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Making an Impact: What Guests Leave Behind

“Just to travel is rather boring, but to travel with a purpose is educational and exciting.” – Sargent Shriver

A holiday can be a transformative experience. The desire for this may be the driving force behind more travelers seeking to leave a tangible, positive impact behind them.

When we organize journeys for our travellers, we have the privilege of witnessing the life-changing effects that thoughtful giving can have on local communities and conservation efforts. And how, equally, leaving something behind can add incomparable meaning and value to our guests’ holidays.

Ubuntu: “I am because we are”

Impactful Itineraries

As part of our commitment to positive impact travel, we offer our guests the opportunity to include meaningful, giving-centered additions to their itineraries. We believe this is a crucial step for guests who want to have a long-lasting, positive influence while traveling.

On request, we can include visits to projects that most resonate with our guests’ interests, enabling them to see, firsthand, the needs of local communities, wildlife and conservation efforts and how they can make a difference.

These experiences come in different forms, from visiting non-profit organizations, to contributing to food security community development projects or partnering with game ranger crews to tag endangered wildlife. One guest even bought a washing machine and jerseys for a primary school, making a massive difference in the daily lives of under-resourced children.

Real Examples of What Guests Left Behind

Many guests are surprised by how much they have in common with people they meet while travelling.

The similarities guests begin to perceive between themselves and the humans they encounter are profound, often generating a strong sense of connection and empathy. Compassion and a strong desire to help usually follow.

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Bringing water to an entire village

Building a bond with the lodge staff and learning about the challenges faced by the nearby village without access to running water, these guests were deeply moved. Upon returning home, they took action, raising funds to support the village’s crucial need. Their act of kindness resulted in a significant donation of $32,000 to the community of Newington, South Africa, enabling them to gain access to clean and fresh water shortly after the guests’ initial visit to Africa.

 

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Supporting a local school

An American couple who fell in love with Africa in December 2020, wanted to put together the most epic celebration trip for their joint 40th birthdays. They brought along 13 other couples and started their celebration in the Masaai Mara and ended with an island escape to Seychelles. While they were in the Mara, they had the privilege to visit one the local schools and left a generous USD$10,000 donation for the school.

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Adopting an orphaned elephant

Yet another guest adopted an elephant orphan in Kenya, which not only supports the conservation of the animal but also contributes to the local community’s sustainability.

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Investing in a Local Community
One family visited Feed the Khaltsha and Sibongile Day & Night Care Centre in Khayelitsha, in Cape Town, South Africa, and assisted in painting the creche, leaving a generous donation to both organisations. At their request, the family’s USD 2 000 contribution was split between the daycare centre and expanding Feed the Khaltsha’s existing garden also donates some of their fresh produce to help feed the centre’s children with cerebral palsy and other severe disabilities.
Customised Impact

Our team is a group of connectors who continuously nurture relationships with agencies, communities and individuals who have an on-the-ground perspective and experience of various communities’ needs. We also work with non-profit organisations that work to link communities up with donors or philanthropists who want to make a difference.

This is essential towards ensuring that our guests’ contributions make it to the pockets of those with a proven track record when it comes to managing donations well and the efficacy of their work. Whether it’s purchasing new boots for game rangers or providing fresh water supplies to villagers, our guests can leave a positive impact that will last long after their luxury vacation. Let us make a lasting impact together.

Reach out to your travel manager to start talking about which impact experience is right for your next trip to Africa.


In this article
  • Introduction
  • Impactful Itineraries
  • Real Examples of What Guests Left Behind
  • Customised Impact

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