With NGOs in Latin America, like anywhere, it can be difficult to discern legitimacy and impact. When we look at non-profits to partner with for our community partner program, we do a lot of investigation. Who runs the non-profit, an outside entity or people from the local area? Who founded it and why? Does the non-profit work in collaboration with other groups, such as government or private organizations? What is the funding structure?
Ultimately, the non-profits we collaborate with must be part of the local community serving current needs, cultivating growth in people and the planet. And most of all – since 3% of our trip sales go to this partner – we want to make sure that money goes into something sustainable, with long-term purpose and potential.
Here are five NGOS in Latin America that we love to support:
Kuska (Peru)
Kuska is an alternative education program offered to the local community in Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo is located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas in the region of Cusco, Peru. Kuska offers a space where children learn through the experience of thinking, feeling, and doing with Quechua language preservation woven throughout – whether a medicinal garden as part of a science project or Spanish-English-Quechua language lessons. We have partnered with Kuska to provide scholarships to families in this community, providing children with quality education, life skills, cultural appreciation, and greater chances of university in the future.
Kuska School, Peru
CRHF (Costa Rica)
Supporting Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation on our immersive cultural trip to Costa Rica offers participants a chance to fully invest in local communities during their travels. CRHF places a high priority on education and community-led projects in order to understand the context and motivation that can transform perspectives and actions long-term.
In what was once the most poverty-stricken section of La Carpio (and the country), CRHF has constructed an education and community center to provide quality daycare for children whose parents work, as well as weekly medical seminars, professional training activities, and workshops for women. Community members that worked closely with CRHF’s programs and development are now able to show others how to replicate our community service program, using the work in La Carpio as living laboratories.
They pride themselves on undertaking extensive studies on the concept of well-being and happiness as a measure of the success of a culture and believe that, although there are still difficulties, to a large extent, La Carpio has become more of a model than a burden to the Costa Rican culture.
CRHF Daycare
Barrio Planta Project (Nicaragua)
Barrio Planta Project is another great NGO in Latin America that focuses on education for local kids in the San Juan del Sur community in Nicaragua. The project is run by locals and provides free supplementary education to local children who only spend a half day at public school. The program offers subjects ranging from English and computer literacy to art, music and dance. Foreigners traveling to San Juan del Sur can be part of the Cultural Exchange program, which is a great opportunity to interact especially in a location where many youth will be headed toward jobs in hospitality and tourism. After the Cultural Exchange program was launched, it was well-received and appreciated immensely within the community, so much that it seemed as if it’d always been there! The founder believes true learning happens through creativity and communication.
Barrio Planta Project
TDP Legacy Fund (Chile)
The Torres del Paine Legacy Fund aims to enhance the long-term health of Torres del Paine National Park and its surrounding communities. This non-profit organization looks to restore and protect ecosystems, educate and empower locals to become true environmental stewards, as well as improve tourism infrastructure to reduce the impact of visitors and ensure the sustainability of welcoming visitors to the region for generations to come. Getting to discover new destinations is undoubtedly life-changing; at the same time, it is critical to take care of the surrounding environment and ensure local communities are positively impacted by your visit. Thanks to Torres del Paine Legacy Fund, this region in Chile has learned the importance of establishing a sustainable cycle for collective, long-lasting, and responsible destination management.
Legacy Fund volunteers
Via Organica (Mexico)
Vía Orgánica is an organization looking to teach farmers, consumers and visitors about healthy nutrition, while taking care of the environment and providing an important economic ecosystem in Mexico. Their mission is to form networks of farmers that still own their own land and to teach them how to take care of in order to produce high quality products with it. They also want to educate the community so that even the unhealthiest piece of land has a chance to recover through good practices, just as our own unhealthy practices or eating habits can be transformed to reach a wholesome lifestyle.
Do you have other non-profits you love in Latin America? Send us a message and tell us about it!
more travel tips on our blog:
Traveling as a vegan or vegetarian may seem daunting at first, but it is definitely an experience worth taking. The diverse array of plant-based cuisine around the world offer unique culinary flavors, and it has become increasingly easier due to the to the growing awareness of ethical and environmental concerns. By selecting the right destination and immersing in the local food culture while embracing the vibrant flavors of plant-based cuisine, vegan and vegetarian travelers can enrich their travel experiences while staying true to their dietary values.