Tiger Tales

More than a Good Trip

Sara Schonhardt discovers the joy of volunteer tours which let travellers give back

Wherever a man turns, he can find someone who needs him,” said Nobel Peace Prize philosopher Albert Schweitzer.

In the 20th century he named that thought the “reverence for life” philosophy, but today, it could serve as the slogan for a trend that has taken in celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and former US president Jimmy Carter.

Jolie’s work with UNICEF and the impact of the 2004 tsunami have made volunteering a force in Asia, giving rise to a new form of travel based on altruism. Hundreds of companies now specialise in “meaningful” tourism, which creates customised volunteer tours or connects people with charity organisations that are benefiting local communities, helping them realise their volunteer options and move beyond standard sightseeing.

“Volunteering during a holiday serves a dual purpose,” explains Maryann Bylander, a board member of Pepy, a non-profit organisation that combines adventure travel with hands-on volunteer projects. “By integrating standard tourist activities with volunteer or charity activities, many people can fulfill their travel goals while giving something back to the country and people they meet.”

Pepy tries to offer educational tours so that people feel they are getting something out of their experience. In addition, the communities in which they volunteer also benefit.

“We try to make sure that whatever we give is supporting something sustainable, and ideally helping people change how they travel,” says executive director Daniela Papi.

Making Money, Changing Lives

One of the longest-running meaningful tour companies is i-to-i, which has sent more than 20,000 people to work on volunteer projects in 34 countries since opening in 1994.

According to Alexia Nestora, director of i-to-i’s North American division, the idea was to provide a more fulfilling travel experience by bringing travellers closer to local communities, an idea that appealed to the growing number of people who were bored with holidays that involved merely sitting around the pool sipping fruity cocktails.

As volunteer tourism expanded, the types of volunteer companies became more varied. They now include charities, non-profits and “ethical” businesses that give back to the communities through volunteer support and donations.

i-to-i is an example of a for-profit company that also has a charity arm. “The money paid by participants does not go into the project due to issues of dependence, but we do give money into the economy and we have a foundation that gives resources to the projects,” explains Nestora, who highlights that i-to-i recently bought an incubation unit for the panda conservation project in China.

Community Building

Organisations are also developing programmes which are run on a non-profit basis and are working with tour companies to bring in volunteers.

Voluntourists Without Borders based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for instance, is helping to create a nature trail network that will be owned and operated by rural and ethnic minority villagers, built with a combination of hands-on volunteer labour and donations, and aided by corporate sponsorship and the tourism industry.

The objective is to create an eco-tourism industry that will serve as a model for private sector community development and a recognised research centre for sustainable tourism, says founder Shane K Beary, who advocates keeping such projects in the hands of the villagers.

“Tour companies are an effective channel in helping projects secure the hands-on help and donor-funding assistance the voluntourist provides,” says Beary. “But the tour company should be responsible for ensuring that the projects are well managed, genuinely meeting the community’s long-term needs and have a viable role for voluntourists.”

Living and working with a community is a way to experience cultural exchange. But it takes mutual respect to break down the barriers and establish a relationship. According to Kelly May, director of Andaman Discoveries, a company focused on small-scale, community-led projects such as mangrove conservation, handicraft co-operatives, and teaching English to local kids, volunteers should check to see that villagers receive fair wages, projects don’t do things the authorities should be doing, and that locals are involved in the process.

“Our projects are done by the community for the community,” says May. “AD acts as a bridge for those communities wanting volunteers and people wanting to help out. Without access to telephones and the internet, villages with a real need for assistance rely on groups like Andaman Discoveries to fill the gap, and help volunteers and villagers meet and interact.”

Making a Difference

Countries such as India and Vietnam are now at the top of many travellers’ lists and those who visit often are eager to give. However, they don’t always know where to go to ensure that their money is going to the right place or to feel like they are making a positive impact, Papi says. That’s where groups like Andaman Discoveries come in.

“Sometimes, spending time with the villagers, for instance, to help them get used to being around Westerners, can be more useful than building a school,” explains May.

Often, volunteer tours open the doors to further volunteer travel. Many people who have participated in a tour continue to donate to the organisation and spread the word about its efforts. Many people also go on to do volunteer work in their home countries.

“My experience motivated me to learn more about orphanage care in China,” says Brianne Lewis, a biochemistry student at Queen’s University in Canada. Through i-to-i, Lewis spent a summer volunteering at the Xi’an Children’s Welfare Institute in China. When she returned to university in autumn, she signed up for a Mandarin class, and later volunteered at Beijing Normal University and did research on orphanages.

“I wanted to help care for the babies and alleviate the workload for the regular caretakers,” Lewis says. “The experience changed me forever. I had always wanted to pursue medicine, but now I will plan on returning to China in a medical capacity, perhaps as part of a medical mission.”

Pick Wisely

Lewis’s story is one of many happy ones. But not all volunteer travel experiences are so rosy.

In a recent report by the BBC, volunteer charity Voluntary Service Overseas warned that “voluntourism often cost students thousands of pounds and did nothing to help developing countries”. An article in the London Times described efforts by Tourism Concern, a development charity, to enforce a quality-mark scheme that will expose companies offering dubious charity work.

According to Beary and others, volunteer tours should cater to the communities they are working to benefit, not the needs of participants. Companies that do, particularly at the grassroots level, should include pre-trip information to manage expectations and cultural sensitivity.

So be wary, but don’t shy away. With a bit of investigation and education, one can find a whole range of ethical, responsible and inexpensive volunteer travel opportunities. Just take the advice of another great philosopher, Dr Seuss: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

For ideas on maximising your voluntourism trips, pick up Volunteer: A Traveller’s Guide To Making A Difference Around The World by Lonely Planet, available at select bookstores for SGD34 (excl GST).

 

SAVE THE WORLD – TAKE YOUR PICK

There are many worthy projects in this region that you can travel to and become a volunteer:

■ China Shaanxi reserves near Xi’an introduces volunteers to panda conservation. www.i-to-i.com

■ India The Ladakh Farm Project allows volunteers to spend a month or longer working on a traditional farm during the summer harvest. www.isec. org.uk/pages/ladakh.html The Centre for Coordination of Voluntary Works and Research (CECOWOR) in India offers projects in that include self-help groups for women and health education. www.cecowor.org

■ Vietnam Hanoi-based Buffalo Tours offers a 16-day trip to a residential treatment centre for children and veterans affected by Agent Orange. Volunteers can assist an organic gardening project or join in activities such as embroidery classes, assisting with meal preparations and teaching English classes. www.buffalotours.com KOTO equips street kids with skills that allow them to find jobs through a restaurant training programme. www.koto.com.au/koto_hanoi.asp

■ Thailand Voluntourists Without Borders’ projects include, nature trail development, dam installation, eco-camp development, agro-forestry as well as biodiversity restoration. www.voluntourists-without-borders.com

TIGER AIRWAYS FLIES BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND INDIA (CHENNAI, KOCHI), CHINA (GUANGZHOU, XIAMEN, HAIKOU, SHENZHEN, MACAU), VIETNAM (HANOI AND HO CHI MINH CITY) AND THAILAND (CHIANG MAI, BANGKOK, KRABI, PHUKET).

FOR MORE DETAILS, GO TO www.TIGERAIRWAYS.COM

DOS AND DON’TS

from Maryann Bylander of non-profit org, Pepy

■ Do educate yourself about the country or region you’ll be visiting and learn basic phrases, greetings and customs.

■ Don’t assume your presence will be automatically wanted or needed.

■ Do respect cultural differences.

Groups like Andaman Discoveries have successfully created situations, such as soap-making or roof-weaving, that do not require language but offer opportunities for alternative communication.

■ Do learn all you can about the non-profit organisations (NGOs) or volunteer sites that you’ll be supporting.

■ Do ensure that you know how your fund-raised money is being used.

■ Don’t use organisations that exploit the spectacle of poverty.

■ Don’t try and change the way things are done. Examine why things are done a certain way before suggesting possible improvements for consideration.

Going Eco in Thailand

Kerrie Hall unearths the many eco-tourism treats in the Andaman Triangle, Thailand

World awareness of green issues has fuelled rapid growth in eco-tourism, making “responsible tourism” the new buzzword. Eco celebrities like Leonardo Di Caprio – producer of The 11th Hour – promote global ecological enlightenment and the need for individual and community connections. The fastest-growing market sector is the responsible tourist who’s keen to protect healthy environments and learn about local cultures while on holiday.

THAILAND’S “ANDAMAN TRIANGLE” Khao Lak, Krabi and Phuket make up a hotspot of developing eco-tourism and sustainable community tourism with villagers keen to share traditional lifestyles. Lush natural surrounds and pristine escapes means the region is overflowing in natural adventures and cultural experiences.

Khao Lak Renowned for emerald jungles, white sandy beaches and world-class reefs, the Khao Lak region (one hour north of Phuket) is a paradise for diving, rafting, elephant-trekking and wildlife-spotting.

Phang Nga Tourist Association organises trips and excursions around the natural wonders of Phang Nga province and nearby islands. Explore ancient mangroves by canoe, trek to waterfalls, or camp and dive in marine national parks at remote Similan and Surin Islands.

Andaman Discoveries, formerly a tsunami community programme, is a co-operative of locals now trained in sustainable tourism. Join the villagers for an educational jungle hike; learn to cook; make soap or batik; weave a roof; go fishing the traditional way; or roast cashews or harvest fruit. Programmes are also available for single female travellers, families and educational groups.

Phang Nga Tourist Association, tel: +66 (0)76 443443, www.khaolak-phangnga.com Andaman Discoveries, tel: +66 (0)87 917 7165, www.andamandiscoveries.com

Krabi Eco adventures abound in Krabi province. Andaman Camp and Cruise delights in showing off their natural playground. Sail to remote islands on a longtail boat, snorkel in secret bays, camp out under the stars or stay with a Muslim family, help milk the goats and harvest rubber crops.

Specialists of local history and ecology, Sea Land and Trek offer one-day self-kayak tours in coastal forests and sea caves. Naturalist guides share knowledge of wildlife, flora, mysterious cave paintings and even a mermaid. Be prepared to catch your own lunch for a seafood beach barbecue.

At 740sq km, Khao Sok National Park – an hour north of Krabi – is an eco-tourist’s dream. Soaring mountain peaks beg to be climbed and the guides from Paddle Asia are experts in this tropical terrain. Whether a two-hour climb or a two-day trek, the journey is just as fun. The team also specialises in mountain biking, bird-watching and paddling the islands of Trang.

Andaman Camp and Cruise, tel: +66 (0)87 885 1125, www.andamancampandcruise.com Sea Land and Trek Co, tel: +66 (0)75 637364, www.sealandandtrek.com Paddle Asia, tel: +66 (0)76 240952, www.paddleasia.com

Phuket Off the east coast of Phuket lies spectacular Phang Nga Bay with over a hundred islands to explore. A pioneer of sea canoeing in southern Thailand, John Gray has educated the world in eco-tourism for over two decades.

John Gray Sea Canoes explore the bay with an educative and entertaining programme led by eco-guides passionate in natural history. “Hong by Starlight” is a tour not to be missed – it features afternoon kayaking, bird-watching, kratong-making, night-paddling in the surreal beauty of sea caves and meditations in starlit hongs.

Midway across the bay, between Phuket and Krabi, the large islands of Koh Yao are inhabited by only a few thousand villagers who live in harmony with nature in a centuries-old culture. Koh Yao Noi Eco-tourism Club invites visitors to experience the beauty of the islands and local lifestyle. Homestays with local families can be arranged, allowing a peek into communities sustained by the sea.

John Gray Sea Canoes, tel: +66 (0)76 254505, www.johngray-seacanoe.com Koh Yao Noi Ecotourism Club, tel: +66 (0)76 597409, www.koh-yao-noi-eco-tourism-club.com

TIGER AIRWAYS FLIES DAILY BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND PHUKET, AND SINGAPORE AND KRABI. TO GET TO KHAO LAK, FLY TIGER AIRWAYS TO PHUKET OR KRABI AND TAKE A TAXI FROM THERE. BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS AT www.TIGERAIRWAYS.COM