Everyone deserves the chance to travel. Yet, all too often, seeing the world is a privilege reserved for the global elite. At Elevate Destinations, we bridge the divide. Our goal is to connect local youths to their own environments, as travelers and as stewards.
Through our innovative Buy a Trip, Give a Trip model, your trip purchase creates fun, new travel opportunities for local kids. For the first time, they experience nearby natural and cultural wonders. They see the sites, have fun, and make the kind of travel memories that we take for granted.
Here’s just one example of Buy a Trip, Give a Trip in action:
The big day:
Saturday May 30, 2015
The travelers:
12 kids, primary school age, selected by Sustainable Harvest International
The excursion:
Snorkeling at Moho Caye, a small cove off of Punta Gorda, Belize
The details:
The day was great from start to finish, with every detail falling smoothly into place. The kids boarded a motorboat for the 20-minute ride to the secluded code of Moho Caye. The sun was bright, shining down on the clear water so that the group could see aquatic life from the boat. Jellyfish! Sea stars! Schools of fish!
Approaching Moho Island, they scouted out an ideal spot to dive in. Donning snorkeling masks and flippers, the kids jumped into the water. After a good time visiting the underwater world, they emerged hungry for a picnic lunch and play time on the beach before heading back on the boat.
Firsts:
- For many of the kids, it was their first time on an island. To approach Moho Island on the boat was a big thrill!
- Gearing up with snorkeling gear to observe marine life – an up-close, hands-on learning experience.
Partner Organization:
Sustainable Harvest International works on sustainable agriculture initiatives as an answer to poverty and environmental degradation. Their focus is Central America. Since 1999, Sustainable Harvest International has been working with rural families in the Toledo District of southern Belize on health and livelihood improvement. One of the poorest districts of Belize, it is also home to Mayan ethic groups, the majority being Mopan or Q’ekchi’. The kids on the trip were selected from these beneficiary families.
