Do you dream about having extraordinary experiences doing everyday things with local people in extraordinary places? Are you searching for opportunities to connect with local people where they live, work and play? Does the promise of life-changing travel excite you?

You’re Not Alone

The desire to travel beyond the sights to engage with local people and activities continues to grow among travelers. A report by Expedia Media Group Solutions and Skift recognizes ‘insiders helping travelers live like locals’ as a trend in 2019.

Travelers often describe the experiences and moments of living like a local as life-changing. Going to a school, shopping for food at a local market, dying yarn with members of a cooperative, spending time in a family home. Imagine if such travel moments and experiences changed lives. They can!

When travelers connect with local agents of change a partnership is born. These authentic travel experiences take on a deeper meaning. The focus shifts. An exchange takes place. It’s no longer about what I can get from the experience but rather what can be shared.

The Change That Comes From Sharing

During a 2018 Ripple Effect Journeys- Peru journey, a simple question prompted a travel changing lives moment. Peruvian Hearts was our primary Impact Partner for this trip. Their efforts are designed to help young women to reach their potential through education, mentorship, and community leadership.

After getting to know several Peruvian Hearts scholars on Saturday, we had the opportunity to visit with three girls in their homes around Cusco, Peru on Sunday.

Aldy, a new Peruvian Hearts student, greeted us as with a huge smile and a warm hug as we got off the bus near her home. Excitement and pride twinkled in her eyes.

A narrow hillside path led down to the family’s home. We navigated the trail thanks to assistance from Aldy and her brother. Aldy’s parents were waiting at the entrance to welcome us. They were honored to receive us in their home. And we were honored to be there.

A Memorable Exchange

As Aldy showed us the series of rooms comprising their home, our guide, Elizabeth, noticed a sewing machine.

“Do you sew, Aldy?”, Elizabeth asked.

“No, that’s my mother’s machine,” Aldy replied.

Aldy’s mother, Ambrosia, told us she had taken a leather making class at the local community center. Did we want to see the items she made?

Receiving an affirmative response, Ambrosia retrieved a large white plastic sack from her room. Opening the bag, she began to remove a variety of tooled leather coin purses and place them on the kitchen table. Next came wallets.

Excitedly we gathered tighter around the table to get a better look at the handiwork. After several exclamations of praise rang out, Jan asked a question.

“Is this coin purse for sale?”

Ambrosia looked at Aldy and then back at us. She’d be honored to sell the coin purse to Jan, she shyly replied.

“How much is it?” Jan asked.

A bewildered look came across Ambrosia’s face. Aldy explained this was her mother’s first sale. She had no idea of what to charge.

Elizabeth, our guide, kindly stepped in. Familiar with Peruvian leather good prices, she offered some suggestions to Ambrosia. After thinking through her options, Ambrosia shared the price of the coin purse with Jan. Her response sounded like a question, rather than a statement.

An immediate reply of “I’ll take it!” caused Ambrosia to catch her breath. Her eyes brimmed with tears, her smile lit up the room as the first sale was made.

A second and third sale quickly followed. A sell-out was announced in less than 15 minutes.

Transformative Travel Awaits You

Life-changing travel experiences turn travelers into storytellers. When people empowered by local agents of change are part of the story, amazing things happen. Shared experiences go beyond being descriptions of life-changing activities to actions that change lives.

Ripple Effect Journeys strives to identity and build relationships with Impact Partners in countries we visit. We are excited about developing partnerships in Vietnam. One such partnership empowers women in the Mekong Delta through sampan ownership.

Recently, Mrs. Hong received a sampan from a Ripple Effect Journeys’ Impact Partner. Her family is very poor. They do a variety of jobs to earn money (harvesting fruits as farmers, working as a housekeeper). Doing so, their earnings total about 2 dollars per day. And, these jobs are sporadic. Consequently, some days money is not available to purchase food.

Mrs. Hong’s family faced such challenges. Receiving a sampan changed her life. She and her family use the boat to sell fruits, catch fish, and transport tourists for tours of the Mekong Delta. This increases their earning power to $7-$8 per day.

In 2020 (tentatively April 7-22), women traveling with Ripple Effect Journeys -Vietnam will once again embark on travel that changes lives. Would you like to meet individuals like Mrs. Hong? Do you want to go beyond describing a travel experience as life-changing to engaging in actions that change lives? Let your next travel experience transform you. Email me at Bea@TheTiesProgram.org for further information.

Blending philanthropy with travel creates powerful forces for good. Imagine seeing the sights you long to see while also making a difference in the world. That’s philanthropic travel.

Philanthropy As a Noun or as a Verb?

Let’s start by defining philanthropy. The word philanthropy is derived from ancient Greek and means the “love of humanity.” It encompasses the desire of people to understand and support one another. Today, philanthropy is often thought of as the practice of supporting a cause financially for the purpose of improvement.

But what if we thought of philanthropy as a verb? What if philanthropy were acts of love for humanity? How does that mindset change impact the scope of philanthropy? And how can these acts of philanthropy enrich our travel experiences while positively impacting the global communities we visit?

Travel and the “Love of Humanity”

If you’ve had the good fortune to travel, stop a moment to remember the sense of anticipation you felt before leaving home. Recall the places you looked forward to seeing, the experiences you dreamed about. Now, think about being on vacation and the pictures you took. Breathtaking vistas, places steeped in history, tranquil scenes. People going about their daily lives, colorful markets, unique forms of transportation. A variety of experiences you don’t want to forget.

Do you remember the fun you had sharing your experiences with others? Chances are the real sharing was not done via pictures. Chances are, it was the story you told about the picture that created the really interesting, fun or inspiring message. Pictures capture a moment in time and illustrate the setting and characters in your story. It’s up to you to describe the plot. Here’s where the “love of humanity” comes in. Really good stories tell a tale about how characters, you and those you meet, are changed by their interaction.

Good stories often feature meaningful travel experiences

People travel for lots of different reasons. Here are a few: relaxation, learning, to meet people, adventure, personal growth, romance, family time, business, health, to explore something new, to see life through a different lens.

Many travelers desire authentic experiences that enable them to connect with people in the places they visit. They “live out a love of humanity” en route. Here are three ways you can add the depth of philanthropy to your next journey.

Eat and Shop As a Travel Philanthropist

1. The act of philanthropy through the restaurants you choose

Preparing for a recent trip to Peru, I learned about Restaurant Aldea Yanapay in Cusco. Described as a funky place with good food, the proceeds from this restaurant support Aldea Yanapay, a home for children. Going out to eat and trying different foods is a highlight for many travelers. And the fact that my purchase helped to support a worthy cause was like icing on the cake!

There are several Friends International restaurants in Cambodia created with a larger purpose in mind. Not only is the food delicious, its presentation is exquisite. The young people working as waiters and cooks are part of a culinary arts training program for marginalized youth supported by Friends International in partnership with TREE Alliance. Tourism in Cambodia is growing in popularity, and trained service workers are needed. The training these young people receive opens the employment-opportunity door resulting in empowered lives. And those of us lucky enough to dine there are part of the solution through our act of philanthropy.

As you prepare to travel, have fun looking for places to eat where you can make a difference.

2. Support Local Social Entrepreneurs

After a wonderful meal at Friends Restaurant in Phnom Penh, we wandered over to Nailbar, another program of Friends International. Here, girls receive training on how to give massages, manicures and pedicures, indulgences travelers often enjoy. Many hotels and spas offer these services, so there is a high demand for trained employees. Speaking from personal experience, these girls are learning the skills needed. Located adjacent to Nailbar is a gift shop featuring handmade items by young people in the Friends International community. (But I’m getting ahead of myself – more on shopping below!)

Arturo Rojas is the founder of Lima Tasty Tours in Peru. Members of his extended family were some of the original settlers in Villa el Salvador, considered one of the largest squatter settlements in the world. Thanks to strong community leaders, this area has become a thriving and productive home to many. Arturo began Lima Tasty Tours because he is excited about Peruvian food, and its influence and impact on Peruvian culture. While his company falls more in line with a small business as opposed to social entrepreneurship, it showcases and supports local producers and restaurateurs. “Que Buena Causa,” one of the tours offered by this tour company, involves a visit to a local comedor (a local soup kitchen) and artisan’s home. Before arriving to the comedor, Arturo and his guests stop at a local grocery store to purchase items to be used for future meals. Guests then exchange food items for the opportunity to visit, help with cooking and enjoy lunch. Such an experience is not a typical form of travel or philanthropy. However, it is a social enterprise that benefits the traveler and the local residents.

3. Shopping That Makes a Difference

Travelers often wish to return home with gifts for friends and family. Plus, it’s always fun to select something for yourself as a keepsake of your memorable time exploring another part of the world. For some, seeking out the right treasures is a fun vacation activity. It can also be an act of philanthropy as it supports local artisans and projects around the world.

Remember the gift shop I mentioned next to Nailbar in Phnom Penh? Here gift items made by a young people involved with Friends International are tastefully displayed. Jewelry, coin purses, zipper pouches and even cookbooks featuring Friends International restaurant recipes can be purchased.

There are numerous artisan cooperatives in Guatemala where weavers demonstrate their craft and sell their products directly to travelers. Years ago, I had the opportunity to visit UPAVIM, a women’s cooperative located in Guatemala City’s Zona 12, an area of the city with few opportunities and even fewer resources. Members of this cooperative developed a vibrant handicraft business that now sells items locally as well as internationally. This income-generating project resulted in the women’s ability to create a variety of educational and heath care programs serving local children and their families.

In a previous blog post, Philanthropic Travel Enriches the Journey, I mentioned Theodosia, an artist supported by Paraguay Hecho a Mano. Founded by Osvaldo Codas, Paraguay Hecho a Mano’s recognizes the artistic ability of local artisans. For many of the artisans, the sale of their crafts is the only source of livelihood. Providing or finding marketplaces where artisans could earn a fair wage for their work  was a goal of the organization. Purchasing a craft item created by an artisan associated with Paraguay Hecho a Mano, as I often did in the Hotel del Lago’s gallery, allowed me to buy a gift and yet give the gift of livelihood to another. Philanthropy in action.

Philanthropy Helps You Look Beyond When Traveling

Andrew Zimmern said  “Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in.”

Try incorporating Acts of Philanthropy into your travels. Doing so will enable you ‘to understand this amazing world we live in’. After all, it is this understanding that allows us to demonstrate a “love of humanity” which is at the heart of philanthropic travel.

Bea Evans

By  Bea Evans
Founder, Ripple Effect Journeys

Together, we’ll:
• learn about issues women and children face around the world
• discuss the meaning of philanthropy
• meet grassroots organizations focused on empowering the people they serve
• explore links between travel and philanthropy
• create a community of globally minded individuals
• discover a sense of meaning.

We look forward to getting to know you!