Voluntourism

The other year we visited a luxury resort in Zimbabwe as part of a group. Prior to going, we discovered that we could donate to their tree planting activities on the property. What a nice idea! Since the animals roam freely on the grounds, you can imagine the amount the elephants eat…heck they came to join us for dinner our first night. When we travel, we can indeed help others. Depending on the destination and the need, there are many ways to do this. Today, I will cover three.

1. SUPPORT A LOCAL ORGANIZATION THROUGH YOUR RESORT

I visited Old Drift Lodge, a luxury resort in Zimbabwe. This resort is built along the Zambezi River. Resort management gives training to and hires locals to give them employment they would not otherwise have, thereby improving their quality of life. They also reach out into the community through Old Drift Lodge’s Eco-Initiatives with donations to enable and support businesses and environmental efforts. They provide tours to homestays where you have lunch and learn about the culture as well as planting trees back on the property. Many resorts have a similar program, I mention Old Drift Lodge because I am familiar with it.

2. BUY HANDMADE CRAFTS FROM LOCALS

You contribute to the well-being of locals when you purchase the handmade items from them. For example, in Uganda, I had the choice to purchase small woven bracelets made by local teenagers/ young mothers or visit a typical tourist-y gift shop. By purchasing the bracelets, I could give some happiness to several teenagers in the area and contribute to their income. Support the local artists, wood carvers, weavers etc. with at least some small purchase. A purchase is a business transaction and gives people some pride in their work, as well as a few dollars in their pocket.

3. PARTICIPATE IN VOLUNTEER TRAVEL

What is volunteer travel? Most of us have heard the term. Basically, it’s travel where you give something back to the local community you are visiting. You learn about another culture, another country. You give of your time, skills and knowledge, which benefits others and helps your heart grow a few sizes – remember the Grinch?? There is even a new cruise line called Fathom that incorporates hands-on volunteer opportunities into its weekly schedule in the Dominican Republic. Options include teaching English, pouring cement floors into local homes, assisting locals in a chocolate factory and re-forestation by planting trees...what a great way to enjoy a new place and make a difference at the same time!

There are many reasons to volunteer while you’re traveling and there are literally thousands of charities and organizations that look for help from passing travelers. For example, the Maui Humane Society has the "Helping Paws" program where visitors can come and spend time with the animals. Some, who are staying on Maui for a longer time, can actually "temporarily adopt" a dog or cat for their whole stay. Most end up taking them home with them at the end... Where can you find out more? Do a search on “volunteer travel”, and many opportunities will appear. Churches also offer mission trips and encourage members to participate as a group, usually in some specific area such as building a school.

We may not have a lot of time to give, but maybe if we each look for some small opportunity, we can all make a difference. The next time you take a vacation, consider asking what you can do to help. We are happy to assist you in learning about these opportunities as you plan your vacations. Have you ever participated in a program that you would like to share? Let us know and we will put it "out there" for all to see!