Rickshaw local aid projects

We support several small-scale aid projects in Asia, Latin America and Africa. These are projects that have a direct effect on the living environment, conditions or education of a local community. Rickshaw travellers are welcome to visit our projects and get a first hand glimpse of what their donations can mean in real terms. The projects are supported and managed by our local travel partners, and they keep us up to speed on progress concerning the charity projects. Here's a summary of our current projects across the globe.

If you would like to support one of these projects without necessarily travelling to the country, you can always contact us at info@rickshawtravel.co.uk. If you do plan on travelling to one of our travel destinations and would like to support an aid project, you can choose donate £5 through the Rickshaw booking form.

Aid donations to areas recently affected by natural disasters and other calamities are also possible. Our local agents will make sure that your donations reach those who need it most. If you would like to support these causes, contact our travel specialists for the appropriate country or send an email to info@rickshawtravel.co.uk

School support project - Vada Kadumbadi, India

India Travel Plan supports small projects in villages throughout the Tamil Nadu coastline. Currently we're supporting repairs and partial restoration of an elementary school in the town of Vada Kadumbadi. We've come a long way, but financing for this project is not yet complete. The village is located in the countryside, near the coastal city of Chennai in Southern India (Tamil Nadu province). This region is extremely poor and there are very little resources available to the inhabitants of this area. People only have the bare minimum necessary to survive here. Approximately 120 children from surrounding villages attend the elementary school in Vada Kadumbadi. Facilities really are minimal; there are no desks for the children who simply sit on the ground. There are only four class rooms in the school building to accommodate 120 children, so teachers are also teaching lessons outdoors in the hot sun. The school building is in desperate need of repairs. Want to know how you can help? Have a look at: School support project - India.

The Tamsarya Foundation - Nepal

The Tamsarya Foundation focuses its attention on the country's poorest children and children who endure the greatest hardships. The foundation sets up projects focussed on building a better, brighter future for Nepal... especially for children (boys and girls), in the areas of education, health care and general well being. Rickshaw Travel supports Kumari School, a refuge where children can develop and thrive safely and where they can grow up in a loving environment. The Kumari School and orphanage is located at the foot of the Himalaya, 200km southwest of the capital Kathmandu. All of the children that attend this school are poor and many are orphans. Some children, have a single parent who is not capable of caring for them due to disability or serious illness. Children from extremely poor families are also accepted to this school since they are at risk of malnutrition or their parents do not own a home or land. Currently, there are 140 children being cared for by the Kumari School. If you would like to know more about this project, have a look at The Tamsarya Foundation web site.

ATEIM Children's Project - Morocco

Morocco Travel Plan supports the ATEIM (Association Ettawasol pour Enfants Inadaptés Mentaux). This is an organisation that strives to create more opportunities for children with mental disabilities in Morocco. There are barely any facilities available for the mental disabled in Morocco and often there is no specialised care available. Waiting lists for assistance and day care facilities are therefore endless. Since 1997 ATEIM has provided day care for children and young adults in Berkane (northeast Morocco) and surrounding areas. The day care facility in Berkane provided by ATEIM offers the children and young adults education and assisted activities, as well as social-psychological and medical support. At the moment, the centre has capacity for 36 children with a wide variety of mental disabilities varying from slightly autistic children and children with Down's Syndrome, to children with epilepsy and/or behavioural problems. A new centre is being built to provide day care to these children. Financing for this project is not yet complete. For more information on how to help have a look at: ATEIM Children's Project.

The Buenos Dias Foundation - Guatemala

In May of 2001, Claudia (now chairman of the Buenos Dias Foundation) headed to Guatemala as a volunteer to help children living on the streets of Antigua. She volunteered at a school set up for the children living on the streets of Antigua known locally as 'Ninos Obreros' (which literally means, 'working children'). There were hardly any educational materials available, there was far too little teaching space, and there was an almost total lack of hygiene in the building. Shortly thereafter, she began working with 'The God's Child project' which was created through direct involvement of the founder Patrick Atkinson and the foundation's staff. This project had successfully implemented a proper education and health care system, and the childrem had enough to eat, as well as enough space to play. Working here, Claudia discovered that a solid foundation and proper planning were key to making a children's charity work in Guatemala. As a result, when she returned to the Netherlands in December of 2002, she started the Buenos Dias Foundation.

Buenos Dias started giving aid to children in Antigua, Guatemala through a small-scale home for children living on the streets provides a home to approximately 10 children living on the streets. Aside from food, children also receive medical care, education and assistance. The project is rapidly expanding, and if you would like to know more about this project have a look at the The Buenos Dias Foundation website or have a look at the Mexico Travel Plan website.

The Child Care Centre - Thailand

Thailand Travel Plan supports an orphanage for Burmese children who have lost their parents. The orphanage is known as the Child Care Centre and it is located in a refugee camp approximately 40km from the town of Mae Hong Son, about 300km from Chiang Mai. An estimated 20,000 people live in the refugee camp.

The camp is located near the Burmese border and most of the refugees are Karenni, an ethnic minority from the Burmese state of Kayah. Most inhabitants of the refugee camp fled to Thailand during the second half of the 1990s. The conflict with the Burmese government has recently reignited and the number of refugees in the camp is growing once again. Donations to this project are used to buy food, clothing and school materials for the children. It is also used to pay two people to cook, clean clothes and take on other household chores for the orphanage. If you would like to know more about this important project, have a look at the Thailand Travel Plan website.

The Child Surgery Foundation - Vietnam

Vietnam Travel Plan supports The Child Surgery Foundation, which helps children with physical disabilities. The foundation was set up in May of 2005 and offers direct rehabilitation assistance to children with a physical disability. The foundation pays the most attention to children that would otherwise receive the least care. They focus on those who live far from the large cities in places where the quality of living is far below average and where it's almost impossible to request for assistance or reach the proper medical authorities.

A Vietnamese intermediary travels to the necessary areas to contact local doctors and govermenment organisations. He also helps to choose which children in the area need the most help and could benefit most from the programme. He then organises transport to a regional hospital or a surgery centre. He also makes sure that the children are not sent home too early, since most need a physical therapy programme at home after their surgery. If you would like to support this project, have a look at the Vietnam Travel Plan web site.

Khula Zulu Village - South Africa

Several kilometres away from the tourist destination St. Lucia lies the Kwa Zulu Natal countryside. Since most travellers only visit the surrounding attractions and parks, they don't often really see how local people live. In 2003, South Africa Travel Plan began to sponsor a middle school and in 2004 we began sponsoring two nursery schools in the same village. If you decide to visit St. Lucia, you can visit this village if you wish - the kids will love it. It is a real eye-opener and you'll quickly realise that eliminating the effects of apartheid is something that will take many years.

The donations received through South Africa Travel Plan have so far paid for the interior of the two nursery schools. Bertus, our local partner, purchased (after consulting with the schools teachers) among other things a refrigerator, carpets, ovens, doors (there were none!), pens, wash detergent and supplies and toys. If you decide to visit the schools, we can definitely suggest bringing along balloons or other trinkets appropriate for young children. Keep in mind that there are quite a lot of children in a class. Interested in finding out more about this project? Take a look at the South Africa Travel Plan website.

Napa Village - China

Hidden amongst the Himalayan foothills in South West China lies a small Tibetan village: Napa Village. The village lies on the banks of the enchanting Lake Napa and is surrounded by fresh green pasture and rolling hills. It is a poor neighbourhood and the inhabitants mostly live off the proceeds from deforestation. There is hardly any time - or money - for schooling.

China Travel Plan supports a project that was set up to help this village. Our local agent in Zhongdian, the initiator of this project, is helping to raise funds for better homes and facilities. An end to deforestation is very important for this beautiful area in order to preserve its natural beauty and the project is helping to improve education for the village's children, in order to offer them a different future. By providing proper education (which is lacking completely at the moment), today's children will one day be able to continue the good work started by their parents. Have a look at the China Travel Plan website to find out more about this project.

School fund - Bali

Indonesia Travel Plan supports a school fund for girls on East Bali. This fund was set up by the owners of Villa Arjuna, the bungalows featured in our module 'Water Palace and the Temple'. Els and Hans set up the fund, together with their guests, for girls whose parents do not have enough money to send them to middle school. It's common on Bali for all savings to be spent on sending boys to study after elementary school. This is usually not seen as important for girls and usually there is not enough money to send them off as well. Els and Hans feel destined to help these girls and go on regular visits to elementary schools to determine, together with the principles and teachers of these schools, which girls would benefit from the school fund. If the parents of the chosen girl agree to let their daughter continue her schooling, she will receive a uniform, shoes, books, a bag and pens. Thanks to the school fund, during the first year there were 4 girls who could continue schooling and in the second year, there 10 more girls continued learning as a result of the fund. If you would like to support this project, take a look at the Indonesia Travel Plan web site.

International Mountain Explorers Connection - Tanzania

Tanzania Travel Plan supports the International Mountain Explorers Connection, also known as the IMEC. The IMEC is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to promote a responsible and sustainable relationship between travellers and mountain communities, especially porters (those who carry the luggage of those who go trekking). IMEC’s Porter Assistance Project strives towards the improvement of working conditions for all porters. This project provides climbers with independent porters and provides them with clothing and proper equipment. Additionally the IMEC offers courses to these porters - for English lessons, First Aid, HIV/AIDS Awareness and financial management. All of this keeps the porters motivated and helps them towards a brighter future. The IMEC has also created a partnership for responsible travel. This gives partner tour operators a platform to show that they support the promotion of better treatment of porters and that they are aware of the cultural and ecological value that travellers bring with them. By supporting this project, you'll help the IMEC finance a clothing project, provide education and you'll make a conscious decision to support an organisation that promotes the wellbeing of the Tanzanian people.