Travel

ON THE ROAD TO BEAUTIFUL HUMANITY

One of the best and most beautiful aspects of travel is that it enables us to connect with a more diverse range of humanity. Today, we are featuring some exciting travel opportunities that promise to not only expand our own lives and consciousness, but it enables us to make a positive impact on people and communities that could greatly benefit from our hearts, minds, souls, and energies.

TRIBEWANTED

TribeWanted, founded by Ben Keene, is a group of eco-pioneers dedicated to building sustainable communities in remote regions of the world. It aims to benefit locals and the visiting “tribe” equally.

TribeWanted’s priority is to build an initial network of 10 model communities that demonstrate, educate and inspire sustainability. Their goal is to recruit 10,000 ‘tribe-members’ through a crowd-funding co-operative known as a Community Interest Company.

There are currently two tribal “villages” being put into place alongside, and in partnership with, local villagers in John Obey Beach in Sierra Leone and on Vorovoro Island, Fiji.

In addition to physical structures, the goal is to build partnerships with communities and share skills as well. In Sierra Leone, in partnership with Shine On Sierra Leone, TribeWanted has sponsored six local schools and computer centers, as well as provided micro-finance loans to over 7,000 women across that country.

Visiting tribe members make a commitment for a minimum of a week (maximum can be many months–the project runs 8 months out of the year with downtime during the rainy season). You’ll be living in huts or earth domes that you help to construct. You’ll be working with solar energy systems, earth-pack dwellings, bucket showers, compost toilets, kitchen facilities, and permaculture gardens.

"Tribewanted could revolutionize tourism."

-- The Sunday Times

HOLIDAYS FOR HUMANITY

Holidays for Humanity is an international travel agency focused on purpose. It designs and hosts trips that offer deep meaning for travellers on a personal level, helping them to both explore their own humanity, as well as to lend support to a wide range of initiatives on both cultural and philanthropic levels. Their aim is to be responsible culturally, socially, and environmentally.

One upcoming fascinating trip to Altamura, Puglia, Italy, focuses on preserving the unique culture of the region. You can be part of the first group ever to work on preserving the untouched, gorgeous, Byzantine era frescoes and restoring the site to its former glory. Travellers there will also help to support the local shepherding tradition.

Holidays for Humanity has also partnered with Project Somos on a trip to Guatemala, where travellers will help to help build a children’s center for orphaned and abandoned children. Travel on this trip is throughout the year, as the construction is ongoing, so you’ll have to give them a call to set your travel dates.

If you need to get in touch with your own humanity, take a health-and-wellness-centric trip to India. Or try your hand at sailing and archaeology in and around Greek islands, surrounded by the stunning and shimmering blue Mediterranean.

You can give back to humanity at least as much as you take away.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL

We’ve all heard about the opportunities for helping to build and rebuild homes for Americans suffering hard times through Habitat for Humanity. But they also have a large number of international trips available for those who want to go abroad and still help out. Past trips have included El Salvador, Lesotho, Ghana, and Mongolia.

Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity involves building homes from scratch, so you can see the benefit of your work being established right before your eyes. It's a great feeling to help others and contribute to humanity -- and it feels even better when you get to travel to do it!

Upcoming trips include journey’s to Ethiopia, Mongolia, China, and Vietnam, but there’s a huge breadth of options for wherever you’re looking to go. Habitat homes are incredibly important for those that need them, and its easy to travel to these places, help out, and then continue there with a vacation if you so choose.

In Latin America, the International Volunteer Travel partners with Habitat for Humanity, to support construction of houses for poor and homeless people in a variety of regions.