Japan Hagi Elder Homestay

Japan Hagi Elder Homestay

September 4, 2020 Rhea Simms

Hagi Elder Homestay

Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan

Impact

The primary positive social impact of this collaboration is the increase in happiness and sense of purpose for Hagi’s ageing residents. Secondly, these tourism activities  create income for the Hagi Ageing Homestay Association, as well as the promotion of local businesses and projects in Hagi City. The goal of the Association is to generate new economic opportunities within their hometown which are attractive to the next generation, leading to a decrease in rural population decline.

28
community members benefitting

Critical Need

Japan is experiencing a changing demographic landscape, with birth rates decreasing and a growing ageing population. This creates socio-economic as well as social issues within the country – and especially in rural areas. Most young people and the new generation are moving away from rural areas to the city for work, not seeing any career opportunities in farming communities. Unfortunately, this means that most of the ageing society is left alone in their hometown. Not only does this have a negative effect on the morale of the elderly in Japan, it has also created concern about future growth for the country’s economy. The Hagi Homestay, where travellers stay with local farmers and elderly hosts, seeks to create purpose and an income for the ageing population of Hagi City.

Our Involvement

Planeterra worked closely with Higashi Furusato Tourism Suishin Kyogikaithe (Hagi Green Hometown Tourism Association) to provide training to the homestay hosts to better work with English speaking travellers. Training focused on improving the ability of the hosts to interact meaningfully with guests, despite the language barrier, so that hosts can get more out of the experience socially.

One of Planeterra’s corporate partners, group travel company G Adventures, began bringing travellers to the Hagi Homestay in 2019, where they get a glimpse into everyday life for Japanese farmers, and experience their rich culture.

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Shandia Lodge

September 4, 2020 Rhea Simms Stories from the Field

Shandia Lodge

Tena, Ecuador

Impact

Through our partnership, the community has seen increased revenue, allowing them to invest in  social, economic and environmental impacts locally. The tourism enterprise has created new jobs, as well as positive visibility for the community. The Shandia community continues to use tourism as a tool to protect and preserve natural and cultural resources, and to express, share, develop, and pursue their traditions.

16
community members benefitting
96
community members indirectly benefitting

Critical Need

The village of Shandia is located in the rainforest of eastern Ecuador. It is inhabited mostly by Indigenous people of the Kichwa nationality and was formerly an evangelical missionary centre, the village currently consists of 120  families. The community owns Shandia Lodge, which was developed with the purpose to generate employment opportunities, increasing collective self-esteem, and generating security, leadership, and management skills among the members of the community. However, the community enterprise was in need of customers to reach its full potential and to achieve financial success. 

The community enterprise had significant barriers accessing the international market, and when they did gain access, they risked losing their unique traditions and cultures. The environment and wildlife needed to be protected with sustainable plans managed and led by locals. Further, women in the area face barriers accessing formal job opportunities, and youth have limited access to jobs and education often migrating to the big cities.

Our Involvement

Planeterra, in partnership with the local non-profit EcoCiencia, worked with the Shandia community to identify opportunities in tourism. Together, we developed new culturally immersive experiences, including a cycling tour and a community experience led by youth.

Planeterra’s grant supported new equipment as well as training programs for local guides. The enterprise is seen by the community as a way to rescue their Indigenous culture and provide opportunities for the future. Travellers have the opportunity to meet local people and learn about traditional agricultural practices and learn how to make chocolate.

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Favela Experience

September 4, 2020 Planeterra Partners

Favela Experience

Vidigal, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Impact

Planeterra’s partnership with Favela Experience, is helping to increase revenue flow into the community by supporting and promoting local businesses and projects. In some cases, nearly 60-80% of the budget of the local micro-enterprises are composed of the earnings they make from tourism. This sustainable income allows them to focus on the important work they are doing for the community. Investments into local infrastructure have provided local partners with the necessary tools and resources to improve the overall quality of their projects, develop sustainable new revenue streams and receive tourists in a professional manner, ultimately increasing their social, economic and environmental impact while generating additional jobs and positive visibility for the community. 

161
community members benefitting
5
micro-enterprises benefitting

Critical Need

In the city of Rio de Janeiro, close to 3 million people – around 30% of the population – live in favelas (shanty-towns). There are over 1,000 of them ranging from newer or more challenged communities with slum-like conditions, to highly-functioning, vibrant neighbourhoods.  All those living in favelas live in informal conditions; 95% of favela homes are built of brick and concrete. Residents put decades-worth of income and physical labour into the construction and 30% of them are not connected to a formal sanitation system.

Throughout the past several decades the challenges in the favelas have increased due to severe government corruption, inter-gang warfare, drug-trafficking and militias. As a result, residents of favelas are often discriminated against for living in these communities and often experience inequality and exploitation. This stigma results in difficulty finding job opportunities, and youth often find themselves involved in criminal activities due to this lack of opportunity.  In recent years, favela culture has gained popularity in the tourism industry, which is starting to offer a major source of socio-economic development opportunities for local people. 

That being said not all tours are created equal and many large organizations, hotel chains, and agencies still use guides from outside the communities and pay local services poorly in order to guarantee large profit margins, resulting in further exploitation. Meanwhile, local favela guides, businesses, and social projects struggle to compete with large non-favela organizations and lack the technical knowledge and budgets to create high-quality marketing strategies.

Our Involvement

With support from Planeterra, Favela Experience has developed a new social enterprise tour in Vidigal, benefitting five micro-enterprise and community organizations. Planeterra funded the construction, development of facilities and helped purchase equipment for the microenterprises. Training and incubation are being conducted by our partners, Favela Inc. This experience is created by and led by the local people of Vidigal, not only allowing them to earn an income from the tours, but also as a way to own and empower members of their community. 

One of Planeterra’s tourism industry partners, G Adventures, will bring travellers to experience the community by meeting local people and participating in different activities such as capoeira (Brazilian martial art) sessions, visiting an old dump turned innovative community agro-forest, tasting the local Vidigal artisanal beer and purchase unique handicrafts, all supporting members of this community. 

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Jukil Community Lodge

September 4, 2020 Planeterra Partners

Jukil Community Lodge

Santiago de Agencha, Bolivia

Impact

Before their partnership with Planeterra, Jukil Community Lodge had been closed for five years due to a lack of customers and had fallen into disrepair. The lodge sees a monthly average of 300 visitors and an income of around USD 9,000 per month with profits to be invested back into the business and to a community fund to pay for improvements to social services in the village such as education and healthcare. With many of the village’s younger residents in search of economic opportunities, the lodge is seen by the community as a way to preserve their Indigenous culture and provide opportunities for the future. Visitors learn about the local agricultural practices, including their specialization in quinoa production, and take a guided walk with a community member to the sacred Jukil mountaintop.

6
people earning an income
24
community members benefitting

Critical Need

The Santiago de Agencha community is located two hours across the salt flats from Uyuni, making it extremely inaccessible resulting in many youths choosing to leave the small community of about 280 inhabitants in search of economic opportunities elsewhere. This contributes to many of the issues associated with urban migration, including lack of housing, strain on infrastructure, lack of access to services, and diminishing populations and traditional cultures. The community is also located in the most expensive (but not wealthy) part of Bolivia (due to its remoteness) and low incomes create a day-to-day struggle for residents. Drought has also been a major problem of late, preventing success for families’ traditional crops such as quinoa. 

Our Involvement

Beginning in June 2016, Planeterra began funding the construction and upgrade of equipment and facilities at Jukil Lodge, thanks to a donation from Live Out There.

Planeterra also funded a training program and technical assistance for organizational management, cooking, restaurant operations, business formalization, business administration, and more. Planeterra connected the lodge to G Adventures tours in January 2017, after the completion of the expansion and renovations. 

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Gotsezhy – Wiwa Community Tourism

September 3, 2020 Planeterra Partners

Gotsezhy Wiwa Community Tourism

Santa Marta, Sierra Nevada, Colombia

Impact

Since partnering with Planeterra to develop their Indigenous-owned tourism business, the Wiwa community of Gotsezhy has experienced significant benefits. The community has seen a substantial increase in their economic income, allowing them to invest in various social programs. These initiatives include improved garbage management, the establishment of community gardens, enhanced access to drinking water, and advancements in education.

The empowerment of women has played a crucial role in this progress, as they actively participate in selling their handicrafts and contribute to the local food experience. Additionally, the younger generation has embraced opportunities for growth, with youths receiving training as local guides to share their rich culture and traditions with visitors.

100
people employed
450
community members benefitting
.

Critical Need

In 2015, Planeterra began working in Colombia with the Indigenous people of the Sierra Nevada — the Wiwa and Kogui. They are descendants of the ancient Tayrona people and have remained in isolation throughout history until the last couple of generations, where they have had increased contact with the outside world as they struggle to avoid conflict in the high mountainous region where illegal activity persists.

Most of these communities that are located on the route to Santa Marta benefit very little or are excluded from the tourism sector. 


Our Involvement

The Wiwa community of Gotsezhy had a strong desire for access to tourism that could uphold their cultural values. They wanted to celebrate and share their customs and traditions while also guaranteeing territorial sanitation and economic autonomy for the families in these communities. Planeterra worked directly with the community leaders to identify opportunities in communities along the Ciudad Perdida (Lost City) trekking route.

Planeterra worked with Wiwa Tours, an Indigenous-owned agency, to implement a comprehensive training and capacity-building program. The aim was to enhance employment opportunities for Indigenous-owned tourism businesses and guides in the region. This initiative led to the establishment of a training kitchen, meal, and handicraft experience in the Wiwa community of Gotsezhy, all facilitated by local residents. Moreover, the creation of a community enterprise named Regufio Gotsezhy along the trek route has opened avenues for women to sell traditional bags and handicrafts to visiting tour groups, as well as provide meals to trekkers. 

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Resourceful Ōtautahi

September 3, 2020 Planeterra

Resourceful Ōtautahi

Christchurch, New Zealand

Impact

The walking tour, Resourceful Otautahi, provides a steady stream of income to Rekindle. This allows them to expand their work and reach more community members through a new base at the Arts Centre in central Christchurch. It also allows them to employ guides and artisans who can share their stories and crafts to a wider population, and earn an income from their craft. A resourcefulness workshop with Rekindle doesn’t just build new skills and knowledge about the environment – it connects people.

Through this partnership, Rekindle is able to provide free workshops to community members to learn new skills and the importance of our relationship with the environment around us.

22
people employed
130
hours of free community workshops

Critical Need

When people feel connected to the environment and people around them, amazing things can happen. In a city like Christchurch, New Zealand, where the downtown core was devastated by the 2011 earthquake, making space for resourcefulness and community participation remains essential. Christchurch continues to struggle to find ways to bring community members together to feel connection and belonging.

 Planeterra’s partner, Rekindle, provides that space for community members to come together and share a meaningful experience. Being resourceful not only fosters care for the environment and its resources, but it also provides a shared sense of purpose. Rekindle delivers workshops that focus on resourceful skills as a means of strengthening community and building self-confidence in a hands-on environment.

Our Involvement

Planeterra has partnered with Rekindle to create a walking tour through the city core which connects travellers to the place, environment and people of Christchurch.

Planeterra provided the catalyst grant needed to launch this new tour. This catalyst grant provided resources and capacity training to develop this small business.  

Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rekindle has opted to shift their business model away from international travel, focusing on workshops and engagement in their local community.

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DinéHózhó

September 3, 2020 Planeterra Partners

Native Grill

Navajo Nation

Impact

Along with encouraging more travellers to stop at roadside craft cooperatives and artisan markets, Planeterra has partnered with the Native Grill, a DinéHózhó-supported food truck owned and run by the Littleboy family, just outside of Cameron, Arizona. Planeterra has successfully integrated meals at Native Grill for tourism brands like G Adventures, Travelsphere, and Just You, providing a grant for the business to be ready for additional international customers. The Littleboy family and the surrounding community benefit from travellers stopping for a meal and perhaps purchasing handicrafts from local artisans, they can also provide insight into the Indigenous culture of the Dine, while educating travellers on what life is like in Navajo Nation today. 

50
community members benefitting

Critical Need

Besides income earned from natural resources in the region, the Diné (which means “the people”, and is the name Navajo tribes use to refer to themselves in their own language) are engaged in major development initiatives targeted toward health, education, economic development, and employment. Navajo Nation faces a 45% unemployment rate and while federal policies have promoted resource extractive industries, the small business sector remains underdeveloped. Many non-profit organizations, tribal programs, and government entities have made it their mission to change this statistic but even with government funding, technical support, impact assessments, feasibility studies, and financing, these efforts have made very little impact on the Navajo economy overall, and there remains a real need for small business incubation networks, which are appearing more and more.

DinéHózhó aims to integrate Diné/Navajo culture, sustainability, conservation, and local knowledge to realize a placed-based sustainable economy that upholds the Hózhó concept and Diné principles. They further strive to cultivate seeds of capacity building, regional empowerment, and economic livelihoods that transition toward sustainable communities and improves the Diné quality of life.

Our Involvement

Seeing the need for investment in the tourism industry of Navajo Nation, Planeterra reached out to DinéHózhó, a community-based low-profit limited liability company that works with Indigenous-owned businesses to assist in their development and connect them to the tourism industry.

One of the current DinéHózhó initiatives includes working towards the creation of a corridor of locally-owned Diné businesses on the route towards the Grand Canyon East Gate, one of the most travelled roads around this incredibly popular destination.

Planeterra partnered with them to promote travellers visiting their first Diné/Navajo experience on popular routes through the western US region. Planeterra also provided a grant for upgrades to the Native Grill Food Truck, providing extra solar panels, hospitality training, as well as seating and shade for additional guests. 

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Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre

September 3, 2020 Planeterra Partners

Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre

Whistler, Canada

Impact

The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre affords youth from reserves in the region transport for classes, and the opportunity to train in the hospitality industry through on-site museum and cultural tours. Through their partnership with Planeterra and integration into our travel partners’ itineraries, the center is able to increase its visitor numbers, providing more opportunities to expand its training base and the range of visitor activities offered.

410
youth trained since 2008
1,200
community members indirectly benefitting

Critical Need

The colonization of what is now known as Canada, compounded with the implementation of residential schools and the fracturing of families, alongside flu and smallpox epidemics led to the alteration or loss of much of the oral history important to the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations of the Whistler region. There exists a demand for a larger First Nations presence in the area, to ensure the ancient cultures of the Lil’wat and Squamish Nation are protected. There is also a great need for economic opportunities which will benefit youth who live on nearby reserves.

Our Involvement

The centre relies on grants and visits to their museum, cafe and other experiences they offer, in order to continue their training programs for youth living on reserves that are often miles away. Planeterra successfully incorporated a visit to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre into the itineraries of our travel partners to secure a steady influx of visitors for the center. Groups can participate in activities such as a medicinal tea ceremony, bannock tasting, or a tour of the museum and grounds.

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Domari Culture and Craft Experience

September 3, 2020 Planeterra Partners

Domari Culture and Craft Experience

Jerusalem, Israel

Impact

This project gives an opportunity for Dom women to gain practical skills in hospitality, build their confidence, earn an income, and celebrate their culture. The income from this project is used to further the impactful programs held at the Domari Community Centre. It is the goal of this centre that Dom people become independent, confident, integrated members of society and to promote cultural heritage. Furthermore, travellers will get the privilege to learn about the unique Dom culture and history, many of whom may have never heard of this culture before. The Domari Society continues to invest time and resources into recording the Domari language in writing, which can help preserve a language at risk of being lost.

19
women employed

Critical Need

The Dom (Gypsy) community, located in Jerusalem, face regular discrimination for not being fully integrated into the Israeli or Palestinian societies. Dom children often have lower education levels than other children in Jerusalem, and the women are often underemployed. 

The Domari Society of Gypsies was created as a direct response to this need, opening a Community Centre focused on providing support to children and vocational skills to Dom women. This is also a space for the endangered Domari language to be shared and culture celebrated. Further, the Domari language is spoken and not written. As the Domari cultural identity has weakened due to continued discrimination, many youths have not learned the language.

Our Involvement

Planeterra supported the Domari Society to create a tourism experience for travellers. For this, a dining area was prepared for travellers to enjoy unique Domari food and culture. Women were trained in hospitality and storytelling, preparing them with basic English skills to better communicate about their culture to travellers.

Further, the handicraft shop at the community centre was improved to promote a better shopping experience for travellers, better supporting Dom artisans across the city.

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Shedia Home

September 3, 2020 Planeterra Partners

Shedia Home

Athens, Greece

Impact

A regular customer base to the brand new Shedia Home, a café which opened in May 2019, provides valuable sustainable income for Shedia’s programs. Planeterra’s partnership with Shedia also increases the visibility of Shedia’s Invisible Tours, a tour of Athens which “makes the invisible, visible” conducted by a guide experiencing homelessness, as well as Shedia’s art project, which trains and employs individuals experiencing homelessness. Look above you when you visit the café – the art installment hanging from the ceiling represents the 43 individuals who now have homes thanks to their connection with Shedia.

250
community members benefitting
1000
community members indirectly benefitting

Critical Need

Homelessness is a significant social issue in Greece, which was exacerbated by the Greek Financial Crisis which started in 2009, during which an estimated 111,000 Greek companies filed for bankruptcy. There is currently no accurate record of how many Athenians are experiencing homelessness, but the official unemployment rate hit almost 28% during the economic crisis that devastated the country over the last few years, with youth unemployment especially surpassing 50%.

Shedia – meaning “raft” in Greek – is a not-for-profit organization that works to employ and empower people experiencing homelessness and social exclusion in Greece. They have a vast number of programs including a soccer team, an upcycling/art project, a street paper, an educational social tour of Athens led by homeless guides, and a café-bar-restaurant in the historical center of the Greek capital called Shedia Home. Through their programs, 150 people experiencing homelessness and social exclusion have been provided with the opportunity, through working and not begging, to earn an income to cover some of their most basic needs, on a daily basis, while 20 full-time employment positions have been created in the recently launched Shedia Home.

Our Involvement

Planeterra has partnered with Shedia Home and connected the café with one of our tourism partners, G Adventures, so it will now be included on itineraries stopping in Athens.

Travellers will get to have a drink at the café and enjoy an educational talk from one of Shedia’s guides, all of whom are experiencing homelessness themselves.

Shedia’s guides give unparalleled insight into what life is like for individuals who are experiencing homelessness and/or social exclusion, and how Shedia’s programs are combatting the crisis.

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