Hands Up Holidays (www.handsupholidays.com) has a new voluntourism trip for those who want something adventurous and meaningful: a trip to Colombia.
We have just launched ‘Colours of Colombia’ (www.handsupholidays.com/tours/colors-of-colombia) with two dates for 2010 (although a booking of two or more people can choose their own start date if these dates do not suit).
This trip takes guests through the wonders of Bogota, the underground salt cathedral, beautiful Cartagena, hiking and horse riding in the stunning Tayrona National Park, and 4 days of meaningful interaction with former coca leaf growers, helping them get their eco-tourism business established.
Participants can help ensure that this new eco-tourism initiative is sustainable by training the staff in English, accounting/admin, IT and hospitality skills.
Why help here in Colombia?
The Tayrona National Park and surrounding areas were, until recently, a major battlefield in Colombia’s civil war between FARC and right-wing paramilitary groups, both of whom used the region for cocaine production, processing and smuggling.
Coca leaf growing was a common source of income for people in the region, and of course Colombia is still a major exporter of cocaine, although this particular region is no longer dangerous, and the government, as part of its strategy against coca leaf growing and cocaine production, have undertaken several initiatives to provide alternative sources of income for coca leaf growers.
In this particular area, just outside the stunning Tayrona National Park (about 45 minutes from Santa Marta in North-East Colombia), the government has provided funding for the establishment of a community-run and managed eco-tourism base.
Former coca leaf growers and their families are running this, and they have 8 huts (fairly modest, but tastefully furnished, with en suite bathrooms) for paying visitors, for whom they also conduct guided nature walks, hikes, and horse riding, including in the Tayrona National Park.
So the foundation is all there. To date, they have only really had domestic guests, but they want to receive foreign visitors. However, they are arguably not quite ready to do this, and need assistance to get ‘international market ready’, primarily in these areas:
– conversational English lessons
– training in Western hospitality skills (meal preparation, table settings, etiquette)
– training in IT skills (they have just got a computer, with an internet connection) – Word, Excel
– training in basic accounting skills
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