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 Date:
Four days in May 2014
The Travelers:
Five female students who had recently completed elementary school at the Make A Difference Now Foundation.
The Trip:
The mission of the trip was to scout out a high school to continue their education. Along the way, they stopped at Pangani, where they saw the ocean for the first time in their lives. They also stopped at Lushoto, known as the “Switzerland of Tanzania” for its highland terrain.
“Thank you, Elevate Destinations and MAD for supporting us with our trip. We learned a lot of things which we had never learnt before. God bless you wherever you are. Also we thank Mama Theresa for planning the wonderful trip for us. Thank you very much. By Omega”
The Details:
After a long 10-hour drive, the group of girls arrived the first destination – a beachside hotel in Pangani! They savored a full day to play in the ocean’s waves. It was so much fun that they went for another dip in the morning before departing. Next stop was a series of visits to high schools in the Pangani area. One of the schools was the St. Christina Girls’ Secondary School, where Neema and Omega decided to study in the end. They graduated in May 2015 and will proceed to Advanced Level schooling.
Final stop of the tour was a lodge in Lushoto, which was much chillier than the beach! After spending a night under heavy blankets, they set out for a hike in the morning. The journey took them inside an organic farm, with a dairy where they sampled fresh cheese and yogurt. Then it was back in the vehicle for the long drive, both exhausted and exhilarated after such a full trip.
“I would like to say thank you for those who made our trip possible, lots of thanks to Elevate Destinations and Mama Theresa The Director of MAD. Thank you!!!”
Firsts:
- Playing in the ocean and discovering seashells in the sand
- Tasting international cuisine at the hotel – a nice change from Tanzanian food!
- Hiking among the valleys and mountains of Lushoto, to learn about the region’s biodiversity
- A visit to an organic farm, to learn how to make and sell homegrown products such as jams, juices, and cheese
Partner Organization:
Make a Difference Now (MAD) is on a mission to support quality educational opportunities for vulnerable children and youth in developing countries, primarily in Tanzania and India. As a local charity, the goal is to raise funds to send the children to high quality schools. Since its inception in 2008, MAD has developed a unique model of care. Upending the status quo of accepting a large number of children but only providing the basic necessities, MAD seeks to concentrate resources on a smaller number of children with quality care.
