Our Projects

First G Adventures travellers visit Native Grill

April 4, 2019 Planeterra Indigenous People, Meals, News + Blog, Our Projects

“NAVAJO SOUL FOOD”

It’s hard to miss the flags and signs of the Native Grill, a family-owned business along Route 89, nestled on Navajo Nation’s western side. It’s lunchtime on a Tuesday and the food truck, with the caption “Navajo Soul Food,” is busy with customers wanting to taste the authentic Navajo cuisine of frybread taco, dumpling stew and grilled local lamb. The kitchen is busy, as the family’s grandmother cooks frybreads for the pending G Adventures group of 12 who are about to arrive.

Her daughter Alfreida, who’s from the area, started the family food truck in 2013 by attending the Tuba City Fair, and operated in that town until a Burger King opened and forced them out some time later. Undeterred, Alfreida and her family carried on.

“There were days where we made no sales, but we stuck it out,” says Alfreida. “I’d be up prepping at 4:30 in the morning, but as time went along I figured things out.” Eventually, she gained her business license in 2016 and set up just south of the town of Cameron.

This area of Navajo Nation is in particular need of entrepreneurs like Alfreida, as it was under the Bennett Freeze between 1966 and 2009, which outlawed any infrastructure development. This meant houses couldn’t be built, water and gas lines couldn’t be laid, and roads couldn’t be mended, to name just a few of the ways the area’s development was stifled. Still today, it’s estimated that almost 60% of houses in the area do not have electricity, and the majority do not have potable water.

Improvements To The Native Grill

Planeterra partnered with Indigenous business incubator DineHozho, who have helped oversee a grant earmarked for improvements to the Native Grill. Today’s visitors are enjoying new picnic tables, a hand-washing station, and a brand new shade structure which will be especially handy during the hot desert summers. Native Grill’s operations have also been assisted by upgrades to their solar and generator systems.

As the group of G Adventures travellers arrive, they line up at the window to confirm their order for Navajo Tacos, and decide which toppings they’d like on their frybread, as three generations of Alfreida’s family work together in unison in the kitchen.

It may be these four running the Native Grill this afternoon, but to them, the entire community is considered family, and they assist as many people as they can.

“We do what we can at a local level to help the elderly, and during Christmas and Thanksgiving we do turkey baskets and deliver it to people that live off the main road like 15-20 miles away, all the way at the base of the mountain,” explains Alfreida.

With more income from regular G Adventures groups (somewhere between 15-24 customers will be visiting twice a week during the summer months), Native Grill will be able to assist the community even more, not to mention grow the business. Although the food is delicious and the group enjoys their meal under the shade, the highlight of the afternoon is the family coming out to introduce themselves to the travellers, who eagerly ask questions in an effort to learn more about what it’s like to live on Navajo Nation. In the end, this is so much more of a meal stop – it’s an opportunity to learn about the resilience and entrepreneurship of the Diné (more commonly known as the Navajo) and how travellers should make an effort to stop at the small businesses that dot the roadsides if they’d like to learn more and give back to this community.

Beit Khayrat Souf is Changing Lives

January 30, 2019 Rhea Simms Meals, News + Blog, Our Projects, Women

COOKING CLASS IN JERASH, JORDAN

Tucked in the hills of Jerash, Jordan is a place called Beit Khayrat Souf. Inside this old home is a cafe run completely by women. The cafe was opened three years ago by a local women’s association aiming to empower women in the community with livelihood opportunities. The cafe serves up delicious Jordanian food and provides cooking classes to travellers. G Adventures travellers on the National Geographic Journey through Jordan get to enjoy a cooking class at Beit Khayrat Souf as of 2019, supporting more employment opportunities for women.

More than a cafe, Beith Khayrat Souf was built on the belief that women have the right to be equal in society. Jameel, a founding member of the association, says “Every woman should have this confidence to go out and start working, and to share the workplace equally with men.” She continues, “It’s wrong to think that a woman should stay at home, because it’s not just about them, it’s about their children too. In order to build a better future for the next generation, we need women to be successful. Half our community is women, without them, the future will not be good.”

The cafe employs 10 women, but they engage women who are unable to work outside the home with pickling and jamming activities as well. Jameel plays a key role in training other women. “In the last few years I have gone out to women around Jordan to show them how I make the pickles and teach them about the project. I have trained many women. In Souf alone there are 11 women making pickles from home everyday.” Jameel is proud that her trainings allow women to earn an income, but even more, it is changing their lives.

As the cafe and cooking class continues to grow, Jameel hopes to see more women engaged in the project and benefitting from the livelihood opportunities it brings. “It’s not just about this place,” says Jameel, recognizing the economic benefit that this cafe has on local farmers, drivers, and other community members connected to their enterprise.

Reflecting on her time at the cafe, Jameel say “lots of good things happened after joining Beit Khayrat Souf. I am a better, stronger person. Before this, I was not confident enough to go teach others. Now I have different contacts even outside of Jordan. This has made me a more confident person.” Jameel sees herself as “an ambassador for Jordan”. She wants to show travellers a positive side of their culture, and especially to change the perception that travellers have about women in the Middle East. “I see many women whose lives are totally changed. We’re happy to see women participate by smiling as they start working to create a better life,” says Jameel.

Besma, who was sitting across the table, is a perfect example of the impact that this project is having on the community. “Before Beit Khayrat Souf I never went outside my home,” Besma reveals. “I would have never sat at a table with a man, talking, like I am now. These women have changed my life.”

Jameel concludes, “Before Beith Khayrat Souf this village was not known for anything. Today the local women manage this successful enterprise that is known internationally. We did this by ourselves.”

Planeterra and G Adventures proudly support Beit Khayrat Souf by sending more travellers to their cafe.

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Chandni Yadav’s Inspirational Story

December 19, 2018 Planeterra News + Blog, Our Projects, Transport, Women

WOMEN ON WHEELS

Planeterra asked Women on Wheels what our partnership meant to them, and how tourism was impacting the lives of the women that they work with. They felt that individual stories best showcased the impact of how the women they work with are changing the lives of their families, and becoming strong role models in their communities. Here is the story of one of the Women on Wheels drivers, Chandni Yadav:

The Career Change

“I have always wanted to continue with my studies. I have never thought that I would have to leave my studies but when I reached to the age of adolescence, I realized my family situations does not allow me to continue my studies further. I have 3 brothers but there was no financial support from them and my parents were struggling financially. I had to leave my studies and started working in a hotel. I have never liked the job in the hotel. One day I learnt from a neighbour about Azad Foundation and its “Women on Wheels” programme. I discussed about joining the programme with my parents, but they asked me:

‘Why do you want to leave your current job which is a big financial support to family for a 6 months training of WOW?’

But I decided to become a driver, which had cause many issues. Once I started the training, I faced difficulties at home, my parents used to scold me and they were pressuring me to do a job and earn. But I persisted and finished Women on Wheels training.

Today, I feel very happy that I have become independent and since joining Sakha as a cab driver I feel proud of myself. Earlier, I wished to be a driver but never had had the confidence to pursue such profession. Today, I am a driver and I feel very confident. I can go alone anywhere, which I could not do before. Now, I am supporting my family and I even have helped my father financially to build a home in our village. I have repaid the loan of my brother’s marriage. Today, I am supporting my parents by all means I can and I am independent to make my own decision.

In our community, people are happy to see me as a driver and everyone tells my parents that I am better than my brothers. I always used to resist my desires and never used to say anything to anyone. I never used to do anything for myself but now I have started doing things as per my wish. In future I want to buy a scooty for myself, soon I will do this. I am so very thankful to Azad and Sakha for changing my life for better.”

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Virtual Tour of magdas HOTEL

October 25, 2018 Planeterra Accommodation, News + Blog, Our Projects, Stories from the Field

HOTEL THAT EMPOWERS MIGRANTS, REFUGEES AND NEWCOMERS

Take a virtual tour of magdas HOTEL, a social enterprise hotel in Vienna, Austria that empowers migrants, refugees, and newcomers to the country through their training and employment program. At one time, this eclectic hotel was an elderly residence, but with crowdfunding and a grant from a local non-profit, Caritas, the building has been transformed into an accommodation well worth visiting.

magdas is the first social business hotel in Austria, and employs 10 professionals in tourism, who work alongside 10 refugees. This job-shadowing and mentorship between refugees and professionals in the industry an important part of the program, alongside initiatives like language lessons and other services. The idea here is that refugees will later be hired by other hotels in tourist-heavy Vienna, allowing a steady stream of refugees to learn hospitality skills at magdas.

Along with an internationally-themed breakfast buffet (serving things like baba ganoush and other dishes from the refugees’ home countries), magdas has been entirely decorated with up-cycled, donated, or recycled materials. Old doors have become mirrors, repurposed lockers have become serving bays for the buffet breakfast. Rooms were decorated thanks to the Academy of Arts, which resides next-door, and other sustainable initiatives such as a honey-making business that keeps beehives on the rooftop are displayed in the hotel’s lobby.

Click the video below to enjoy the full virtual tour, and see for yourself!

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From the Field: Dream Kitchen in Bali

June 26, 2018 Planeterra Meals, Stories from the Field

Yayasan Bhakti Senang Hati or “Senang Hati” is a foundation run by local people in Ubud, Indonesia who are living with long-term disabilities. On an island prospering from tourism, it is di cult to nd work if you have accessibility challenges. Senang Hati wanted to create a dream restaurant, a place where all people could comfortably work, learn, and host international travellers.

With Planeterra’s support, we worked with Senang Hati to bring their “Dream Restaurant Project” to life. This project received a grant of over $25,000 CAD to help members (most living with long-term disabilities) build human capital, renovate, and improve the accessibility of the restaurant facilities, and increase the number of locals employed through the Senang Hati Foundation. With Planeterra’s support, 10 people are now fully employed as restaurant sta with 20 students studying and training in hospitality. Students are also provided room and board through Senang Hati.

Since our partnership began, Senang Hati has seen an increase of 80% in their customer base through G Adventures travellers visiting the restaurant, and a 30% increase in other tourism programs such as their local tricycle tours, the Happy Hearts tour, and additional income coming from the sales of local arts products and souvenirs produced by additional members.

This article was written by Planeterra’s South East Asia field manager, Panot Pakongsup.

Read more about the impact of Planeterra’s programs through our 2017 Impact Report!

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Celebrating Women’s Day in Zimbabwe

March 7, 2018 Planeterra Events, Meals, Our Projects, Women

When Zimbabwe experienced the world’s worst case of inflation in 2008, many of the country’s inhabitants struggled to meet the basic needs of their families. However, there is a growing movement to form cooperatives to create thriving businesses. Despite a traditional gender disparity, many Zimbabwean women are forming cooperative groups to provide services like tailoring, catering, and animal husbandry. These groups are taking matters into their own hands – creating income for their families and communities while empowering other women to build and launch their own businesses.

One such cooperative is the Lusumpuko Project (Lusumpuko means “progress” in Tonga), which was formed by 20 women from the Chinotimba township on the outskirts of Victoria Falls who found themselves without the means to support their families.

“If everyone had something to do or had an income at the end of the day, then people would be able to take their children to school, they’d be able to get healthcare, they would be able to get shelter over their heads,” explains Merlyn Mpofu, the Secretary of the group.

Taking a turn most cooperatives do not, Lusumpuko decided to partner with Planeterra, in order to harness the tourism industry and launch a catering business for visiting foreigners.

Planeterra has been working with this group since July 2017, with the help of Evie Ndhlovu, who has been assisting the ladies on behalf of Planeterra with training in hospitality, marketing, and more. Lusumpuko is one of 13 Planeterra partners who directly benefit women’s empowerment, and the newest project to launch in 2018. The Lusumpuko Project, originally a chicken-rearing endeavour, has expanded to a catering business – with G Adventures travellers to Victoria Falls as their main customer base and Planeterra providing a kick-starter grant to get their business off the ground.

“If tourism grows, the opportunity of employment will grow, too,” noticed Linda Makarutse, the President of Lusumpuko. “The problem now is some of our age group and youth, they are not educated enough to get a job in the tourism industry. There is a need for hospitality training classes, and opportunities for women and youth here in Victoria Falls.”

Despite the gap in ability for many in Victoria Falls to benefit from the tourism industry, both Merlyn and Linda, along with the rest of the Lusumpuko members, believe they can have a hand in helping the next generation.

“We’re feeling very positive for the future,” says Merlyn. “Also, looking forward to, as we grow, maybe also changing the community, teaching others, helping others invest in their own thing and maybe our Lusumpuko company also having a sister company.” To this, Linda nodded her approval: “It’s our dream to help more women in our community,” she concluded.

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Planeterra’s gifts with purpose

December 13, 2017 Planeterra Handicrafts, Our Projects

Need some last-minute holiday gift ideas? Planeterra partners have got you covered!

It’s holiday season, and what better way to celebrate than with meaningful gifts that give back? Many of our Planeterra partners host online stores, where you can buy locally-made merchandise that supports women, youth, and disadvantaged communities all over the world.

Still looking for a last-minute holiday gift idea? We’ve got you covered:

Penduka

One of our newest partnerships, Penduka is a women-owned and run business that employs local women that are living with disabilities, or have suffered from illnesses such as HIV.

Support this enterprise by buying some of their beautiful textiles, jewellery, and more:

http://www.penduka.com/en/for-you/webshop/

UbuntuMade

Located just outside of Nairobi, Kenya, are our partners at Café Ubuntu, part of the businesses of UbuntuMade, a socially-conscious social enterprise that provides support to women and children living with disabilities.

Many of UbuntuMade’s products are sold in the United States, and their online store hosts tons of great buys, including tote bags, traditional beaded bracelets, and even something for our four-legged friends!

https://www.ubuntumade.com/collections/all

Nyamirambo Women's Centre

The Nyamirambo Women’s Centre in Kigali, Rwanda not only hosts travellers for tours and lunches, employing women in the tourism sector, but also hosts community classes for literacy, computer skills, and handicraft making.

Support the women of Nyamirambo by shopping clothing, bags, and other crafts at their online store:

http://www.nwc-umutima.org/products.html

Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre

The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, located in Whistler, Canada is home to a training program that empowers indigenous youth to conduct tours of the centre’s museum and grounds. The space is a celebration of the two indigenous communities of the region, and teaches local and international visitors about the region’s history.

Choose from clothing and other items depicting traditional indigenous art, handicrafts and music on their online store.

https://shop.slcc.ca/

Salaam Baalak Trust

Planeterra is working with Salaam Baalak Trust, an organization that provides safe housing, counselling, education, and support to over 5,000 children in New Delhi, as well as managing five safe homes across the city.

You can shop their online store and support their efforts through the purchase of tea, calendars and t-shirts.

http://www.salaambaalaktrust.com/shop.html

We’re excited to bring Sthree, our holiday campaign partner, into our social enterprise fold next year. We hope you’ll see some of their handicraft products soon!

Until then, you can support our campaign to launch their craft shop and cafe here.

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Updates from Colombia

November 8, 2017 Rhea Simms Communities, Indigenous People, Tours

Planeterra has been working with Wiwa Tours in Colombia to set up a social enterprises owned and operated by the Wiwa community of Gotsezhy along the Lost City Trek. A series of enterprises along the trek have opened up new income generation opportunities for the community, including a training kitchen, meal and handicraft experiences. In the last months before launching the experience for G Adventures’ travellers, the community members are putting final touches on the experience. This project works to provide income opportunities for 100 community members. An investment from Planeterra and Live Out There, along with the support of G Adventures, has created a unique new opportunity for the Gotsezhy community to thrive in tourism. Check out some of the latest photos of their progress:

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The impact of tourism in Panauti, Nepal

October 11, 2017 Planeterra Accommodation, Communities, Women

Although it’s hard not to enjoy staying in a beautiful, luxurious hotel while travelling, the reality is that most budget hotels—and some mid-range ones, too—simply end up being a place to rest your head. For travellers who want much more from their accommodation, the Community Homestay project in Nepal offers just that. As well as providing guests an opportunity to experience authentic Nepali life, get to know small-town locals and participate in non-touristy activities, there is a serious social benefit to the host communities.

The Community Homestay project, run by Kathmandu-based Royal Mountain Travel, has been operating their flagship collection of homestays in Panauti since 2013. The Panauti Community Homestay project has recently partnered with Planeterra as one of the new projects for the 50 in 5 Campaign. Initially, 13 homes were involved. Now, 26 beds in 17 homes are open to visitors in Panauti.

The aim of the homestays from the beginning was to help empower the women of the community, in the understanding that by strengthening women, whole communities are strengthened. In traditional Nepali society—which still dominates everywhere but the most privileged enclaves of the major cities—women are typically dependent on men, first their fathers and then their husbands. They are usually under- or uneducated, too, so don’t get many opportunities to earn their own money or contribute to the household in any way other than with their household chores. The Community Homestays aimed to change all that in their communities.

The good news is, they’ve been really successful, especially in Panauti, where they began. Panauti is not completely rural but not urban, either. It’s a small town about forty kilometres from Kathmandu, traditionally inhabited by Newari people, an ethnic group largely found in and around the Kathmandu Valley. The town is surrounded by rice fields and hills, which are bright green just after the monsoon, and the architecture in the centre of the town is typically Newari, with ornately carved wooden doorways and windows. The main historical attraction of the town is the Indreshwar Temple, a tall pagoda structure beside the river that is the oldest temple in Nepal, dating from 1294. A sightseeing tour around Panauti with the host family is sure to interest travellers with various tastes.

The women of Panauti have been able to generate extra income for their households through hosting guests, and have some control over their own money. They have joined English classes so they can communicate better with their guests, which have given them greater confidence and social skills. They have worked together and made new friends and colleagues, and are no longer as house-bound as they once were. As one homestay host, Sabita KC, commented: “As I am, now, able to help with the household expenses, we can save money for the future of our children. I am glad that I am part of the homestay project.”

Operating the homestays has also had community-wide effects, beyond just the households directly involved. In order to be able to host guests, homes must meet a good standard of hygiene in all respects, including food preparation and waste disposal. As the hosting women became better educated about safe practices, the whole town caught on. As tourists to Nepal tend to enjoy clean, green natural environments free of garbage, the hosts became better aware of keeping their town in good shape. While Nepal isn’t short of stunning natural landscapes, unfortunately many settlements tend to be litter-strewn, with poor water quality in the rivers and ponds. But, as Panauti host Parvati Sainju commented: “We are more aware of sanitation and hygiene now. The entire community is more concerned about moving away from plastics and non-decaying products.”

The community has benefited in monetary ways, too. The thirty-four homestay women contribute 20% of their total income towards the development of community. So far, these funds have been put towards scholarships for underprivileged students. This sharing of some of the profits is a requirement of inclusion in the programme, and ensures that the ‘community’ aspect of Community Homestay stays strong.

These days, around 1800 guests stay at the Panauti Community Homestay annually. With such tangible achievements evident from just its first four years of operation, there are high hopes for what the project could continue to do for Panauti, as well as for other communities around Nepal.

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Author: Elen Turner is a freelance travel writer and editor based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Find her at www.elenturner.com

Royal Mountain Travel is connecting a network of homestays in Nepal through CommunityHomestay.com. Be sure to check out some of the other amazing homestays they have supported, including Planeterra’s partners at Barauli Community Homestay. G Adventures’ Local Living Nepal tour brings you to Panauti village to spend four nights with your community hosts!

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The Ripple Effects of Tourism at Parwa in Peru

September 28, 2017 Planeterra Communities, Meals, Stories from the Field

At Planeterra Foundation, we believe that the economic empowerment of one small business can uplift an entire community. We’ve seen it time and time again since we began assisting individuals, families and businesses to join the tourism supply chain. By empowering a business and helping it to thrive, an entire community can be transformed.

There is perhaps no better example of what we call “the ripple effect” than the community-owned Parwa Restaurant in the Sacred Valley of Peru. Since it opened in March of 2014, profits from the restaurant have been distributed to various initiatives which have benefitted the community as a whole, and often the neediest groups.

Not surprisingly, the community association decided early in its first year to invest in the youth of the village, through a scholarship program and building of an internet-connected computer center.

The elderly in the community have also seen the ripple effect caused by the restaurant’s creation, as a social security program was created for their benefit. Income in 2016 went towards installation of water tanks in 45 families’ homes, to ensure all residents in the village have access to running water.

Those running the restaurant have also not forgotten to invest back into their own business. New restrooms, kitchen upgrades, and an organic garden to grow vegetables for the restaurant (that acts as an educational component on local foods including quinoa and indigenous potatoes for visitors) were all completed in 2016.

The success of the Parwa Restaurant is a testament not only to the infrastructure investment and capacity building contributed by Planeterra Foundation and its partners, but to the commitment of the whole community to improve their families’ lives. This true social enterprise has lifted an entire community up, and we will continue to watch as their ripple effect continues to reach those most in need.

FROM THE FIELD

Joel Callañaupa is Planeterra’s Field Manager in South America. He works closely with indigenous communities in Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia. He has specialized in community tourism since 2007 when he began his career with Peru’s national rural community tourism development program.

Help Planeterra continue to harness the travel industry for good

Read Planeterra’s 2016 Annual Report

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