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, and our goal is to connect local youths to their own environments as travelers and 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, see the sites, have fun, and make the kind of travel memories we take for granted. Here’s just one example of Buy a Trip, Give a Trip in action:
The Travelers:
The community of Hanover Park in Cape Town is frequently exposed to gang violence. Twenty-six of the school children from The Alcardo Andrews Foundation in Hanover Park were chosen for this memorable field trip to help them see there is hope for a brighter future. 8 hard-working volunteers and program coordinators came along, led by a tour guide for the day.
These well-deserving students were our first Buy a Trip, Give a Trip since the pandemic.
The Details:
On July 7th, 2022, it was a cool day in Cape Town, but that didn’t stop these kids from enjoying themselves.
The day began at the panoramic Maiden Cove to enjoy breakfast and watch the moody clouds roll over Table Mountain in the distance. The bus continued via the dramatic landscapes of Llandudno and Chapmans Peak before stopping at Cape of Good Hope for a scenic walk to the most southwestern point of the African continent. There was also time to see the lighthouse at Cape Point, which has the most powerful light beam on the South African coast, reaching almost 40 miles!)
The highlight for many students was the visit to the Boulders conservation site, where they could get up close with the resident African penguins, which are now considered endangered. Viewing the penguins in their natural habitat at the Boulders Penguin Colony is on the to-do list of any Cape Town visitor but can often be out of reach for disadvantaged urban youth.
As James Fernie from Uthando states, “…people just need opportunity and exposure, with trips like this we never know what seeds are being planted, with children learning and dreaming.”
Quotes from the students:
“I enjoyed the questions and answers of our history. I never knew how old Table Mountain was (800,000,000 million years old). I found out how Camps Bay got its name. The whole trip was exciting and educational.” – Luciano, 16 years old.
“It was a good experience. I enjoyed the interaction with the tour guide and also a lot of exciting places to see.” – Joshua, 10 years old.
“I enjoyed the run to the lighthouse. It was a far walk, but I met a friend. I was excited about all the different animals I saw. I liked the antelope.” – Hayden, 7 years old.
Partner Organization:
The Alcardo Andrews Foundation
The Alcardo Andrews Foundation was established in 2015 to honor all young men and women who lost their lives to violent crime. Avril Andrews lost her son Alcardo to gang violence. She discovered the challenges and researched why so many young men fell victim to murder. In response, Avril contacted fellow mothers who had also lost their children to gang violence. She founded the “Moms Move for Justice” to support those subjected to social ills, including gang violence, substance abuse, unemployment, poverty, domestic and gender-based violence.
Uthando
Uthando(which means ‘love’ in the Zulu language) is an innovative non-profit organization and Fair Trade in Tourism accredited company. Uthando aims to raise funds and other forms of assistance for community development projects in South Africa. It achieves its goals by offering authentic, uplifting experiences for travelers inside the impoverished townships of Cape Town.
Special thanks to Springbok Atlas for generously offering a discount.
Have a read of more Buy A Trip, Give A Trip experiences.
