Discussion about entry: Smaller World Tours with Sustainable Harvest International
This is discussion about Smaller World Tours with Sustainable Harvest International.
This is discussion about Smaller World Tours with Sustainable Harvest International.
Comments
Hi Dana,
Great to hear from you! I believe we met last year at the DC Green Festival when I first learned about Changemakers. Always exciting to meet other Mainers who share my passion for sustainable development!
All of our staff in Central America (we work in rural communities in Honduras, Belize, Nicaragua and Panama, but I was only able to list one country for a location on the application) are local Central Americans. We have 48 local staff in total at the moment and a small staff of 8 here in the US working on educational outreach, development and administrative support. As an organization we are deeply committed to spending every cent we can to support the ongoing efforts of our local staff and core programs in Central America. I believe that the real success behind our programs is a result of our dedicated local field trainers who possess an intimate understanding of the local geography, customs and circumstances of the participant families, which allows them to work together effectively. Stressing long-term technical assistance over short-term relief, our local field trainers visit each family to provide on-site, hands-on training at least twice a month for approximately five years.
I'll definitely check out MBAs Without Boarders. We have worked with a number of Engineers Without Boarders groups and I welcome the opportunity to work with other organizations like this.
Thank YOU for your wonderful work with Ashoka's Changemakers and the opportunity to take part in the Geotourism Challenge. It continues to be a great way to connect with other groups and organizations.
Best regards,
Sarah
Thank you for the great feedback and kind words! I'm very glad to hear that you enjoyed the video! We haven't done very much work with travel agencies, but that is a great idea to reach out to a new audience.
All the best,
Sarah
www.sustainableharvest.org
Firstly, I want to show my appreciation to the work that you have done for the farmers. Also, the pictures and the video are great tools to provide a quick glimpse of what the organization does. The entry is also detailed with vivid details, so I like the entry and I hope that you would win.
However, I am curious about what kinds of companies you are trying to attract or to work with specifically in order to spread out your message? Can you give us a few examples? I believe that might give you a chance that the companies would contact you if they know that you want their assistance. Also, where would you expand specifically in Central America? Are you going to implement the same or different ideas and methods to the new areas then? Last but not least, how do you market the organization or get your name out as the number of volunteers and tours maintain high?
The YouTube video was an excellent addition to the entry; it helps those reading the entry imagine what it would be like to be on one of your tours. Additionally, the YouTube video helps to visually illustrate exactly what it is that your organization does. Lastly, the video reinforces how unique an experience is that you offer and, furthermore, highlights the enjoyment of those that participate.
The overall entry is very strong. I especially found the examples of the unique tourist experience to be well presented. In regards to diversifying the travelers that you work with, I feel working with travel agents could help. Although travel agencies are declining, your tours offer an additional opportunity for people to speak on the behalf of your cause. In addition, those that use travel agents come from a different generation than those you currently work with (student groups) and since the older generation has spent a much greater amount of time traveling than the younger generation, the older generation is looking for a unique experience.
This sustainable tourism effort is very well established. I imagine it progressively advancing in the near future and perhaps, in the long-term it will expand to other areas around the world. As more and more travelers choose to bypass luxury vacations for a once in a lifetime experience that benefits those less fortunate than themselves, experiences such as this will flourish. In addition, I found the significant amount of money being contributed back to the community to be an especially important about your tours. This program truly addresses sustainable tourism on so many different levels allowing for travelers to learn while helping a community thrive and continue prosper in the future.
Hello Sarah,
I am excited by the work that you're doing and the extent to which you're involving the locals and providing a quality cultural experience for travelers. How many staff do you have? What percentage of your staff are locals from Honduras?
I encourage you to check out MBA's Without Borders - I think they could be of great help to your organization's business plan.
I was born and raised in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine and was excited to read that you're from a small town in Maine too!
Keep up the great work!
Dana Frasz
Ashoka's Changemakers
SHI works with Cotton Tree Lodge in several capacities in Belize, and we are always impressed with their competency and the effectiveness of their programs. They oversee an organic demonstration garden on our property which hosts workshops for local farmers. Their Smaller World Belize Groups stay with us. One of their local extensionists offers tours of his organic cacao farm to our guests. And recently they've started offering one-day volunteer opportunities to our regular guests.
They are an amazing organization, who seems to have found the perfect formula of providing committed assistance to area farmers without creating a dependency. (As they say, if you teach a man to fish...). The volunteers who come through our lodge with SHI's Smaller World Tours are clearly having an amazing, genuine experience that really does have a positive impact on local communities.
Every program/tour that SHI undertakes aims to support local farmers, restore the tropical forests of Central America, or create meaningful interactions between volunteers and indigenous people. They are an obvious choice for a geotourism award!
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Holly
I went on an SHI volunteer Smaller World Tour in 2006. It was inspiring to see first hand the impact the organization has on the quality of life of the people it helps. Farmers who were barely able to feed their families learn the skills needed to not only grow healthier and more diverse food for themselves and their families, but the also grow enough to sell to others. All the techniques learned are natural and sustainable and thereby they help keep their habitats and our planet from being destroyed.
SHI truly is a great organization.