Holiday for a Cause

TRAVEL

holiday

for a cause

‘ Voluntourism’ — the combination of a well-deserved break combined with community work — offers urban dwellers a chance to see the world in a different light.

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WELLNESS FOR ALL

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Projects Abroad, Corbis and Gettyimages

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t wasn’t too long ago that going on holiday merely meant an opportunity to get out of your own country and explore a new destination. But as travel becomes increasingly sophisticated, so too have the things one can do while holidaying. With the growing emphasis on making a difference and reducing our carbon footprint, travellers are finding ways to improve the lives of other people or the environment in a meaningful and sustainable way.

‘Voluntourism’ has gained momentum in recent years, with organisations offering volunteer projects for a variety of objectives and time periods. Volunteers come from all walks of life, united in a common goal of giving and gaining world experience. Building schools, caring for the elderly, helping out on farms, or participating in wildlife conservation are just some of the many activities you can do on volunteering holidays. Even though a fee is involved, the positives outweigh the cost concerns.

So if you have ever felt like doing something more than shopping and sightseeing on a break, these volunteering options could just be part of the perfect itinerary.

A Karen village in Northern Thailand.

Teach and learn in Thailand

While Bangkok is a shopping paradise for many, the majority of visitors may not know of the grim facts behind the happy faces in The Land of Smiles. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 10 per cent of the country’s population live in abject poverty, mostly in rural areas.

Consider venturing beyond the city and its modern offerings for an intimate experience with Thailand’s rural communities.

There is a 21-day ‘Learning and Volunteering’ trip to Bangkok offered by STA Travel. You can teach village children English and join them in day-to-day activities such as farming, attending music classes or cooking.

Along the way, you’ll get to learn some basic Thai language and a bit about the country’s history as well.

For a shorter trip, there’s a six-day adventure in Chiang Mai, one of the most culturally rich cities in Thailand, with its temples and national parks. Offered by Eco Travel Singapore, this trip allows you to embrace the natural wonders of the Mok Fha Waterfall, as well as stay in a local Karen village to learn about the culture and resilience of this hill tribe. Originally from Myanmar, the Karen people were forced to settle in northern Thailand when they were denied citizenship rights by the Burmese government. You will also help the local community by teaching and doing some community work. You can also visit an Elephant Camp where you can get close to these threatened gentle giants of Asia. >> www.statravel.com.sg and www.ets.sg

Volunteering can be a rewarding experience.

Care for the disadvantaged

If you are great with kids, you can choose to make a difference to the lives of children with special needs in Vietnam with British organisation Projects Abroad. At kindergartens and care centres for disabled children, you’ll be helping with practical care activities such as washing and dressing children, helping them with their homework or taking them out on trips. Whether you’re there for just two weeks or committed to a longer time period, your volunteering experience is bound to take on extra meaning. >> www.projects-abroad.co.uk

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TRAVEL

Students in Batam.

Lend a hand in Batam You don’t have to go far to start your volunteering journey.

Habitat for Humanity organises many regional trips where you can offer aid to the poor and needy. Its Batam Build programme, for example, is designed as a short-term trip ranging from one to three days, and is a good introduction to ‘voluntourism’.

In Batam, volunteers learn how to build homes and shelters from the ground up: from laying the steel frameworks, digging pits for septic tanks and mixing cement to brick-laying and more. While it may be an intensely demanding process, nothing beats the satisfaction gained when the home you built is handed 38

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over to a needy Indonesian family.

Trips take place all year round, but you have to form your own team of between eight to ten people to participate in Batam Build. If building a house seems too challenging, why not give English and computer lessons?

This one-day volunteering programme incorporates a visit to a kampung and a chance to bring a smile to a needy child. You can impart knowledge, tell stories, play games, or teach art and craft at a student centre catered to the needs of disadvantaged children. >> www.habitat.org.sg/batam.html and www.takemetoasia.com

Be an eco warrior

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), six of the seven species of marine turtles are listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered. Five of the endangered species — the loggerhead, hawksbill, leatherback, Olive Ridley and green turtle — come to the shores of southern Sri Lanka to nest during the summer, but egg poaching and slaughtering of female nesting turtles, along with climate change and increased human activity on nesting beaches have caused the marine turtle population in Sri Lanka to fall to critical levels.

So if you have a keen interest in ecological issues, you can join British gap-year specialist operator GapGuru in their conservation efforts of turtles that visit the coastal town of Hikkaduwa in Sri Lanka. Not only will you get up close and personal with the turtles — helping to collect and hatch turtle eggs, cleaning turtle tanks and feeding turtles are just some of the tasks on hand — you’ll also learn about and educate visitors on turtles, sea plants and the marine eco-system. You’ll also get the chance to sample Sri Lankan cuisine, interact with the locals and learn more about the country’s culture and traditions. >> www.gapguru.com

Part of the volunteer effort at Hikkaduwa is to identify turtles and assist in returning them back to the ocean.

Volunteers at SIF’s Water for Life programme in Siem Reap.

MISSION POSSIBLE The Singapore International Foundation is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to build a better world through shared ideas, skills and experiences. Established in 1991, its activities include working with communities for sustainable development, exchanging ideas for greater understanding, and showcasing Singapore to build ties. Core areas of focus include healthcare, education, the environment, arts and culture, and livelihood and business.

Volunteers at SIF help support communities by contributing their skills, knowledge and resources. This way, SIF has been able to help communities in countries such as Afghanistan, Indonesia, Bhutan, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam in areas such as healthcare, IT literacy, education and physiotherapy. An example is the Water for Life programme in Siem Reap where participants help install bio-sand water filters in rural households. Volunteers who wish to commit to a long term cause can even sign up to help Singapore-based charities. An example is the Little Arts Academy where volunteers put aside two hours every weekend to connect with underprivileged children through song, dance and stories.

Some overseas volunteer projects require you to pay for your own airfare, accommodations, transport, logistics and some meals.

However, all arrangements will be facilitated by the organisation. There are also some volunteer assignments where airfare, accommodation and living expenses are provided. These projects usually require volunteers to commit a minimum of six months.

>> www.sif.org.sg

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