Community Activism Travel by Art Aids Art

While the demand for socially conscious tourism is growing, existing programs don’t take full advantage of experiences before, during and afterward. Art Aids Art’s sustainable tourism model – Community Activism Travel – is unique in engaging travelers and their home communities from the moment a trip is planned, transforming an individual’s excursion into a shared experience benefiting a network of active learners.

Meet our traveler, Ella. Instead of traveling solo to South Africa, Ella takes her community “with her.” Before departure, Ella reads her assigned learning materials. She shares insights, solicits questions and receives input from her Travel Team, a supportive group of friends, family and local school children (recruited with Art Aids Art’s help).

Once she departs, Ella stays in touch through video blog entries, creating a “virtual travel” experience for the Travel Team. Ella takes part in education and small business projects at Home in the ‘Hood, a thriving community center, working side by side with residents of Khayelitsha, and gaining a deep understanding of their entrepreneurial efforts to alleviate poverty. Returning home, she now acts as a Global Advocate.