As conservation tourism becomes more and more popular, how can travelers be certain of exactly where and how their money is being spent? One wildlife conservation group is leading by example by clearly outlining exactly how travelers’ dollars contribute to the sustainability of conservation projects and surrounding communities.

The Los Roques Scientific Foundation of Venezuela never ceases to educate visitors by allowing them to observing one of the on-site hatcheries. These baby turtles are growing strong so they will have a better chance of survival once they are placed back in their natural environment.

Conservation tourism – considered to be a “sub-niche” of sorts of geotourism, in line with voluntourism and “local travel” – is booming.

Travelers continue to seek meaningful opportunities to immerse in and support the natural environments and communities they visit, while destinations proliferate the means to capitalize as a way to boost their economies and increase ecological and even cultural awareness.

By supporting efforts to protect endangered species through fees and donations, conservation tourism aims to benefits local communities; increasing awareness and appreciation for our planet’s environmental and ecological concerns while delivering a much-needed sustainable source of revenue for conservation efforts.

These tours also provide a viable economic development alternative for local communities that have few other income-generating options.

However, it can be difficult for travelers to accurately determine just how much of their financial commitment directly benefits conservation projects and the local economies of their destinations, as opposed to benefiting the travel purveyors themselves – as is unfortunately sometimes the case.

No More Guesswork

However, one travel/tour group is looking to negate that stigma by placing a layer of absolute transparency between the travelers’ wallets and the communities they help to flourish – a worthy model for the conservation tourism as well as the entire geo/eco-tourism spectrum to follow.

Turtles are curious creatures that have walked (and swum) this earth since the time of the dinosaurs. Little is known about this migratory animal that often will swim thousands of miles across oceans to return to the very beaches where they were born to lay their eggs. This green turtle was photographed in Seychelles, an image courtesy of Flickr/whl.travel

SEE Turtles, a well-known wildlife conservation tourism project, has eliminated the “guessing game” by establishing a unique and completely transparent pricing model that clearly lays out the economic impact of conservation tourism dollars on environmental sustainability and responsible community development.

The new pricing allows conscientious travelers to engage in meaningful wildlife conservation initiatives alongside local sea turtle researchers, while fully aware of exactly where their money is going and how it directly benefits the cause.

The company puts it all out there: demonstrating exactly how their tour guests’ financial contributions contribute to the sustainability of turtle conservation projects and the surrounding communities.

Right on their website for the world to see, SEE Turtles outlines each tour’s estimated per person amount – in dollars and percentages – that gets allocated to two key areas: Conservation and Turtle Communities.

Conservation includes fees and donations given to local conservation organizations to protect turtle habitat, hire local residents, and support scientific research and to SEE Turtles to promote our educational programs. For volunteer trips, this also includes the value of donated time.

Communities represents the direct and indirect spending by tour guests to support locally-owned businesses near sea turtle hotspots including hotels, restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues. Such income helps communities recognize the value of sea turtles as an important resource to protect and inspires local support for conservation.

Turtles are natural seafaring creatures that can measure up to 51 inches (130 centimetres) in length and weigh 660 pounds (300 kilograms). They are the earth's oldest living reptiles. Known for their shy defensive mechanisms, turtles actually have some of the best night vision in the animal kingdom. This loggerhead turtle was is off the coast of Turkey near Kas. Photo courtesy of Flickr/whltravel

According to SEE Turtles, at least 30% of each SEE Turtles trip goes towards support of conservation and communities. The average across all trips is 48%, with 16% directly supporting conservation and 32% spent in local communities.

The $150 per person average supporting conservation efforts is the equivalent of hiring a researcher to patrol a nesting beach in Costa Rica for two weeks.

“Travelers are becoming increasingly aware of their responsibility to help protect nature and local cultures,” said Jim Dion, Associate Director, Center for Sustainable Destinations at National Geographic. “SEE Turtles’ Conservation Pricing Model sets a new standard for transparency that will help travelers to evaluate tourism options and feel confident their travel dollars are benefiting local communities and conservation efforts.”

As more and more conservation-geared companies move toward this or a similar model of pricing transparency, it will be interesting to see how traveler numbers fare.

As recent reports have suggested, money is of course still a factor in travel decisions – especially in such trying economic times. Even responsible travelers can be skeptical, and often with good reason.

In the United States, $15,000 may buy you a used car, a family vacation of sorts, or maybe even a half-year’s tuition at a state university or a private school in a big city.

In Tanzania, that same $15,000 covers the entire annual budget for the Jifundishe Free Library in Ngongongare Village in the Arusha District of northern Tanzania. Jifundishe is one of only a handful of free, independent community libraries in the entire country and is now the model for a new community library initiative taking place across the country.

At Jifundishe, that $15,000 pays for the staff of eight; a large assortment of magazines and newspapers; maintenance fees; study materials, markers, paper and ink; adult literacy classes; children’s programs; an Independent Study program; Internet access; special offerings including movie nights, medical exams, mosquito net distribution, and more.

The Jifundishe Free Library in rural northern Tanzania offers a wide range of community programs that include adult literacy classes, children’s workshops, an Independent Study program and much more. Photo by Anne Wells

And to assess the community impact of this modest investment, all you need to do is look around.

At one of the six laptops in the small, window-lined computer lab at the front of the main building, Amani H. Amani, 24, tutors a 35-year-old woman who has come to learn about the Internet. Not long ago, Amani was the student. At 15, he left home after dropping from school due to family struggles and poverty. Amani went to work on a flower farm and held little hope on finishing his education. However, after hearing about the Jifundishe library and its free access to text books, he moved hundreds of miles to come learn. Amani lives in a small room in the village and supports himself through odd jobs, such as slashing grasses and tutoring students for cooking oil and rice. After more than four years of perseverance and hard work, studying day in and day out at the library and through Jifundishe’s Independent Study (IS) program, Amani was recently one of seven students to prepare for, and pass, the Tanzanian equivalent of the GED exam, which makes him eligible for university.

The local Jifundishe Knitting Club knits wares which are sold at library fundraisers across America. Photo by Anne Wells

During Jifundishe’s IS program’s first year in 2010, 27 students, ages 15 to 55, received access to necessary textbooks, regularly scheduled classes by volunteer teachers, kerosene for evening study at home, and funds to take the exam itself. One-hundred percent of those taking the Form 4 exam passed, as compared to only 50 percent from government schools. Seventy-five percent of Jifundishe’s IS students who sat for the Form 2 exam passed, as compared to only 30 percent from government schools.

At a long table between the stacks that hold the library’s 5,000-plus books, Isaac Nanyaro, the head teacher from the local Imbaseni Primary School, works up new lesson plans. Isaac meets many of his students here at Jifundishe and attributes his school’s 75 percent rise in test scores over the past few years directly to the library’s provision of access to text books and tutors. “We have no funds for books,” says Nanyaro, whose 20 teachers are responsible for nearly 1,000 students. “Even our teachers come to the library to further their own studies.”

Outside on the back porch, curled up in a shiny red wheelchair, sits Goodness, a severely disabled woman who spent the first 25 or so years of her life (no one knows exactly how old she is, including Goodness) tucked away in her family’s mud home. Since the first library opened in 2005, Goodness’s brothers have carried her back and forth one mile each way from her home. At the library, she visits with patrons and works closely with staff and volunteers. Over the years, Goodness has learned to read and write, and knit, too. With her gnarled, bowed hands, she makes some of the most beautiful puppets, hats, and scarves the Jifundishe Knitting Club has ever seen. Each club member is paid by the library for her wares, which are then sold at fundraisers across America. Within her first year of working with the club, Goodness earned enough to purchase her first proper wheelchair.

Further out back in the neatly manicured garden, at a lawn table tucked in the shade of some trees, Angelina Laisser, 56, works with Jifundishe’s women’s cooperative, Jiendeleze (“advance yourself”), to make Barefoot Beads, a unique jewelry product for the feet. Angelina and the other five women in the cooperative are paid by the library for each item they produce and then an equal amount is deposited into a collective fund, which the women manage themselves. Their first fund was used to pay for them all to travel to Arusha to have their eyes checked. For most of the women, it was their first and only time ever seeing a doctor of any kind. Their second fund was used to purchase seeds for planting in their small fields. The collective’s “Barefoot Beads” are sold mostly in Tanzanian coastal resorts.

Angelina combines her Jiendeleza income with the money she earns from her piggery, which she started after finding a book at the library about how to raise and care for pigs, to care for her three children and ailing mother.

Goodness, a local patron, has been coming to the library since 2005. Through her skillful knitting she earned enough to purchase a proper wheelchair and has also learned to read and write. Photo by Anne Wells

In the community room, a separate building to the left of the courtyard, Doricas Unvanjoka, 16, works with a Canadian volunteer to practice her English. Doricas, her mother, and five brothers and sisters were abandoned by her father years ago and left with no home, no money, and no land. Today, Doricas is one of Jifundishe’s 40 ‘Houston’ scholarship students. The program was started by Annie and Andre Houston after Annie visited Tanzania in 2007, and it covers the complete cost of a four-year education at a government school, which is about $1,000–$1,200. Each year, more than 50 students apply for three to five coveted spots. Doricas’s oldest sister, Debora, was one of the first Houston scholars. She graduated from secondary school and is now studying nursing in Moshi, supported financially by former Jifundishe volunteers from the United Kingdon.

The secret to Jifundishe’s success? “While we are always struggling to make ends meet, we are blessed with a dedicated staff, a phenomenal group of international volunteers, and an involved and committed Board,” says executive director Deb Kelly, 55, who made Tanzania her home after founding Jifundishe in 2003. “And our community cares deeply for this library and embraces it as their own, so ultimately, it is.”

Next:

• Part IV Beyond Books in Tanzania: The Maktaba Project & The New Tanzanian Community Library Association

Anne Wells is the founder and director of UNITE The World With Africa, a social organization working to provide impactful connections, resources and expertise to help advance women’s health, education and microfinance programs in Tanzania. She recently launched a new online store called The Ashe’ Collection, a 100% philanthropic initiative to grow an international demand for African artistry and raise funds to support UNITE’s work in East Africa. For more information, email Anne at atmwells(at)gmail(dot)com.

Dozens of kilometers from the nearest paved main road, in the midst of bush lands speckled with narrow dirt paths and tiny homes made of mud and sticks, sits the Jifundishe Free Library. Nestled in the remote rural village of Ngongongare in the Arusha District of Northern Tanzania, on a 2.7-acre plot with views of both Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro, this 2,200-square-foot, yellow-cream colored cement building is home to more than 5,000 books; textbooks for every subject through primary, secondary and university; six new laptop computers that provide free Internet service; and assorted newspapers and magazines.

In the remote Ngongongare village of Northern Tanzania, the 2,200-square-foot Jifundishe Free Library provides residents with books for study and also has a computer lab. Photo courtesy of Anne Wells

Out back, the manicured yard is decorated with gardens of flowering indigenous trees and shrubs. Dozens of people study at the six picnic tables and under the shade of the trees. Children chatter away in the nearby community room while exploring books organized into neat rows in colorful buckets on the floor – accessible to all. To the right, there is a small staff house and an outhouse for the latrines.

Each day, hundreds of villagers – ages 2 to 82 – come here, often from miles and miles away, to study, work, learn and play. They fill the buildings, the tables, the stairs, the yard; and never a penny or shilling changes hands. This Jifundishe Free Library is one of only a handful of free, independent rural libraries in Tanzania. It is also the model for a new community library initiative taking place across the country.

The rural library boasts a collection of more than 5,000 books, including textbooks for every subject through the primary, secondary and university levels. Photo courtesy of Anne Wells

The vision of American Deb Kelly, 55, Jifundishe (which means ‘teach yourself’ in Swahili) is a Tanzanian nongovernmental organization that was created to provide educational opportunities to rural communities. Deb, who first traveled to Tanzania in 2001 as a volunteer, built the library in response to a request from local villagers. “One day in 2005, I asked some villagers what they wanted most,” recalls Kelly. “Their response? Not electricity, potable water, roads or even money. They wanted books!”

To test the waters, Deb rented a tiny building with two rooms from a local family for $15 a month. There was no electricity, shelves or furniture; just an empty space. She called on her friends in the United States to send money and books, and together with a group of Tanzanian and American volunteers, Deb set about organizing a library.

“We sorted through the donated books – the nonfiction, fiction, children’s books, and textbooks – and separated the relevant, useful books from the useless,” recalls American librarian, Ann Hanin, 67, who incorporated the U.S.-based non-profit Project A.B.L.E. to raise funds for Jifundishe. “We cataloged books, arranged them on the shelves using rocks as bookends, placed the children’s books in baskets for easy access, trained the librarian, and we were ready!”

In November of 2005, the Imbaseni Free Library opened its doors to a curious village audience. “Most of these people had never seen a library before and really had no concept of what it was,” recalls Chrissy Burnham, 29, Jifundishe’s long-term volunteer and current treasurer. “The students were the most eager. Then the men came to read newspapers on the porch. Next, the children came to sit on laps and rifle through pencil boxes. The women were the most hesitant. They were expected to be home working. Many had never attended school. It took a few months, but eventually they made their way, staked out a few picnic tables on the lawn, and started engaging in literacy classes, women’s groups and more.”

It didn’t take long before Deb and her team realized a need for a larger space. “There were always lines of villagers, as far as the eye could see,” recalls Deb. “Thanks to the generosity of the Crawford-Smith Foundation, Project A.B.L.E and many others, we were able to raise the $60,000 necessary to construct our new Jifundishe Free Library.”

In January 2009, the new, solar-powered Jifundishe Free Library opened its doors in the Ngongongare Village. The event was marked by a large ceremony, which included the district commissioner and other local government officials, the Tanzanian Ambassador to the United Nations, local school representatives, villagers and the library’s lead donors – Ann Hanin of Project A.B.L.E. and Stephen and Judith Smith, founders of the Crawford-Smith Foundation.

Inside the library, six new laptop computers provide free Internet access. Photo courtesy of Anne Wells

Today Jifundishe continues to fulfill its role as a vibrant and active library and community center by offering scholarship programs, independent study programs, eye and dental clinics, malaria prevention clinics, net distribution, book clubs, computer classes, women’s empowerment groups and classes, movie nights, children’s reading programs and much more.

And, as it goes, nothing is left unused: The old Imbaseni Free Library building is now home to a village family.

For more information, visit www.jifundishe.org and www.projectablefoundation.org.

Next:
• Part III Beyond Books in Tanzania: “What a Difference a Library Can Make”
• Part IV Beyond Books in Tanzania: The Maktaba Project & The New Tanzanian Community Library Association

Anne Wells is the founder and director of UNITE The World With Africa, a social organization working to provide impactful connections, resources and expertise to help advance women’s health, education and microfinance programs in Tanzania. She recently launched a new online store called The Ashe’ Collection, a 100% philanthropic initiative to grow an international demand for African artistry and raise funds to support UNITE’s work in East Africa. For more information, email Anne at atmwells(at)gmail(dot)com.

Volunteer vacationers are as diverse as our planet’s incredible range of environments and abundance of people. From protecting turtles’ eggs to delivering vital medical supplies, there’s something out there for everyone.

At Much Better Adventures, we work with a host of the world’s leading volunteer holiday providers, bringing the best under one roof. Here are just five worth your consideration.

Horseback riding and humanitarian aid go together with Relief Riders International

Deliver Humanitarian Aid on Horseback

For thrill seekers, nothing can beat cantering through the deserts of northern West India. This vast, unspoilt region is ripe for exploration. But it’s remoteness works against it too: many Rajasthan residents suffer from poor medical infrastructure. Deliveries of equipment and expertise are therefore vital.

So if you have plans to be in the area, why not add to the depth of your experience by volunteering on an important humanitarian mission? Horses are excellent for carrying supplies, so load them up with medical equipment. By helping out, you’re able to make a real difference to locals’ lives, while having an epic adventure yourself.

Teach English in Borneo, Malaysia, with Ecoteer

Teach English and Environmental Awareness

Teaching English abroad can be an incredibly rewarding experience for all involved. Offering you deep interaction with local people, it is a great way to delve into a new culture. Just as beneficially, local people learn English from a native speaker and are able to develop confidence in their language skills. Volunteers may also be given the chance to share their knowledge about environmental awareness, an important step in convincing locals to protect their natural resources.

These kinds of volunteer holidays often include free time each day, giving you ample opportunity to enjoy activities in the local area, whether they be sports meets or just chatting with new neighbours. English teaching trips vary in length from a couple of weeks to many months.

Volunteer with Lions in South Africa

The lion – the king of the cats – is one of the most majestic animals on the planet. So, what could be better than a volunteer position helping research the impacts of reintroducing it and other animals into an incredible nature reserve?

Volunteer projects could be your best chance to really help animals. Through guided courses and practical work with rangers, you develop new skills that you might not have a chance to otherwise. Research into endangered species, for example, is vital to the preservation of our ecosystems; however the (human and material and financial) resources to do this are sometimes hard to find. This is where volunteer holidays can come in to play: they help fill this gap so that the research can continue.

Student holding a baby turtle as part of his volunteer work with SEE Turtles

Protect Turtles as Part of Your College Studies

College students often think of volunteering holidays as rewarding additions to their studies. By putting theory into practice you gain a fuller understanding of your academic pursuits. Such experiences can also provide solid fodder for your CV, showing your commitment to your field and an appetite for contextualising your knowledge.

Turtle conservation projects are great area for students. Not only do they allow for hands-on care of these special marine creatures, but they are often located in rather nice corners of the world. Who would complain about that?

There’s a serious side to it all, of course, as many species are endangered and a lot of hard work is needed to help protect them. Roles can include monitoring beaches, caring for young turtles, researching populations and educating locals about how to prevent poaching.

Reef conservation and diving are twin pursuits of Reef Conservation International

Mix Diving with Reef Conservation

One of the most magical qualities of diving is experiencing the incredible submarine environment. You have only to look through the range of diving holidays to understand the increase in the number of volunteer holidays set up to help protect these garden hotspot for divers.

As reefs exist all over the world, you rarely have to travel too far to help out. Many reef-restoration volunteer holidays also integrate diving courses, giving you the ideal mix of conservation and learning.

There are many more opportunities than the five presented here. Why not start your adventure on Much Better Adventures’ Volunteering Holidays page?

“Books are a very important way to knowledge and to self-improvement… The provision of a National Library Service in Tanzania means that … knowledge is made available to all our literate citizens and through them to people who have not yet learned to read.”
–Tanzania’s first president, Julius Nyerere, 1967

Editor’s Note: This is the first entry in a four-part series about the state of libraries in Tanzania.

As babies, we chew and drool on our tiny board books. As toddlers, we color and rip the pages of our beloved nightly readers. By ages six or seven, we are reading and have graduated into a new world of wonder and discovery.

These decades-old used books are often the only ones available to many schools in Tanzania. Photo by Anne Wells

Over the course of our lifetimes, there are few activities on which we will spend more time than reading. We read to learn, work, escape, entertain, evolve, explore, and connect. From our morning newspapers to our letters, e-mails, favorite paperback novels, computers, and Kindles to our nightstand piles of literature and magazines; from Shakespeare, Sartre, Shelley, and Salinger to social psychology, sports, science, and everything in between, the written word is as essential to our lives as water, food, and shelter.

Now imagine a world where there are few, if any, written words. There are no books, no magazines, no newspapers, no Internet, and no textbooks. Imagine it. In this year of 2011, when most of us are hyperlinked and “content-ed out” beyond reason, is this even possible?

Welcome to Ngongongare Village in the Arusha District of northern Tanzania. Here, as it is in so many other impoverished outlying communities across the continent, there are few, if any books. Schools are overwhelmed with too many students, too few teachers (an average of one to every 45 students, according to the UNESCO EFA 2000 Assessment Tanzanian Country Report), and even fewer textbooks. A report by the non-profit organization Textbooks for Tanzania states, “It is not uncommon for a class of 40 to share a single textbook.” The Newton-Tanzania Collaborative that operates under the Do Something umbrella estimates a textbook to student ratio of 1 to 80. Texts that do exist are often decades old, filthy, and falling apart. To keep them from disintegrating altogether, teachers often keep them under lock and key, pulling them out only to copy their contents on blackboards for masses of children to memorize or, if lucky, to copy down on scraps of paper.

Kids read inside an old community library in Tanzania. Photo by Anne Wells

In the United States, there are 122,101 libraries, according to the American Library Association, ones that complement our educational systems by providing free access to literature, periodicals, the Internet, and ongoing educational opportunities. That’s one for approximately every 2,500 citizens.

In Tanzania, it’s a different story. There is just one national central library in Dar Es Salaam; a single library in some of the country’s 26 regions; and a handful of other government libraries scattered throughout various districts, which at best would be one library serving many hundreds of thousands of people. The Tanzanian Library Association, in its 2008 SCECSAL XVIII report, notes that these libraries all face many challenges, including a lack of qualified librarians and adequate resources.

“We visited a number of regional libraries in Tanzania,” says Ann Hanin, 67, a librarian at the Beacon School in New York City and the founder of Project A.B.L.E., a U.S.-based non-profit established to promote literacy and education in the developing world. “They were filled with old, dirty, dilapidated materials that most people find irrelevant, unnecessary, and unusable. We could not find any books on farming and agriculture. We could not find any books by African authors or in local languages. It was so sad and disheartening.”

Deb Kelly, 55, an American volunteer in Tanzania, experienced firsthand this great need for free-access to relevant books and educational opportunities. In 2007, she founded the Tanzanian non-governmental organization Jifundishe (which means “teach yourself” in Swahili) to provide educational opportunities to rural communities. Her first project, the Imbaseni Free Community Library, was so successful that she soon replaced it with a larger library, with financial support from the U.S.-based Crawford-Smith Foundation and Project A.B.L.E. Villagers came from miles and miles away, even from around the world, all to patronize, partner with, assist, and help grow Deb’s vision of a free library and community center that supports literacy development for all.

The Jifundishe Free Library supports literacy and development in rural northern Tanzania. Photo by Anne Wells

Today, that library, the Jifundishe Free Library, is the model for a new initiative called the Maktaba Project (“library” in Swahili), which is currently working on building a network of “Jifundishes” in six more rural communities over the next 10 years. The Jifundishe Free Library is also the poster child of the new Tanzanian Community Library Association, formed independently of the government in early 2011 to develop a network of community libraries, disseminate information, share best practices, and help obtain necessary financial support.

For more information, visit www.jifundishe.org and www.projectablefoundation.org.

Coming up next in the Beyond Books in Tanzania series:
• Part II: Deb Kelly and the Jifundishe Free Community Library
• Part III: “What a Difference a Library Can Make”
• Part IV: The Maktaba Project and the New Tanzanian Community Library Association

Anne Wells is the founder and director of UNITE The World With Africa, a social organization working to provide impactful connections, resources and expertise to help advance women’s health, education and microfinance programs in Tanzania. She recently launched a new online store called The Ashe’ Collection, a 100% philanthropic initiative to grow an international demand for African artistry and raise funds to support UNITE’s work in East Africa. For more information, email Anne at atmwells(at)gmail(dot)com.

Long-trippers (often backpackers) have lots of tricks for cutting costs and prolonging their sojourns. They stay in hostels or even camps, cook their own meals when they can and cram themselves into local transport to avoid taxis and flights. They’re an agile, fast-moving species of traveller. The goal is to cover as much ground as possible and travel for as long as possible, which can add up cost-wise no matter how carefully they budget their moves.

WWOOF volunteers in Canada Through WWOOF Canada, volunteers work on an organic farm in exchange for room and board. Photo courtesy of Becky Young

If you are willing to skip some of the hit-and-run sightseeing and country hopping of gotta-see-it-all travel, there’s a much simpler way to stay on budget and on the road for a long time: Take it slow, base your travels in one place and opt for a work exchange. Today, there are more and more ways for the industrious slow traveller to find work and break even.

BackdoorJobs.com, “Short-Term Job Adventures”

Browsing the homepage of Backdoorjobs.com, your sense of adventure is instantly ignited. Where to click first? “Seeking 7-Month Cheese-Making Apprentice in Colorado,” announces one headline. “Work and live in the redwood coastal hills of Northern California!” beams another. Although these hot travel stints are mostly geared toward Americans looking for something in the U.S., there is also an “International Short-Term Job Opportunities” section that’s well worth perusing.

Check out BackdoorJobs.com

Help Exchange (HelpX)

The idea behind HelpX is to connect willing travellers with farms, bed-and-breakfasts, hostels, ranches, lodges and even sailboats that are looking for someone to lend a hand, short-term. “In the typical arrangement, the helper works an average of four hours per day and receives free accommodation and meals for their efforts,” says the site. Access to listings comes in two flavours – a free version and a more comprehensive paid membership.

Register for HelpX

Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)

One of the longest-standing – and perhaps the most well known – of the work-exchange programs out there, WWOOF is oriented toward matching help with organic farms all over the world. In the beginning, the acronym stood for “Willing Workers on Organic Farms,” but due to legal issues surrounding the term “worker,” WWOOF now officially stands for “Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms.”

There’s no central WWOOF organisation; rather, each country has its own listing and network to join for a small fee. Becky Young, the coordinator of WWOOF Canada, encourages everyone to try it at least once. “Go for it! You learn to travel on your own and feel safe because you are living with families, immerse yourself in a new culture, learn new things, make new friends and so much more.”

Find out which countries have WWOOF organisations

Work and Wine connects interns with wine industry opportunities in several countries. The trio pictured above are enjoying their time in Australia. Photo courtesy of facebook.com/Work-and-Wine

Work and Wine

One of the newest work-abroad coordination resources on the web, Work and Wine, is based in Mendoza, Argentina, the internationally renowned wine region. The goal of Work and Wine is to resolve visa issues and enable student interns and skilled professionals to work in the local wine industry in Mendoza. It also coordinates exchanges with wineries in other great wine capitals in the world, including in South Africa, Napa Valley in California, Australia and New Zealand.

Get in contact with Work and Wine

Workaway.info

Similar to HelpX and WWOOF, Workaway is an online network of organisations, farms and even families worldwide who offer room and board in exchange for some help. For a small membership fee, you can list yourself as a host or as a “Workawayer” volunteer. Workaway is one more big and growing listing of mouth-watering stints that will make you wish you could spend your whole life as a gigging traveller.

Explore the listings on Workaway.info

Travel slowly and keep your eyes open. You never know what kinds of work opportunities will pop up. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Leonard John Matthews

Wing It

Some people like to plan ahead online, others improvise. If you’ve had experiences working and living abroad, you might have seen that some opportunities present themselves in person, on the ground level. Get where you want to go, and then do the legwork by looking for the kinds of work you’re most qualified to do.

Put yourself out there. You never know what will come your way. Find gigs as an English teacher, nanny, waiter, receptionist, contributor to a local publication, or work with a local NGO. If you travel slowly, rent an apartment and commit to staying in one place for at least a month, you’ll see a world of travel work opportunities open up.

For a traveller on a tight schedule, this can be challenging. Time is such a precious commodity these days; we’ve been led to believe that if we don’t maximise our scant vacation time by hitting all the major tourist must-dos, we’ve somehow failed.

Slowly, take the time to learn about the ethnic tribes of Laos. Photo courtesy of Cindy Fan

But travelling and living in Laos has taught me that slowing down adds richness to your experience – like seeing the world vividly in Technicolor. You begin to notice things and understand how they fit into a greater cultural narrative.

“Slow Travel” is a buzzword that is gaining popularity. It can mean a variety of different things, but is often used to describe a longer stay in one place rather than flitting from one spot to the next. What you experience is usually a deeper connection to a place, its culture and its people.

Sunset on the Mekong River as seen from Luang Prabang, Laos. Best enjoyed slowly. Photo courtesy of Cindy Fan

So if you’re planning a trip to Luang Prabang, I suggest you treat yourself with time. Experience this UNESCO World Heritage city through the lens of slow travel:

On your first day, do nothing

Crazy, I know. While most people scramble up Phousi Hill for the sunset (yes, it is nice), my favourite spot is at a bar on the Mekong River. The view is unobstructed and the sunset is equally, if not more, spectacular. Sit, relax with a drink and just do nothing. You’re in Laos!

Dried fish at the Phosy Market in Luang Prabang, Laos. Photo courtesy of Cindy Fan

Slow food

One key ingredient in Lao cuisine is patience. A delicious Lao dish begins with a trip to the morning market for fresh ingredients (check out Phosy market, where the locals go). No fancy equipment is involved in Lao cooking – just a mortar, pestle and good ol’ fashioned elbow grease. Fresh herbs and plenty of chilli are bashed to make mouthwatering marinades and dips. And a Lao table is never without a basket of sticky rice. The grains have to be washed several times and soaked overnight before they can be steamed.

Big smiles at Big Brother Mouse, a non-profit organisation that distributes Lao books to rural villages. Photo courtesy of Stanislas Fradelizi

Give back with your time

Started in 2006, Big Brother Mouse is a locally run organisation that publishes books and distributes them to villages. Not only can you sponsor a library, a book party or buy Lao books in the shop to take to villages, you can help out at their English language sessions. Eager locals, especially young adults, attend to practice their English conversation. It’s a great way to learn more about Laos and for Lao people to learn about your country. Sessions run daily; just drop in at either 9 a.m. or 5 p.m. You don’t need to bring anything (they have some books and maps), although pictures of your family or country would be interesting.

A Lao weaver proudly displays her silk textiles. Photo courtesy of Cindy Fan

One thread at a time

Laos boasts beautiful handicrafts. You can’t appreciate patience and time until you’ve seen an artisan working at his or her craft. In fact, it’s not uncommon to hear that a single handwoven textile with an intricate pattern has taken a month to complete. In Luang Prabang, while you can see the pieces being made, you can also try your own hand at creating one. Learn how to dye fabric naturally, weave, draw Hmong batiks, paint silk or make paper. Or, if you’re all thumbs, numerous shops sell locally made textiles and crafts.

An unhurried rural hill village just outside of Luang Prabang, Laos. Photo courtesy of Cindy Fan

Experience village life

Less than an hour outside of town, you are out in rural countryside. Go trekking and stay in a village to experience the simple life, where even electricity is a luxury. Phone? Internet? Forget about it. Think of it as a detox from Facebook and all other distractions of the modern world. Experience what it’s like to grow and raise your own food, bathe at a tap, cook over an open fire and dine with a local family. After a long, refreshing day of walking, crawl into your sleeping bag, but prepare to wake when the rooster crows.

The early morning alms ceremony in Luang Prabang, Laos is an important Buddhist tradition that should be respected. Photo courtesy of Cindy Fan

Wake up early. Really early.

Every day at dawn, monks walk through town collecting alms from humble locals. The alms-giving ceremony is an important ritual in Luang Prabang. The sight of hundreds of monks clad in brilliant orange robes lined up to receive food is truly breathtaking. But the ceremony is in danger of becoming a tourist spectacle, with some people behaving badly to get that perfect photo. Be respectful: dress appropriately, maintain your distance and be quiet. Read the etiquette and guidelines for the alms-giving ceremony in Luang Prabang.

Thinking of travelling to Luang Prabang and around Laos? Plan your trip with Teamworkz, the whl.travel local partner in Laos.

Volunteering abroad, also known as voluntourism, is on fire. More and more, all kinds of people are looking for travel experiences where they can serve the under-served, globally. Who can disagree with such noble intentions? In fact, voluntourism is often hailed as one of the most constructive forms of tourism out there.

Voluntourism Economics

Like anything new and fast-growing, voluntourism can go awry. Opportunistic travel companies commercialize what should be kept in the non-profit sector, charging voluntourists a hefty premium. NGOs use voluntourists as a fundraising mechanism, taking more advantage of their willingness to pay than their willingness to work. As voluntourism gains scale in certain destinations, it can even affect local labor markets in ways the voluntourists never imagine. Rightly so, skeptics have started blowing whistles and calling for best practices.

Two Sustainable Bolivia volunteers paint a flagpole at Atendi. Photo courtesy of The International Ecotourism Society/Cynthia Ord.

The economics of voluntourism is a hot issue in the larger debate about voluntourism’s impacts. Where are voluntourist dollars going? How much stays with the coordinating organization, and how much enters the local economy in a meaningful way? If you’re thinking about volunteer travel, these are the kinds of questions that are worth asking. If you’re an organization that is coordinating volunteer tourists, these are the kind of questions that are important to answer. Transparency is key.

Volunteering with Sustainable Bolivia in Cochabamba

Sustainable Bolivia is a registered non-profit organization in Cochabamba, Bolivia’s third-largest city. Here, it partners with 28 local non-profit organizations to coordinate volunteer and internship opportunities for international students and professionals. The organizations span a number of fields of development: public health, the environment, education, human rights, and social services.

Volunteers choose which organization they would like to get involved with, depending on their experiences, educational background, and interests. With its diverse network of local non-profit organizations, Sustainable Bolivia is in a good position to match volunteer skills and resources with the places in and around Cochabamba that could use them the most.

Engineers who want to work on appropriate technology solutions find a good match with Energetica, which works on alternative energy sources in the rural communities of Bolivia. Doctors and health care professionals have a number of choices for applying their skills, like Atendi where they can work with kids with disabilities, or Centro de Salud Cerro Verde if their interest is in reproductive health. For creative types and performers, Sustainable Bolivia has an artist residency program and a partner organizations like Performing Life, which provides underprivileged youth with workshops to develop juggling and other circus show skills.

Screen shot of mini grant reporting on the Sustainable Bolivia website.

The Mini Grant Program at Sustainable Bolivia

In 2009, the administration of Sustainable Bolivia started thinking about how they could make volunteer impacts more transparent. They realized that volunteers were the ones who were working directly in the field, in close contact with local partner organizations. The volunteers could see firsthand the most pressing needs on site at their projects.

In February of that year, the innovative new mini grant system was introduced. It’s a system where volunteers can decide exactly how their money is used in the community, and Sustainable Bolivia has one more way to measure and report contribution its to parter organizations. How does it work? For each month that a volunteer works with Sustainable Bolivia, $75 goes toward a mini grant. So, a volunteer that stays for three months has $225 to use toward their volunteer project in the way they think is most appropriate.

In order to apply their mini grants, volunteers are required to fill out an application explaining their project plans and budget. Then, once it has been approved, the volunteer is also required to submit receipts. This process allows for an organization-level reporting system on how volunteer money is being spent.

In keeping with the transparency that Sustainable Bolivia values, it publishes all mini grant activity on its website. On this fascinating page, viewers can see what each volunteer has done with each local partner organization. You can see a short description of the project, the application form, and the receipts showing where the money was spent. More than an ingenious system that ensures transparency about volunteer funds, it’s an elegant composite portrait of the kinds of activities that volunteers can do at Sustainable Bolivia and what the organization is about.

Blogging and Hula Hoops

I applied to spend time at Sustainable Bolivia through their artist residency program, asking if online content creation counts as a form of art. They were happy to accept me as their resident writer. Once I arrived, I had a meeting with Michelle, the national director, about the best way to use my volunteer time. Their website blog had become a little neglected, she said. I loved the idea of helping bring it back to life. By the end of my three month stay, I had five new posts published on the blog.

Hula Hooping with Performing Life members in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Photo courtesy of The International Ecotourism Society/Cynthia Ord.

As my time there passed, I was looking for ways to apply my own mini grant funding. The mini grant program inspired me to close my laptop and get involved on the ground level. My first week there, I had seen a show put on by Performing Life, amazed by the talent of its kids in juggling, diabalos, and unicycles. Since I’m a circus hobbyist myself, I was especially impressed by 13-year-old Scarlet and her fire poi spinning skills. I wanted to learn from her. I noticed that the organization could use some hula hoops to make its circus equipment more complete, and I started planning a project for my mini grant resources.

With my mini grant money, I went to the massive La Cancha local market and bought everything needed to make high-quality, performance-level hula hoops. I found PVC tubing, connectors, duct tape, electrical tape, and even some shiny decorative tape to finish the hoops with color and flair. My mini grant funding went a long way in Bolivia. By the end of my time there, I had made 15 new hula hoops, which were a big hit with the Performance Life kids.

All the materials for hula hoop construction had only cost about $75. There was still more mini grant funding left. I wanted to donate it directly to Performing Life, but Michelle explained to me that it rolls over to the next volunteer working with Performing Life. In this way, they can keep things totally transparent and visible about how the funding is spent. It gave me another idea – maybe I’ll go back and be that next volunteer myself.

To apply for an internship or volunteer opportunity at Sustainable Bolivia, get in contact through the Sustainable Bolivia website.

My name is Markus Neuer and I lead the Tiger Trail team in Luang Prabang, Laos. Born in Germany, I always had a passion for adventure and travelling but, even more important, for other people. Through our Fair Trek in Laos projects, I have found a way to perfectly combine community work with tourism and bring people together from all over the world to work with Lao communities.

The views are spectacular on a half-day Tiger Trail mountain trek in Nong Khiaw, in the Luang Prabang province of northern Laos. Photo courtesy of Tiger Trail

Our team is international, yet all working and living in Luang Prabang. A big part of our company is regular interns, volunteers and students giving support. Our team members are currently from the US, Thailand, France, Germany and of course Laos. Tiger Trail was founded in 2000. I took over the company in 2008, and with the help of our incredible team it has become what it is today. We currently employ about 50 full-time staff members.

My Inspiration, Our Inspiration

I believe that the world is not fairly developed and even its most beautiful landscapes can be the stage for poverty and degradation. I aim to approach these problems by seeking a better way. We make an impact through an ongoing effort to care for the community and our environment, while enjoying the beauty and diversity of the world itself. If everybody would do this, we could have a better world, not just better adventures.

Tourists work alongside villagers harvesting rice near Huay Fai village (about 20 kilometres from Luang Prabang), Laos, during one of the Fair Trek tours offered by Tiger Trail. Photo courtesy of Tiger Trail

Fair Trek Is a Key Part of Our Adventure Travel Company

Fair Trek in Laos is an innovative community-based-tourism project aiming to assist in the development of communities in need. In return, it allows visitors to have access to remote villages by trekking, biking and kayaking, to learn and absorb different cultural experiences in Laos. Fair Trek is the first responsible-tourism project in Luang Prabang, and has been recognised widely as an example of community-based responsible tourism in the Mekong sub-region.

Fair Trek Was First Founded in 2007

I initiated Fair Trek in cooperation with local nongovernmental organisations and the government. It resulted from striking and obvious needs that I have experienced myself during normal treks through surrounding communities and in other countries. After the initiative had been started up, reviewed and adjusted, the operation of the Fair Trek project in Luang Prabang was transferred and is now partly run locally by the Provincial Tourism Department and a pool of operators, raising awareness toward development of tourism and community alike.

After years of development, Tiger Trail has continued to spread the Fair Trek initiative out to other areas of northern Laos, Nong Khiaw and Muang. Tiger Trail is also adopting the philosophy of “voluntourism” for an ecological school project, The Clay School Project, benefiting both the Fair Trek communities and volunteers.

Each tour that is within the Fair Trek project pays into a community fund! Depending on the setup, the funds are handled by local government institutions or the communities directly. The village funds are raised from each Fair Trek tour allowing each visitor to have an impact. Villagers are able to submit a request for needed financing, or propose their ideas on how to invest in improvements and development that benefits the whole community. A great side effect has been created through visitors who wish to assist more through donations. Through this the communities can achieve additional support through the awareness that Fair Trek provides to them.

The Villagers Also Benefit Directly

The villagers make an income selling food and accommodation, as well as traditional self-made handicrafts to the visitors. Individual villagers can earn from guiding around the communities and from helping out in tourism activities. Rental fees for land, blankets, cooking material and other assisting services also contribute to the local income. Our tours are not only “fair” in terms of money; they also preserve local culture and traditions. Having visitors gives the villagers an opportunity to spread and preserve their traditional performances and practices such as singing, dancing and playing local music.

Insider Tip

If you are coming our direction, give us a visit. Luang Prabang is a provincial capital city of Laos, where time still seems to stand still. Take a waterfall trek at Kuang Si and hang out on the Mekong to enjoy the stunning view. Also I recommend you visit Big Tree Café for a great photography exhibition and enjoy some locally grown coffee at either JoMa or Saffron Café, both engaged in social projects in the region. (Get more of the inside word on Luang Prabang.)

Volunteers work with locals to construct the foundation, columns and roof of the Clay School in Ban Naluang, near Nong Khiaw, in northern Laos. Photo courtesy of Tiger Trail

Attractions in and around Luang Prabang are diverse, including various waterfalls, caves, ethnic minorities, textiles and handicrafts, elephant rides and mahout elephant-care experiences. As part of the UNESCO World Heritage reconstruction plan, new buildings have been limited and old houses and streets received refurbishment to keep Luang Prabang a magical place. The most practical way to explore the city is by bike or on a walk. It’s really that small! On our various tours, selected sights and highlights can be combined on day trips and offer individual experiences with experienced and friendly guides.

For a short note on local weather: dry season lasts generally from October through April and wet season comes from the beginning of May to September. BUT I personally love and recommend the rainy season with its lush tropical green and powerful rain showers – it’s spectacular. Yearly average temperature is around 28°C, but it can fall to 15°C or 10°C during the cold season and even lower in the mountains.

The village ("ban") of Naluang, northern Laos, set amidst a stunning backdrop of karst mountains and lush jungle. Photo courtesy of Tiger Trail

View from Office Window

Well, there’s not much to see but at least we see most of the visitors as they fly into Luang Prabang airport, just about 300 metres from our office. We also have a decent view of a metal shop and a cement work space on the opposite side of the road.

Thanks to Markus for sending this through to us! If you’re interested in experiencing one of their fantastic trips, why not try Trekking in the Jungle or Living as a “Mahout” on an elephant sanctuary. Opportunities also exist for those interested in Volunteering in a Traditional Akha Village or Helping to Build a Clay School for a Small Village in Laos.

“For a long time most of the villagers have made a living from fishing. They have always fished the entire coast of Belize. Even those who don’t take part in the traditional lifestyle still make their income from the sea. With their close relationship to the reefs, Sartenejans quickly notice changes to the reef and fish,” says the narrator on an informative video put out by the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD).

Out with a local fishermen in Sarteneja, Belize. Photo courtesy of Travel Off the Radar

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System is impressive, covering 560 miles from Cancun to Honduras. In Belize, where the reef stretches for a remarkable 186 miles, a company called Blue Ventures has taken a creative and effective approach to conservation.

Beginning in January of 2010, Blue Ventures, already in its eighth year of operation, began a project with the Belizean community of Sarteneja, the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD) and other organizations to understand the impact the local coastal communities have on the nearby reef.

Fishing and marine environments provide a huge source of income and nourishment for nearby residents, and while some are tempted to take extreme conservation measures, SACD clarifies in a video on the Blue Ventures website: “In this community, when people hear the word conservation, they think ‘no fishing.’ That’s not what SACD wants. Conservation can allow fishing to continue, but there are always better ways to do it. There are best practices to ensure the sustainable use of these natural resources.”

Working at the manatee rehabilitation program. Photo courtesy of Travel Off the Radar

For six weeks, volunteers with the Belize project are able to conduct research with Blue Ventures and their partner organization, the SACD. The mission behind the research is to eventually develop a sustainable environmental management plan for the region that not only increases the quality of life for the residents of Sarteneja, but also increases and sustains a healthy level of marine biodiversity.

Depending on schedules, volunteers undergo 7-15 days of their science training program, learning techniques of monitoring and identifying species. If you have not received your PADI certification, courses for PADI Advanced Open Water certification are given within two weeks of arrival.

Sign up for a spot on one of the trips they have coming up in November; more dates are also available in 2012. Blue Ventures also has training and volunteer programs for their research sites in Madagascar. If you aren’t sure which would be the best fit for you, read about each one on their website.

Local craftsmen in Ghana have been trained by Bamboo Bikes Limited to manufacture quality bicycles with bamboo frames. Photo courtesy of the SYTO

Meanwhile, in Kumasi, Ghana, one operation, called Bamboo Bikes Limited, has blossomed from its small-scale experimental beginnings into a large-scale producer of just what SYTO volunteers need: bikes made out of bamboo. SYTO is therefore a proud supporter of Bamboo Bikes Limited and uses this local producer to supply what it needs for volunteers headed places that are all but inaccessible by public transport.

Bamboo Beginnings

Bamboo Bikes Limited came about as part of the Millennium Cities Initiative of Columbia University. First, the Bamboo Bike Project at the Earth Institute of Columbia University assembled a team of engineers to design a prototype and then provided technical training to local people in Ghana. The idea was to create a light, strong, affordable bicycle constructed entirely of local material and able to be assembled using local labour.

At the Bamboo Bikes Limited headquarters in Kumasi, Ghana, four finished bamboo bikes are ready for shipping. Photo courtesy of the SYTO

Now, two years later, Bamboo Bikes Limited is operational and growing. During a two-week training program earlier this year, it began the production of 750 bikes for a test run. Its ultimate goal is to put 20,000 bikes per year on the road, which would go a long way toward meeting the transportation needs of Ghana’s rural communities.

Benefits of Bamboo

Bamboo bikes are beneficial in a number of ways. First, the primary material used is biodegradable, which is easier on the environment than other materials used in building bikes. Second, the bikes are manufactured locally by trained community craftsmen, thereby creating employment for the local people. The bikes are most useful in rural areas, where vehicular transport is not common and roads are poor, especially during the raining seasons.

French volunteer Magali Comte grins as she rolls up to her host family's house on her project site in the Walewale area of Ghaana via bamboo bike. Photo courtesy of the SYTO

Local people find many uses for bamboo bicycles. Students travel to school with them; merchants carry goods to the market; farmers transport agricultural produce to and from their land; and health workers deliver much-needed medical supplies to and from clinics.

Volunteers’ Experiences

At SYTO, foreign volunteers are trying these bamboo-framed bicycles out for themselves, excited by how unique and comfortable they are.

As Doug Switzer, a volunteer from Ireland, observes: “I ride my bamboo bike to work every day and to town to buy stuff I need. I enjoy riding it because it’s smooth and well built. This bike is great. It’s useful to me and my colleagues, who also enjoy it because I see a number of them riding their bikes to work.”

A few volunteers from Canada World Youth/SYTO discuss issues with locals on their bamboo bikes in Paga, Ghana. Photo courtesy of the SYTO

That said, the bamboo bikes still need some mechanical fine-tuning. The pedals, for example, are not the most durable and usually the first part to have problems.

Volunteer Sarina Thiel from Germany points out another kind of complication. “The bikes are good, but the only problem is that they attract unnecessary attention from the community every time I am using it because the bikes are so unique!”

SYTO and Bamboo Bikes Limited look forward to the day when this sustainable form of transport is less of a head-turning novelty item and more of a norm.

If you would like to arrange a volunteer experience or internship in Ghana, get in contact with SYTO Ghana. Also stay tuned for bamboo bike tours through M&J Travel and Tours, the whl.travel local connection in Northern Ghana.

Now imagine if you had a story about actually getting to drive a rickshaw. Yes, today it is possible to get your hands on the steering bar of this ever-popular mode of transport. In which case it’s game over: Your tale wins, hands down.

A good personal rickshaw report is important for two other reasons: First, ‘rickshaw’ is a cool word that’s fun to say. Try it. With conviction this time. Rickshaw. Second, rickshaws come in many varieties and are common transportation in many countries. If you’ve never encountered one, a small part of you hasn’t lived.

Even if you ride one daily, though, there are probably plenty of facts you may not have considered. For instance, the word ‘rickshaw’ is Japanese in origin (jinrickisha means ‘human-powered vehicle’) and refers to two-wheeled carts pulled by a person and often carrying a member of the social elite. Nowadays, the three-wheeled bicycle rickshaw or, more commonly, auto rickshaw has largely replaced the often-outlawed human-powered version. Also, there are many other names by which a rickshaw may be known: tuk-tuk, trishaw, tricycle, bajaj, motortaxi, auto-remorque…

Get ready to tell the best stories about your time as a rickshaw pilot, because we’ve found the top five rickshaws that you are actually allowed to drive.

On a Rickshaw Challenge in India, the first order of business is to decorate your vehicle (and yourselves) and think up a great name for your team. Photo courtesy of Rickshaw Challenge

Rickshaw Challenge in Southern India

Since 2006, the Rickshaw Challenge has been serving up rickshaw driving trips for adventure-seekers in India. The first route was from Chennai to Kanyakumari in southern India, crossing an area of the country somewhat off the trodden tourist trail. Since then, this route has been adapted into the Classic Run, which is one of four routes offered as a Rickshaw Challenge.

Get a group together and start planning an outrageous design for the customisation of the auto rickshaw that you (yes you!) will be driving. There is no limit to the amount of insane creativity and detail that participants put into pimping their rickshaw rides, but matching costumes are certainly recommended. Sign up for the 11-day Classic Run, the nine-day Malabar Rampage, the nine-day Deccan Odyssey or the 14-day Mumbai Xpress. Details about dates and prices are available on the Rickshaw Challenge website.

These two Lanka Challenge contestants are about to embark a raucous 12-day trishaw adventure of a lifetime in Sri Lanka, where their driving and tree-planting skills will be put to the test. Photo courtesy of Large Minority

The Lanka Challenge in Sri Lanka

The wildly successful 2011 Lanka Challenge came to an end earlier this month. Organised by LARGE minority as the first event of its kind in Sri Lanka, this race is as much about teamwork, mastering the trishaw (especially at its eye-watering speeds of 50 kph), dressing up in zany costumes and a race across breathtaking landscapes as it is about giving back and scoring points for the earth. In addition to funds raised for social projects (US$26,000 in 2011), each team faces cultural and ecological challenges along the way, such as planting fruit trees.

Check out the fun facts and amazing memories from 2011 as inspiration to start planning for the 2012. The 12-day ride ride (August 31 to September 11, 2012) is slated to be a bigger deal than ever before.

Cambo Challenge contestants are ready to race to the finish line on their decked-out auto-remorques, the Cambodian version of the motorised rickshaw. Photo courtesy of LARGE Minority

The Cambo Challenge in Southern Cambodia

In Cambodia, an auto rickshaw is called an auto-remorque, a ‘motorcycle-meets-carriage mishmash,’ as described by the people at LARGE minority, the organisation behind the Cambo Challenge adventure trip. What better, awkward, irrational and more absurd way could there be to try your hand at driving an auto-remorque than 11 days and 1,350 kilometres of non-stop rickshaw madness. Keen for a thrill? This year’s event is coming up, from November 6-17, 2011! It’s not too late to join.

As with the other LARGE minority initiatives, the Cambo Challenge is an awesome hybrid of fun and positive-impact travel. In 2011, funds are being raised to support a water-supply pipeline project for the Chambuk Eco-tourism Community. Help them reach their goal of US$20,000.

The Three Tinned Tigers are one of the lucky teams to compete in The Adventurists' famous Rickshaw Run adventures. Photo courtesy of www.facebook.com/MongolRally

The Rickshaw Run in India

From the same people who organise the fantastical Mongol Rally across the ‘stans of Central Asia and the Mototaxi Junket through South America comes perhaps the most well-known three-wheeled adventure out there: the Rickshaw Run in India. The Adventurists have gained such widespread fame and popularity for their extreme transportation trips that landing a spot on a tour takes some doing. They launch three Rickshaw Runs a year, all of which sell out within hours of opening registration.

The Adventurists established the elements of a good drive-your-own-rickshaw adventure as: customised vehicles, ridiculous costumes, big parties and good causes. This fun-loving bunch is also out to save the world. It has a network of charities that each adventure supports and teams that sign up for adventures are asked to raise £500 for their adventure’s Official Charity plus a further £500 for another charity of their choice.

In the highly anticipated Rickshaw Run Southeast Asia, which The Adventurists will be premiering this October 16, there will surely be the usual mix of tattooed tuk-tuks, parties, chaos, confusion, costumes, crises and top-shelf fun. Photo courtesy of www.facebook.com/MongolRally

The Rickshaw Run in Southeast Asia

The Adventurists describe their newest rickshaw tour through Southeast Asia as “the sweatier, junglier cousin of its Indian namesake.” Starting on October 16, 2011, this ambitious journey will take about two weeks to blaze a trail – by auto-rickshaw, of course – from Jakarta, Indonesia, to Bangkok, Thailand.

In this exclusive first expedition of the Southeast Asian Rickshaw Run, only 30 positions were available. They sold out in under a minute! Even though the number of participants who will make it to the finish line is yet to be seen, the next tour is already scheduled for March of next year and is sure to sell out just as quickly.

“Load up quick, bad weather, come very quick!”

These are the last words you ever want to hear when you are a passenger in a tiny 20-seater plane flying into the rainforest. As the engines whirred into life, I wondered for a split second whether or not I’d bought enough supplies to last a trek to the nearest village should the plane crash. Risky or not, the flight into the interior of Sarawak only served to highlight the nature of the trip that was to come – remote and, at this point, reckless.

Ceremonial first tree planting of the project "Picnic with the Penan" in Borneo. Photo courtesy of Picnic with the Penan

Last month I headed out on a tiny plane into the interior of Borneo to spend 10 days with the Penan. The Penan are one of the indigenous peoples of Sarawak and were, until recently, the only people to live a nomadic lifestyle within the rainforest. Today, most Penan have settled in villages where they primarily cultivate the land yet still utilize their hunter-gatherer skills to supplement their diet.

I visited two villages that are part of a project called Picnic with the Penan (PWTP). PWTP is a community tourism project that is run by the Penan, and which helps to fund a tree-planting project in areas that were badly burnt in El Nino fires in 1998. In the summer mass fruiting of 2009, there was a once-in-10-year opportunity to easily collect thousands of seeds to plant – knowing that this was coming, the villages sought outside help to fund a nursery and labor costs.

Penan elder making a blow pipe. Photo courtesy of Picnic with the Penan

They realized that by planting species of Meranti, Kapor and some Shorea species, in the future they would be able to selectively use some of the new trees for building, therefore leaving untouched the rare old-growth forest that still exists further from the villages. This project has gone from strength to strength and many saplings are now ready to plant, but the longevity of the project depends on consistent funding and PWTP is still seeking help to ensure the success in this project.

The PWTP projects are facilitated by volunteers who live outside of the villages and have access to the internet and phones, completing administrative tasks that cannot be done in the villages due their remote location. However, all the money that is spent goes directly to the Penan themselves, meaning that you pay your guide/porter/host directly rather than through a middleman. What is interesting about this initiative is that it is run as a co-operative; there is no hierarchy and all decisions are made in village meetings whereby each villager has an equal voice. This serves to create a sense that the project truly belongs to everyone.

One of the many perks of this particular trip is that it remains off the beaten track. With the PWTP program, it is unlikely that you will cross paths with any other travellers for the duration of your stay. Travellers should keep in mind that tourism is new to this area, so if you are expecting five-star amenities, think again! However, if you can approach this unique experience with an open mind, and are willing to make do with relatively basic conditions, then you will surely find it to be enriching and extremely enlightening.

My plan was to enjoy this trip solo, although I did have some concerns about travelling to this remote place on my own (getting on the aforementioned plane didn’t help). However, as soon as I arrived in the village and was greeted by my guide and porter, I realized that I had nothing to worry about. Even though they spoke only a bit of English, my friendly guides successfully managed to make me forget my initial trepidation about our adventurous 3-day trek to the villages.

The Penan may be quite shy when you first meet them, but based on my experience they will open up after a few hours. Soon they will be proudly showing you around the local forests, demonstrating their incredible span of knowledge. In fact, during one of our hikes, I was shocked to find out that my guide had never walked the route we were taking before – he seemed to know where the trails were even when there was no discernible track to follow!

My guide, Paul, was very eager to show me the medicinal plants used by the Penan and it seemed that they were everywhere – almost every small shrub we walked past had some use. It’s not surprising then that the Penan do not see the forest as a monetary resource so much as their whole life, their larder and their hospital. As such, the forest must be kept intact so that future generations and their culture can survive. In a much wider sense, this need to preserve the world’s rainforests can be extended to all of humanity.

Punting down from the Penan village. Photo courtesy of Picnic with the Penan

In this regard, PWTP has empowered the villages, and increasingly there is a real sense that they can do something about their own destinies. PWTP has provided these two villages with an income, which means that in time, there will be more of an incentive for the younger generation to stay in the villages and maintain the traditional connection the Penan have with the rainforest.

Though they have lived a subsistence lifestyle for so long, money has become a necessity in recent years. Ironically this may be the resource that allows the Penan to maintain their way of life. With the funds from the ‘community fee,’ the villagers can decide together how to improve their lives, whether be by replanting hardwoods in areas of damaged rainforest or creating wet rice paddies to provide a stable food supply.

After many years of hearing disheartening news about the Penan, it is really encouraging to see that this Penan-run project is bringing about positive changes that will, in time, provide the stability needed to continue their traditional way of life for future generations.

Projects in Kenya, Peru, Sri Lanka and Brazil have been announced as the winners of the first travel2change idea challenge. Over 500 members joined the travel2change online community since its launch in late April 2011, and submitted around 60 innovative project proposals. The submitted ideas were evaluated based on creativity, effectiveness, impact, feasibility and sustainability.

The children participating in the travel2change project in Oyugis, Kenya, were shown and then practiced how to wash hands properly with soap in order to prevent the spread of germs and diseases. The children were trained as role models, who will then replicate the idea in the wider community, starting in their own homes. Photo courtesy of travel2Change

The four winning projects were named on July 17, 2011, by a jury of experts and will be realized in the coming months, thanks to the support of the travel partner Kuoni. Each winning project receives financial support as well as the help of volunteer travelers, who will collaborate with the local communities to bring the projects to life.

Travel2change First Challenge Winners

SEP – Soccer, Education and Prevention (Oyugis, Kenya)

In Oyugis, Kenya, travel2change, together with the Society Empowerment Project (SEP), hosted a four-day football event for around 300 children. Along with teaching life skills, teamwork and football skills, volunteer travelers will now train the children in proper hand washing techniques and the importance of basic hygiene. The production of soap from locally sourced materials will also be part of the program.

300 children from all over Kenya participated in the SEP Football Tournament in Oyugis where they learned about life skills, teamwork and the importance of basic hygiene and hand washing with soap. Photo courtesy of travel2change

Getting Kids Pumped for School (Horana, Sri Lanka)

The aim of Getting Kids Pumped for School is to connect a local school to its well so the children have access to running water for drinking and sanitation, which will help improve the children’s health, thus reducing the risk of dengue and other communicable diseases. This will be achieved by installing pumps, water tanks and pipes, as well as expanding the depth of the well. Visiting travelers will contribute to the project by assisting with the installation of pumps and water tanks.

AmazonArt at the Combu Education Centre (Combu Island, Brazil)

AmazonArt aims to employ music and the arts to inspire the children and local community. Its goal is to create awareness and understanding of the importance of protecting the rainforest, river and its local communities. Together with the staff of AmazonArt, travelers will assist with music and art classes and provide English lessons along with a cultural exchange to local children. Travelers will have a chance to improve the infrastructure of the school through basic construction projects and educate the children on the importance of safe drinking water and hygiene.

Travel2change will assist local staff from WAVES for Development in running a number of activities to create life-enriching experiences in the coastal community of Lobitos, Peru. This will be done through education programs that help develop youth into healthy and empowered adults, and of course surfing and swimming lessons. Photo courtesy of travel2Change

WAVES for Development (Lobitos, Peru)

WAVES for Development aims to create life-enriching experiences through education programs to develop healthy and empowered adults. The traveler will join local staff to teach local children water safety, beach management and environmental conservation among other things, and of course, surfing classes. Cultural exchange through activities to increase healthy living and teaching skills for life is another great benefit of the program.

All travelers will provide frequent updates to give all community members the opportunity to monitor the realization of the projects.

Are You Ready to Travel2change?

Travel2change is now offering the chance for you to participate in the Sri Lanka project and the Peru project this fall (September-October 2011). Travelers will play an active part in carrying out the activities to help successfully implement the goals of these projects. To learn more about the Travel2change Join This Trip Contest and to apply, please go to review the contest details here.

Bringing Laos alive for travellers is Tiger Trail, a leading sustainable adventure organisation that, for more than 10 years, has been promoting local development through tourism. Now, through its Fair Trek initiative that supports community-based tourism, Tiger Trail has has added a Clay School Project to its portfolio of projects benefiting local communities.

Kids gather under a stilt house (this style is very common in Lao-Lum and Khmu communities) in a Lao village where a clay schools will be built. Every time the Fair Trek team visits and works in the village, the children always gather nearby to play and watch. Photo courtesy of Fair Trek

Clay School Project

The Clay School Project aims to bring in international volunteers to support the construction of clay-brick schoolhouses. Construction efforts are initially planned in two remote Lao communities where Tiger Trail has a strong presence through a steady flow of international volunteers.

The first school is currently under construction in the village of Naluang, located in the Luang Prabang District of Nam Bak Province in northern Laos. In Naluang village, the sole existing school building is a bamboo hut only large enough for the youths from four to eight years of age. Now, in early July 2011, Fair Trek, along with community members and international volunteers, began construction of a three-classroom structure to accommodate the approximately 100 school-age youths in the area. As of the time of writing, the building’s foundation is complete, as are the adobe bricks needed for the walls. The project is expected to take two to three months.

Fair Trek team member prepared a Lao lesson of the blackboard, while the only teacher from the village was standing in the middle and trying to gather intention from the little kids. Photo courtesy of Fair Trek

The second clay-brick structure is planned for the village of Honglerk, in Khua District, Phongsali Province. Construction is scheduled to begin in November 2011.

Promoting Ecological Sustainability

For thousands of years, clay, mud and adobe have been used for the construction of buildings, particularly in parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. However, this practice is less common in Laos.

Although the use of sun-dried bricks made of clay soil, sand, hay and water is a novelty in Laos, for Fair Trek, the benefits of using these materials are four-fold. First, the construction materials are all natural. Second, the building will be climate-appropriate for this tropical, humid and hot region. Clay walls help to control humidity and keep heat and sound outside, resulting in a cool, quiet and comfortable learning environment. Third, the materials will be locally sourced as much as possible, and the project will rely on volunteer support, keeping construction and labour costs to a minimum. Fourth, local villagers – leaders, men, women, children and volunteers – can be involved in clay construction because there is no need for intensive training or skilled labour.

A Fair Trek team member (grey top) joined an adobe workshop at Baan Rangnok in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The seven-day workshop taught how to build a small adobe building, of around 15m2, including every step of adobe construction, from making mud bricks to painting. Photo courtesy of Fair Trek

Because of the non-traditional materials used for building the schools, obtaining government approval for construction has presented challenges, which have been turned into opportunities to promote environmental building practices. Winna Boonkham, Responsible Tourism Manager at Tiger Trail, who has participated in an earthen building workshop in Thailand for this project, interfaced with government officials. “I had to draw all benefits for them to see, including financial, environmental, social, educational benefits,” she explained.

Approvals having successfully been received, Boonkham looks forward to using Tiger Trail staff experience and training in mud building to promote a new sustainable form of construction. Local community members will naturally learn the clay building methods as part of the project: “So in the future, they may not even need us or anyone to help them build something – a library for example!” says Boonkham. At least the school “can be the model for the next mud school in Laos.”

A front view of the proposed clay-brick school, which will contain three classrooms, each with one door and four windows. The footings, foundation, columns and roof support will be concrete, but the walls will be filled with sundried-mud bricks (adobe). Standard roof tiles will be applied with wooden supports. Courtesy of Fair Trek

Broad and Beneficial Community Participation

Villagers’ participation and support of the project is central to its success. As a vital first step to realising this project, Fair Trek worked with the communities and their leaders to set up village funds, which are financial accounts created to support community initiatives. Community members then identified their most pressing needs, and with each Tiger Trail tour to the community, some of the tours proceeds are added into the account. From this first step, Fair Trek created a shared commitment with the villagers to achieve their main goal: improving educational opportunities for youth.

While the village fund will be a key source of financing for the project, another essential contribution will be the volunteer construction labour, primarily from villagers sacrificing some working hours in the field. But construction can be shared by all community hands; for example, when the men are working in the fields, the women and children can participate in the mud construction. Villagers will also provide accommodation and food for volunteers who come from abroad to help build.

A meeting between the Fair Trek team and Naluang villagers in Laos was held to introduce and demonstrate adobe construction. The result was that the villagers were interested and happy to learn and support whatever they can for the construction of this mud school. Photo courtesy of Fair Trek

The community has necessarily been at the heart of project planning too. “Since the start, they had to agree about what we are building and when, what they will have to do, what we will have to do, such as managing the space for the activities. This project will make the village so busy and full of people for the time… and they accepted that,” Boonkham said.

The Clay School Project provides a win-win experience for both the villages and volunteer travellers. More than 50 volunteers from the United Kingdom are expected to participate in the school construction in the village of Naluang to the benefit of both the communities and the volunteers: Communities receive fundraising support and extra labour power in building improved educational facilities, while volunteers receive a unique and meaningful travel experience through the opportunity to be part of the locals’ traditional rural lives and lend a hand in a community development project.

The school land and chief of Naluang village, Laos. The land is right in front of the community, and has been intended for a school for many years. The chief was proud and happy that finally the children soon will have a new school. Photo courtesy of Fair Trek

Promoting Local Culture in Laos

The clay school project is just one of the many ways Tiger Trail brings Laos’ unique culture to international visitors and supports destinations through community-based tourism.

Other include volunteering in a northern minority Akha village, participation in hospitality promotion and lodge construction projects; promotion of fair trek tourism in Luang Prabang; and support for the protection and care of endangered animals, including elephants in Luang Prabang or tigers in Phou Loi Nam Et.

Thinking of going to Laos? Contact Teamworkz, the whl.travel local connection in Luang Prabang and throughout Laos, for tours, accommodation and a load of the kinds of hints you could only get from a local.