Newest ‘G Adventures for Good’ Tourism Experiences Empower Local Women Through Adventure Travel

This International Women’s Day, G Adventures, in partnership with its partner Planeterra Foundation, is shining a spotlight on four critical women-led projects around the world, from an artisanal handicrafts shop in Sri Lanka, to a community walking tour in Rwanda, to a hospitality village in Namibia.

Planeterra was founded by G Adventures owner and social entrepreneur Bruce Poon Tip in 2003 and currently supports 51 community development projects worldwide, 13 of which are dedicated to helping women redefine their roles in society by supporting life-changing access to dignified jobs, reliable income, and job-training.

The organization works directly with G Adventures to kickstart and then incubate the development of these programs with training (such as teaching employees the true meaning of customer service) and funding, before being integrated into the tour operator’s hundreds of itineraries around the world. That helps to ensure that the community development projects, or “G Adventures for Good” experiences as they are branded in the company’s itineraries, gain immediate access to customers and a predictable income stream. That very intentional and socially impactful supplier-operator relationship creates a more inclusive economy and more cohesive communities while offering unique, immersive and in some cases exclusive experience for adventure travelers.

The four newest social enterprises in G Adventures’ portfolio are diverse in location and experience, and their stories are being highlighted by the tour operator this International Women’s Day, March 8^th. They include:

• Sthree Craft Shop and Café – In Kandy, Sri Lanka, this craft shop and cafe are run by the Women's Development Center to empower women and at-risk youth through livelihood opportunities. Planeterra granted $30,000 to renovate and outfit the Center’s working space, transforming it into a commercial craft shop and café, and travelers can today visit it on any of several G Adventures tours, including its 12-day Discover Sri Lanka tour with National Geographic Journeys. Indulge in High Tea and a handicraft-making demonstration from a member of the shop’s training program, then hear from one of the project organizers while you enjoy local tea and an assortment of sweet cakes and pastries. "Sthree" means "women" in both Tamil and Sinhala – fitting as the shop and café is both a place for local women to hone their hospitality skills while selling Sri Lankan handicrafts. Impact: 100 female entrepreneurs are directly involved; 400 people indirectly benefit; 2,000 G Adventures travelers visit each year.

• Penduka – In Windhoek, Namibia, this restaurant and handicraft workshop directly employs 30 disadvantaged women and creates livelihoods for more than 300 others. Working with local people from the Katutura township and surrounding rural communities, Penduka trains and employs those who are at risk through poverty, disability, ill-health, or lack of education, and helps them develop skills in textiles, beading, and pottery. G Adventures travelers enjoy a meal courtesy of Penduka, before touring the facilities and purchasing some of their handmade crafts. Available on several tours, including the Classic 12-day G Adventures tour: Cape and Namibia Adventure (from $1719 per person). Impact: 30 women are directly employed at the workshop; 300+ women benefit from their work; more than 750 G Adventures travelers visit each year.

• Cöp(m)adam–This Turkish social enterprise in Ayvalik, Turkey has a fairtrade mission: to leverage the creative talent embedded within the local culture and provide environmentally-impactful opportunities for women. It began as an experimental project to address the issues of women’s unemployment and the importance of recycling and reusing waste materials beautifully. This cooperative of 40 Turkish women now creates one-of-a-kind accessories using recycled materials to make fashionable accessories. “Cöp” means “garbage” in Turkish; “madam” means “female". “çöp(m)adam” (Literally “garbage ladies”). When G Adventures travelers visit the workshop during a trip to Turkey, such as on its Classic 15-day Absolute Turkey tour, and purchase their products, they are directly supporting the women who made them. Impact: 40 women currently in the cooperative; more than 400 women to date are benefiting; 600 G Adventures travelers visit each year.

• Nyamirambo Community Tour- Located in the Kigali community of Nyamirambo, the largest and most vibrant township in Rwanda, the Nyamirambo Women's Center provides women and girls from a diverse range of backgrounds the opportunity to support each other and succeed through education and training programs. Six female guides host a community walk through the lively township, meeting some of the women who have benefited from the center's training programs, sampling popular local foods, and seeing their local businesses and initiatives in action. After lunch, they take time to browse the center's shop, which features handmade, high-quality crafts and clothes made by local Rwandan women. Travelers with G Adventures can support this special place on one of its National Geographic Journeys tours, such as the nine-day Gorilla Discovery tour. Impact:  50 women are directly involved;  80 people are indirectly benefitting; 250 G Adventures travelers visit each year.

Adrienne Lee, Director of Development at Planeterra and a key advisor to G Adventures says she has seen first-hand how tourism positively impacts women. “Our goal is to initiate, invest, cultivate and incubate a number of women-run social enterprises, cooperatives, and training programs that give women a hand up in their society, not a handout. This allows for long-term job training and meaningful careers that create futures of self-sufficiency instead of dependency. When a woman can take care of herself, she cares for her family, her children, and her community’s health and education. It’s the ripple effect of responsible tourism, which we love to see.”

She added, “On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the progress we have made and continue to commit to the advancement of women in tourism. These newest social enterprises are cornerstone examples of how female-focused travel can strengthen communities. We hope they inspire even more travelers to join us.”