Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
We work closely with the Manda Wilderness Trust who focuses on changing the lives of the local people and the surrounding conservation. As a company we work closely with our overseas trusts all believing that the conservation of tomorrow comes from the improvement of ecotourism, community and conservation – the three are interconnected and if improved together they will lead to long term sustainable development. As a result we expose our travellers to these three elements giving them a taste of this relationship and their future. Our travellers work on valued and worthwhile projects which are more often then not simple but life changing.
Project work includes a mix of rewarding community and conservation projects – anti poaching patrols, snare collection, helping in schools, AIDS awareness, monitoring game movement and helping the safari lodge etc. Hands on projects working alongside committed communities are a powerful way to educate the next generation of travelers.
Foodstuffs are bought locally and resources, such as heating in camps, where possible is done in an environmentally friendly fashion e.g. solar panels. In addition rain water is collected for drinking water. Clothes washing is done where possible with bio-degradable soap. Litter is collected and disposed of properly.
We ensure that all our programmes work with the full agreement of local elders and that volunteer’s work side by side amongst the community, more often living in the community. We pay the communities for looking after volunteers and every volunteer has a donation to the community included in the cost – currently £80 per person. This is used to buy materials to build classrooms, pay for education fees and so on. We also work alongside local charities as often as we can support their aims.
We ensure that approximately 60% of the cost of each volunteer’s scheme is paid to the project leader in-country to cover all their in-country costs. This includes paying local communities for food and accommodation where appropriate.
In addition we pay communities a donation and source all food, drink, equipment, fuel locally thereby enhancing the local economy. The hosts employ as many staff as they can – in Mozambique they employ: a project leader, cooks, security guards, rangers and cleaners, thereby doing as much as we can to provide local people with jobs, cutting down on unemployment and providing families with an income.
Sometimes this income supports numerous relations. We also recognize that volunteers spend their own money on drinks, transport, souvenirs, services (taxis), medical care, park fees, activities e.g. rafting, diving, climbing etc which are major contributors to local suppliers incomes and the overall economy.
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
