Restaurante El Manglar

Restaurante El Manglar

October 10, 2023 Selene Orellana Meals, Partners

Restaurante El Manglar

Cayo Quemado, Río Dulce, Izabal, Guatemala

Impact

Restaurante El Manglar was founded by the Cayo Quemado Women’s Committee with the primary goal of creating new employment and training opportunities for the community.

One remarkable aspect of this Committee is its diversity, encompassing women from various age groups, bridging both older and younger generations. This highlights how the restaurant serves as a unifying force for women in Cayo Quemado, with a clear commitment to nurturing future generations.

Today, an increasing number of travelers to Río Dulce and Livingston include Cayo Quemado in their itineraries. This serves as a powerful testament to empowered women actively fostering economic sustainability within their community, and they are enthusiastic about passing down their knowledge to younger generations.

15
women directly impacted
100
people indirectly impacted
.

Critical Need

Keeping families together is crucial for all the hardworking women at Restaurante el Manglar. Historically, the community of Cayo Quemado faced a challenge as many residents were compelled to seek livelihoods elsewhere, resulting in family separations. Fishing used to be the primary means of earning a living here, but circumstances changed in 2004 when the government introduced new laws, including a fishing ban, which caused economic hardships. Consequently, they needed to explore new income-generating alternatives, such as engaging in tourism.

Our Involvement

With the support of Planeterra, a grant was provided to equip the kitchen and restaurant, enlarge the bathrooms, and improve the uniforms and signage.

Women and youth share the local culture by offering a “Caribbean Gastronomic Experience” with a workshop on a local dish called “Ceviche al Coco,” which is ceviche marinated with coconut milk. At the same time, travelers learn more about the amazing work that the committee is doing in Cayo Quemado. New connections to the market are crucial for the sustainability of the business and its ripple effects.

Planeterra provides ongoing training and support to the team on experience development and business administration to promote the development of a newly profitable enterprise.

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Zoológico Mágico

Asociación de Mujeres Artesanas Zoológico Mágico

March 22, 2023 Selene Orellana Handicrafts, Partners, Women

Asociación de Mujeres Artesanas Zoológico Mágico

San Martin de Tilcajete, Oaxaca, Mexico

Impact

This newly formed cooperative was founded by 13 women who aspire to foster growth and generate employment opportunities for women and youth through art. Their primary objective is to preserve the Zapotec culture and the cherished artisanal process of creating alebrijes, a local cultural heritage.

Their workshop is a haven of fantasy and art, where they breathe life into various animal creatures they can imagine. Each piece is meticulously crafted with their own hands, skillfully combining vibrant colors that enhance the beauty of the wood.

 

18
people directly impacted

 

108
women indirectly benefitting
Zoológico Mágico
.

Critical Need

San Martín Tilcajete is a town located in Oaxaca famous for the woodwork created by local artisans. The main piece of Art in the wood workshops is the famous Alebrijes, which are wooden figures that represent different animals of the Zapoteca culture and some of their legends, there are approximately 150 alebrijes artisans.

The alebrijes are a big part of the Oaxacan culture and preservation from generation to generation is very important. Nowadays a lot of different people around Mexico create copies of the original alebrijes and they are sold everywhere, the artisans in San Martin are having a hard time generating enough income and the value of their art has gone down according to the market prices.

Our Involvement

Planeterra has been working together with the women of the Zoologico Mágico association to find out what are the most pressing needs to be able to host travellers. They needed a bathroom for visitors, as well as to finalize the process of registering their business. Now they are fully registered and have brand-new bathrooms.

Through this partnership, we also connected Asociación de Mujeres Artesanas Zoológico Mágico to travellers who are now able to experience the Zapoteca culture and the making of alebrijes. This additional revenue will increase their income so they are able to grow as a community.

Aso

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D’danau Homestay

March 22, 2023 Selene Orellana Partners

D'danau Homestay

Kota Belud Sabah, Malaysia

Impact

D’danau is a beautiful homestay located in Kota Belud Sabah, Malaysia, an ideal place to get away from the hustle and bustle of big cities. The local community provides accommodation, cooking classes, a natural fish spa, a water bath tube, forest trekking and mountain climbing. Visitors can also learn about the lives of the Borneo people, and enjoy the cool climate and peaceful atmosphere. D’danau’s mission is to promote their culture and way of life, protect the environment and enhance their livelihood.

D’danau’ homestay provides job opportunities for locals engaging in providing the experiences to travellers for hiking, water tubing, cooking classes and other activities. The income generated from tourism allows the community to collect fees that are invested in the nature conservation and development of the village. 

30
Community members directly impacted
150
community members indirectly benefiting
.

Critical Need

D’danau Homestay started operating in September 2018 with limited prior experience in hosting foreign guests. Their establishment boasts an exquisite and unspoiled natural environment, which they aim to share with a wider audience, including both domestic and international visitors. They are in need to connect with the wider travel market not only to showcase the beauty of their surroundings but also to enhance their livelihoods by offering unique tourism experiences.

Our Involvement

Planeterra helped D’danau Homestay to enhance the quality of their services and experiences to cater to both domestic and international travellers Moreover, by collaborating with our corporate travel partners, we can guarantee a steady influx of visitors to D’danau Homestay, thereby contributing to the local community’s economic growth through sustained tourism revenue.

Through this collaboration, D’danau Homestay hopes to further improve the living conditions and job opportunities of the local people and also, to learn from different cultures by creating meaningful encounters with travellers. 

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Oodles of Noodles

November 6, 2020 Planeterra Partners

Oodles of Noodles

Hoi An, Vietnam

Impact

Planeterra connected the Oodles of Noodles class with one of our travel industry partners, G Adventures. This steady base of visitors allows STREETS to ensure they can provide tuition, safe housing, health care and social inclusion to current and future students of STREETS. 

Students enrolled in the STREETS program are taught everything there is to know about working and running a restaurant and graduate with top International Culinary Arts Certificates. Many have gone on to work at large five-star hotels in Da Nang and neighbouring cities. 

32
youth impacted
+250
youth trained to date
Oodles of Noodles

Critical Need

There are an estimated 20,000 children living on the streets across Vietnam. And unfortunately, the divide between the rich and poor, ethnic minority and majority, and the urban and rural populations of Vietnam appear to be growing. This problem is intensified by the lack of strong and effective child protection systems, professional social workers, and adequate programming and services for vulnerable children.

Our Involvement

Planeterra Foundation partnered with STREETS International (an extensive hospitality-training program that works with at-risk youth in Vietnam) to develop an exclusive Oodles of Noodles Tour and to expand their training kitchen. This tour acts as a curriculum module for the youth to practice their English language and presentation skills — two key qualities that are a necessity for success in the hospitality industry. Students lead a noodle-making class with travellers and teach them about the twenty-six different types of noodles available in Hoi An, Vietnam.

Oodles of Noodles

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Panauti Community Homestay

September 9, 2020 Rhea Simms Partners

Panauti Community Homestay

Panauti, Nepal

Impact

The homestay is an opportunity for the local women of Panauti to take on a higher responsibility in the community. It has given them confidence as they portray their capabilities to each guest that visits the town. Through this program, women are learning English and speaking confidently with guests. Solar panels have been installed and community sanitation has improved. Women engaged in the homestay are earning a living for themselves and able to contribute to household expenses, as they become leaders in the community. Twenty percent of income from all bookings are placed in a fund that goes towards community projects, including scholarships and sanitation training. Today there are 20 women working as homestay hosts and welcoming travellers into their homes.

86
Locals Directly benefiting
430
Community members indirectly benefitting

Critical Need

Located just outside of Kathmandu and historic sites, Panauti had been long dismissed as a tourist destination. Many youth and adults choose to leave the community for education and work as employment opportunities within the community are few. Tourism was identified as a way to bring new opportunities for women and youth, and generate income for community development in Panauti. With a UNESCO heritage site and rich culture, the community was identified to have large tourism potential by Planeterra’s local partners, Royal Mountain Travel and the Community Homestay Network.

Our Involvement

Planeterra’s corporate partner, G Adventures, provides a steady stream of travellers to the Panauti Community Homestay, including a Local Living Tour, which brings travellers to Panauti for four nights to truly experience community life. This connection to the tourism value chain boosts their business and allows the community to invest back in what matters most to them. Planeterra also provides ongoing support to the women in Panauti to help the homestay thrive.

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Art Creation Foundation

September 4, 2020 Planeterra

Art Creation Foundation

Jacmel, Haiti

Impact

Art Creation Foundation for Children (ACFFC) is a grassroots project that introduces extremely underprivileged Haitian children to the world of art. ACFFC provides more than 100 students three meals each day, provides tuition for their schooling, uniforms, supplies, and introduces artisan skills to these children who would not have the opportunity and access to them otherwise. 

6
youth programs offered
100
students benefitting

Critical Need

Haiti is currently the poorest country in the western hemisphere and ranks among one of the poorest countries in the world with the highest rate of HIV outside of sub-Saharan Africa. Extreme poverty has also led to severe deforestation and to worsening poverty in a vicious cycle that has driven many people from the countryside into the major cities. The influx of people puts pressure on the most vulnerable areas and leads to increased crime and hunger. Children growing up in this environment have few options for development and can easily be taken advantage of or exploited.

Our Involvement

Planeterra provided ACFFC a grant to help establish a shop on the main boardwalk area in Jacmel, run by youth graduates of the program, in order to bring in more income to support ACFFC. 

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Amba Chutney Cooperative

September 4, 2020 Planeterra Partners

Amba Chutney Cooperative

Bandarawela, Sri Lanka

Impact

As the first community co-operative working with Amba Estate, the chutney entrepreneurs put a portion of their sales on each bottle of chutney sold into a Community Development Fund (Rs. 10 per bottle).  In the first year, they sold more than $2000 of chutney and supplemented their income by 20%. This fund is used to kick start the next community enterprise in the valley. This model can be used for years to come as tourism continues to grow in Sri Lanka. It’s intended that 20 more local women can be trained through the savings of the fund in the coming years. Income from the partnership will be invested in children’s education, nutrition and housing improvements, creating a better future for community members in the region.

6
women employed
150
community members benefitting

Critical Need

Livelihood opportunities in the valley of Bandarawela, Sri Lanka are limited for low-income community members. Many rely on agricultural work, especially in the tea plantations, which can be arduous with little financial gain. Amba Estate came to the area with the purpose of promoting economic growth through their organic tea plantation, paying fair wages, sharing their profits with their workers, and creating opportunities for growth. Having established its place in the travel market, Amba is now ready to support community cooperatives as a means of better spreading the income of tourism throughout the valley.

Our Involvement

Planeterra worked alongside Amba Estate to support the initial investment for the first community-led micro-enterprise working in partnership with Amba. Planeterra’s catalyst grant covered the equipment, training and setup costs for a group of six women to formally become a chutney co-operative. Once produced, the chutney is sold back to Amba Estate for travellers to consume and purchase. Travellers have the opportunity to eat the delicious chutneys, meet the women and see how it’s made. The “Six Stars” Chutney Cooperative is made up of women who are employed as tea pluckers with Amba Estate, and are nearing the age of retirement. All tea pluckers in Sri Lanka are required to retire at the age of 55. For this reason it is important that they begin to build up their savings and diversify their skills to continue earning after their tea plucking years are over.

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Tamarind Gardens

September 4, 2020 Planeterra Partners

Tamarind Gardens Farm

Digana, Sri Lanka

Impact

Tamarind Gardens provides the community with training and employment opportunities in hospitality. The dairy cows and garden provide vital nutrition to households and an income source for the social enterprise, women in the community have formed a sewing cooperative as an additional source of income, and others have been employed doing various tasks for the farm and guesthouse. Tamarind Gardens has been working on a project to supply community members with water tanks to capture rainwater and store water during the dry season. The new garden project increases access to nutritional food, as well as increasing the supply of local food that can accommodate the influx of travellers. This 10 acre farm provides a necessary space for community development projects that move the village towards a sustainable future.

Through the Community Development Fund, tourism has directly supported environmental projects, new entrepreneurs and improvements to the tourism experience.

29
people employed
500
community members benefitting

Critical Need

Digana is a small community located outside of Kandy, Sri Lanka. The main source of income for community members here is dolomite mining. The techniques for this industry have proven unsustainable for the environment, and bad for the health of miners. With a very strict, traditional culture, there remains limited opportunities for women in leadership and productive activities for youth to pursue post-graduation. Many youth leave Digana after completing school to pursue vocational training elsewhere. Furthermore, due to the ongoing dry season, Digana annually faces the issue of water shortage which causes significant barriers for the community.

Our Involvement

Planeterra provided a small grant to Tamarind Gardens Farm to kick start a community garden project called FAITH (Food Always In The Home). A garden area was prepared, crops purchased and livestock obtained to start a food bank for rotational agriculture.

Households in the community take turns taking seeds, crops and livestock from the food bank, returning stock back once their crops have increased and livestock reproduced. This program increases household nutrition and access to food for community members with limited income.

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Sthree

September 4, 2020 Planeterra Partners

Sthree Craft Shop and Café

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Impact

Sthree Craft Shop and Café provides a platform for women to gain financial stability. This partnership increased cash flow for the social enterprise by over 400% in the first year alone, allowing them to expand their network of artisans supported through the shop. The tourism program provides increased livelihood opportunities for women and at-risk youth, while also acting as a base funding for the Women’s Development Centre’s shelter for abused women. Differently-abled youth are trained as servers for the program, while women are trained as chefs. The cafe business established by Planeterra became profitable in the first year it was established. 5% of the profits are allocated to support running costs for WDC’s shelter for women.

200
people earning an income
1,000
community members indirectly benefitting
Sthree Craft Shop and Café - Planeterra

Critical Need

The Women’s Development Centre (WDC) in Kandy, Sri Lanka has been working to create equal opportunities for women since 1986. This registered nonprofit organization runs programs to combat violence against women and empower them as equal members of society, with one of their programs, Sthree, being a handicraft shop for women entrepreneurs. Sthree was established in 2007 as a handicraft shop with the support of the World University Service of Canada. Sthree’s aim is to create opportunities for economically and socially marginalized producers. Since its establishment, Sthree has struggled to make the business a source of sustainable income for their programs and the entrepreneurs they serve.

Our Involvement

With the support of Planeterra, a catalyst grant was provided to WDC to revamp the craft shop and outfit a working kitchen in the space. A dining area was established to host travellers, creating a steady stream of income and customers at the Sthree Craft Shop and Café.

Women and youth serve up breakfast, lunch and high tea to travellers, as they learn more about the amazing work that the WDC does across Sri Lanka. Planeterra provided support to the team on experience development and business administration to support the development of a newly profitable enterprise.

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Barauli Community Homestay

September 4, 2020 Rhea Simms Partners

Barauli Community Homestay

Chitwan, Nepal

Impact

The homestay project is completely run by Tharu women, providing diversified income opportunities in the region. Several different activities and livelihoods have been built out of this homestay program, such as serving personnel and cooks, cooking class hosts, and local guides. New homestays have opened up in the region to meet the increasing demand for travellers to have authentic community experiences while in Chitwan. 

The community saves a portion of all tourism profits to be reinvested into community development including environmental projects, scholarships for students and improving the tourism experience.

26
community members earning an income
430
Community members indirectly benefitting

Critical Need

Barauli, home to the Tharu people, is a small Indigenous community near the Chitwan National Park in Nepal. The park is a popular tourism attraction that is well known for its wildlife but less known for the cultural value that it has to offer travellers.

Due to its distance from the typical tourism hotspots in the park, the Tharu residents have never been able to access the economic benefits of tourism. Limited opportunities for community members have led to engagement in illegal activities like poaching and deforestation in the park as a means of income diversification.

Our Involvement

The community homestay program was developed by Royal Mountain Travel, our ground partner, to connect travellers coming for the park’s wildlife with the rich culture of the Tharu people. The village started with 14 individual cottages that are part of the homestay program, plus a community dining hall. In 2015, Nepal was hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Planeterra worked with G Adventures to immediately respond to this earthquake and launched a campaign that would raise over $200,000 CAD for long-term redevelopment of the tourism industry in Nepal. These funds helped rebuild the homes of over 150 porters, local guides, resource poor women in the tourism industry’s homes, and the remaining helped purchase seven solar panels and hot water tanks to provide electricity and hot water to the community for the first time.

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Canada Not-for-Profit Corporation Number: 793488-2, US 501 (c)(3) public charity, EIN 83-1619668