Traveling whilst doing good deeds at the same time seems twice as wonderful, doesn’t it? And it is! This sort of exploration exists, and it is called voluntourism. Many countries are already voluntourism hotspots, like some on the African continent such as Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa. You may have even already heard of it before, but could not quite remember what it was called.
A recent study made by Edelman Brazil and Panrotas showed that around 10 million travelers already practice this kind of tourism, and it is estimated that the number may double by 2020. This particular market niche alone represents around R$ 550 million added onto the economy every year all over the world.
However, be careful: voluntourism isn´t the same as going on vacation.
It is important to remember that – unlike going on vacation, when you have the freedom to make your own schedule, or follow a pre-determined route schedule made by a tour agency – voluntourism requires commitment and dedication to achieving the project´s goals.
More than just having the chance to do something you appreciate; it is important to also “pack” all of your skills and lots of dedication. It is essential to check the compatibility between the interested volunteer´s profile and the work needed at the destination so that both the project and the trip can be a success!
In order to find opportunities to volunteer abroad, the website Voluntourism.org is a good start! If you want to visit initiatives and get to know amazing projects, but are not so willing to have a hands-on experience, you can choose your destination through the platform Visit.org.
In Brazil, voluntourism is still only getting started, but a Brazilian website about collaborative consumption did a research study on agencies that mediate this experience. At Raízes, we decided to bring together our expertise in travel (did you know that the sustainable tour agency Vivejar is a Raízes spin-off company?) and combine it with our women empowerment project. Very soon, we hope volunteers will be able to enroll to participate 🙂
Dona do Meu Fluxo 2019
In 2019, Raízes will open volunteer applications to the Dona do Meu Fluxo (the name of the project which on a free translation means “Owner of my flow”), Amazon edition. (You may check all news related to the project here). We will select females, from different areas, to support the realization of the workshops about women’s empowerment. The agenda includes organizing lectures, monitoring activities, distributing the donated menstrual cups, and visiting the communities, amongst others.
We will release the guidelines and open applications soon, with details about costs, dates, and more about this beautiful project in partnership with Koruí Korui This will be the third installment of this project. The goal is to spread knowledge about the use of the menstrual cup, and women’s empowerment correlated subjects, as well as incentivize these women to get to know more about their own bodies. This includes education about sexuality The 2019 edition will be held in the Amazon region, focusing on the female population from riverine communities of Pará, expanding the work that began in 2018.
The application guidelines will be released in February. Keep following our social networks to find out more. Also, take this opportunity to watch videos from previous editions. Dozens of women directly benefited from this project, including ourselves.
