made possible by the combined effort of over 500 travellers from across the globe. These travellers elected to dedicate 3 or 4 days of their adventure holiday as well as their physical effort towards completing a project.

In consultation with WE’s local operators from around the world - together with community leaders - they've identified a long list of very worthwhile community projects and initiatives. The projects below are WE’s immediate priorities for 2013. In each case, the affected community receives little or no government funding, and coupled with the dire economic predicament of these areas, makes our assistance so essential. It is important to us that the projects are sustainable, in that the work is started and then completed by the time WE leaves the community, which results in both an immediate and longer-term tangible benefit. 

No skills are required to join these Community Projects; you just need to pack an open mind and a keenness to commit to physical work in a team environment.

WE’s 2013 Community Project Travel program includes the following projects:

•               NEPAL: Serlo Monastery Waste Management Project

•               KENYA: Born Free with Lions and Masai

•               AUSTRALIA: Rock Art Community Project

•               PERU: Qelqanqa Water and Footbridges Project

•               AUSTRALIA: Cape to Cape Beach Clean Up

•               TANZANIA: Kakoi School Water Pipeline Project

•               VIETNAM: Thanh Son Elementary School & Kindergarten Upgrade

Sound like your kind of travel? Then you are in luck! There is a free event calle the SOUTH AMERICA ROADSHOW - WITH ANDREAS HOLLAND being held in the UK on
23 - 25 April 2013. Get all the essential adventure travel information and insider tips straight from the llama's mouth - aka World Expeditions' Latin American expert: Andreas Holland (a leading South American adventure travel guru - having lived all over this amazing region for 30+ years). Learn how you can plan your own adventure to this exciting destination.

You can also check out WE’s Charity Challenge calendar to see if there are any challenges local to where you are that you are able to get involved with to raise money and awareness for different charities.

So you can make a difference while travelling and seeing the world you are trying to save! Perfect!

Blessings!

Ronell x

Dece Hats

Dece is a micro enterprise run by the Christian charity NetWorks, which has been working alongside the poor in western Romania for over 10 years. Dece clothing is life changing. Their products are handmade by Romanian women, who are living in truly difficult circumstances. With Dece they can now work from home, which enables them to make a living while taking care of their children.

The women employed by Dece are all living in difficult circumstances. Dece helps the mother of a big family to learn a trade which enables her to work from home. This means that she doesn't need any former education or experience. The mother can stay at home, washing and cooking and looking after her kids, whilst also earning money through Dece. Their wage can be the difference between having food, medicine and firewood for their families, or not.

Dece works in communities where many families are severely disadvantaged, trapped in a cycle of poverty generations old, with no foreseeable escape. By teaching women the skills needed to produce clothing they are giving them the opportunity to take charge of their future.

Not fair trade but fairly made
Dece is founded on ethical principles, but it is not a fair trade certified company for many reasons. Dece is based in Romania, which is not a third-world country, therefore the project cannot be classed as officially fair trade. We think in terms of individuals and opportunities rather than facts and figures. Dece has a hand in laying the foundations on which people can begin to build their lives.

NetWorks stands with the people
Dece is run by the Christian charity NetWorks which works with the poor on two levels, first tackling a family's most pressing problems, such as hunger and sickness, and then when the family is ready, supporting them in helping themselves. Aid never works long-term. Self-help projects are an investment in a family's future, supporting their independence, and thereby helping them to escape poverty.

Teaching families to help themselves is a vital key in helping people escape from poverty. Dece is not here to make a profit - their heart is to create more employment. The more products they sell in their online store, the more people they can directly employ. This is where they need your help. 

You can also become a distributor of DECE products wherever you live. Distributors will gain access to our bulk order rates and also be given the publicity and support needed to start to sell DECE products.

Blessings!

Ronell x

“While we do our good works let us not forget that the real solution lies in a world in which charity will have become unnecessary.” {Chinua Achebe}