Responsible Travel - Social Responsibility
We have learnt a number of valuable lessons over the past 6 years. These form the basis for our approach to project development, in conjunction with our charity partner The Happy Africa Foundation...
Social Responsibility in Africa
Getting started on a new project - Do your homework:
Sustainable community development projects need to be carefully researched before a project is simply started in a community/conservation area.
Measured aims and objectives are needed for each project:
This allows volunteers to see the bigger picture and share in the holistic vision of the project. To assist in this, we have what we call the "Project Manual" for each project that volunteers are working with. The manual details the research that went into the project, the history behind it, and what the ultimate goals are.
Check yourselves as you go along:
Clear Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) strategies are needed
This keeps the projects flexible, dynamic and fluid, adapting to the needs to the community, changing society and cultural demands. When we carry this out, we aim to consult all the stakeholders in the communities we work with, the volunteers, and the project managers themselves.
Ultimately, we like to let our communities and volunteers speak on our behalf when it comes to social responsibility:
"The whole experience was absolutely incredible. It was uplifting, rewarding, challenging, grounding, heart-breaking and soul-destroying in equal measure. To see the absolute joy on the faces of the children when we arrived to spend time with them, or their excitement at being given the opportunity to do something creative, was incredible. This is why I WILL do it again and why I would encourage anyone who is thinking about doing this sort of thing to stop thinking about it, and go and do it."
~ Stuart Neath, UK. Volunteer to our Mozambique project.
"As a department, we truly appreciate your dedication and hope you recognise, as we do, the valuable role you play in building brighter futures for Zambia's next generation. Thank you for your continuing support. It is through the positive efforts of organisations like yours that we can change a lifetime
for a child in need..."
~ Zambian Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development, 2008
In 2010 we facilitated over 1700 volunteers to over 50 different projects across Africa. This is roughly 341,210 hours of work that volunteers were helping in Clinics, communities, conservation projects as well as other specialized projects.
Across the 6 different African countries African Impact built 2 new schools, offering 300 children the chance of education . 10 schools were supported and refurbished, providing safe and secure areas for the children.
Educational assistance was supplied to 14 schools and 10 children centres - allowing us to help over a thousand children in education last year.
Much needed support was provided to overburdened staff in 12 different hospitals and clinics across Africa and over 2,623 patients were visited at their homes and given basic medical care.
Using education as a tool for empowerment African Impact has facilitated over 700 attendees to 14 different HIV education awareness programs and taught over 86 adults in 5 different skill learning.
