‘Voluntourism’ initiatives from Gap Adventures

Water access and shortage problems are reaching crisis levels - particularly in developing nations - so Gap Adventures is focusing its Earth Month initiatives on changing the lives of people who lack access to clean drinking water.

As part of Gap Adventures’ drive and ongoing commitment to improve the lives of people around the world it is offering a 10 per cent discount on all of its voluntours from 1 April to 30 April, and will work to raise £2,300 through its ongoing ‘dollar-a-day’ project to buy water tanks for the non-profit Planeterra Foundation’s Kenya Community Tourism Project (planeterra.org). The ultimate goal is to highlight the need for similar projects in other dry regions in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The Kenya Community Tourism Project provides travellers with an opportunity to connect with the locals in Kenya’s Kowour Village. The project establishes an alternative source of tourism-based income for villagers, and helps supply much-needed 3,000-litre tanks to the village.

The project helps locals divert the time and energy they once spent hauling water for survival into education, further agricultural production and other economic activities.

“Doing the right thing to support communities around the globe and finding sustainable ways to help the planet has always been one of our core values,” said Gap Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip.

“This year’s Earth Month initiatives focused on water access and supply issues are critical to raising awareness of an immense problem that will only get worse, especially in places like Africa where local communities lack the financial means to solve these problems on their own.”

On average, Africans walk 6 km each day to gain access to safe drinking water. The weight of this water is commonly 20 kg, the same as the average airport luggage allowance. According to the World Health Organization, roughly one eighth of the world's population do not have access to safe drinking water. Scientists estimate that by 2025, 40 per cent of the world’s population will suffer from a serious lack of fresh water.

For more information on these Earth Month initiatives and more, visit gapadventures.com or planeterra.org.