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Casa Gangotena, Ecuador

November 16, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

A Luxury Suite at Casa Gangotena

A Detail of the Staircase

Who They Are

Opened in late 2011 in Old Town Quito, the newly restored historic mansion Casa Gangotena overlooks the Plaza San Francisco, a cobbled square rich in history dating back to the days of the Inca.  Casa Gangotena is one of the grand old homes built on the southern edge of the plaza in the late 19th century, and was home to several presidents before it was rebuilt after a fire in 1926 by its last owners, the Gangotenas. It’s just feet away from the imposing, almost 500-year-old Church and Convent of San Francisco.

Casona de San Miguel, Quito

Now owned by Roque Sevilla, the three-story boutique hotel offers 31 large luxurious rooms with state-of-the-art technology and large marble bathrooms. Great efforts have been made to restore the original detail, such as the hand-painted tin ceilings. Its third-floor terrace is the perfect place to put your feet up and enjoy everyday life passing by. with the bell towers and spires of the Old Town as well as the Panecillo hillside serving as the backdrop.  A better seat in town for the Easter procession is unthinkable.

A Hotel Lounge Bathed in Quito Sun

What They Are Doing

Sevilla is renowned in these parts for his long record of involvement in local and environmental affairs. He has served as Quito’s mayor as well as being a past president of WWF Ecuador. He is also known to be humble about his efforts to help the community and the environment (which you can read about – albeit briefly – on the hotel’s website).

Casa Gangotena

Since 2008, while it was still just an idea, the hotel has been involved in several neighborhood projects, such as the award-winning Heritage Guardians, which focuses on community initiatives like neighborhood integration, the value of heritage and tradition, and offers ‘routes’ for visitors to take in order to meet locals and experience their lives and ways. (The hotel can arrange this for you).

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Filed Under: Carbon Footprint, Casa Gangotena, Community, Ecuador, Education, Environment, Features, Health, Women Tagged With: heritage guardians, roque sevilla

Ellerman House, Cape Town

October 14, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Who They Are

Possibly the most astonishing thing about Ellerman House – and there is plenty to ogle here – is that so few people know about it.  Now almost 20 years old, it has succeeded by being as under-the radar as it has been reverentially consistent in luxury. The people who need to know about it do.

Room No. 7

This former residence (or, to be exact, mansion) high above exclusive Bantry Bay, is a study in refinement and peacefulness. Even though the gracious building is in the heart of Cape Town, its 9 rooms, two suites, and 5-bedroom villa, each with unsurpassed views across the Atlantic, offer the perfect amount of isolation.

Room No. 10

Below the spacious yet cozy reception rooms and large porches spreads a manicured garden and pool. The rooms throughout the property are decorated with magnificent works by South African masters, including Irma Stern and Pierneef.

At the Villa

The rooms have recently been buffed up – new fabrics, bedding, and wallpapers – although subtly enough that repeat clients (of which there are many, despite the prices) probably won’t notice. While the main residence has a more traditional ambiance, the more modern villa’s rooms – with names like Aqua and Lilac – are lushly simple. The kitchen has a glass wall that opens electronically for you to ask the chefs any questions, and across from it is a ‘pantry’ full of goodies for guests to raid at all hours and which has become infamously addictive.

What They Are Doing

Ellerman House owner Paul Harris, a well-known Johannesburg financier, was the main mover behind the creation of Penreach, which works with schools in rural communities in the north of the country. Established in 1994, Penreach now touches the lives of more than 2,000 teachers a year, working in over 900 schools, and directly benefiting more than 350,000 learners . At least ninety percent of the teachers are women.

A Painting by Irma Stern at Ellerman

Penreach has also gone beyond schools, to help fund beneficial projects such as the provision of psycho-social support to teachers, orphans and vulnerable children; the improvement of state-run feeding schemes; the establishment of vegetable gardens; the development of sport and sports facilities; environmental education, with a view to turning schools into profit centers through waste management; the provision of IT training; youth leadership development camps; and administration training. So successful has it been that Penreach is aiming to reach other parts of the country in the future.

The Contemporary Gallery

Harris, who is also a patron of the arts, has one of the finest ‘galleries’ in the country decorating the walls and rooms of Ellerman House – you can find not only every South African master here but possibly also their finest work. In 2009 he opened a magnificent specially built gallery on the property to foster contemporary artists (see News). The gallery now has enough artworks to rotate the exhibition four times annually, and the exhibition there of artists has led clients to buy their works.

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Filed Under: Art, Community, Education, Ellerman House, Features, Health, South Africa, Uncategorized, Women Tagged With: bantry bay, contemporary south african art, penreach

Singita 4X4 (*’s)

September 14, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Singita Lebombo

Is it possible for a travel destination to be luxurious, hot (as in magazine-worthy), and sustainable? If anyone proves it, Singita does.

This African-based company has properties that go a long way to show that their hearts and minds are in the right place – they care about where they are and what they are doing. Travel is their business, but a business that has to last and in a country that has to last. Singita Grumeti, in Tanzania, has virtually turned what used to be a virtual wasteland (after years of illegal hunting and poaching) into an Eden. Bordering on the Serengeti, the 350,000 acres now have as good as you’ll get animal-wise (and probably even better than) in the iconic park next-door.

Sabora Tented Camp, Grumeti

Working with the community surrounding Grumeti is as much a part of the day-to-day as it is in Pamushana,  in Zimbabwe. For years now the property, which lies adjacent to the stunning and barely visited Gonarezhou park, has served thousands of meals daily to local children. Singita’s community work dates back to 1998 already. Whether it is buying products locally, supporting a cooking academy for staff (watch the video), or contributing to local schools, the company is doing it.

At the ever-popular Lebombo and Sweni lodges in Kruger Park, South Africa, Singita has tried to emphasize low-impact design, creating stunning rooms made of glass, steel, and reeds, perched singly on a ridge. An ongoing program of monitoring the wildlife and land around Singita’s first lodges, Ebony and Boulders lodges, in Sabi Sand, South Africa, endeavors to keep the much-used park seemingly untouched.

Children at Pamushana

At each of these properties, the work with low-impact design, the community, and the wildlife goes on daily and never ends. And that Singita doesn’t forget.

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Filed Under: Africa, Anti-Poaching, Carbon Footprint, Community, Conservation, Education, Environment, Features, Health, N-S, News, South Africa, T-Z, Women Tagged With: cooking school, feeding program, grumeti, pamushana, singita

Adrère Amellal, Egypt

May 13, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Who They Are

Siwa Oasis, located about 70 kilometers east of the Libyan border, has been inhabited since 10,000 BC but was re-created just a few years ago by Environmental Quality International, an environmental consulting company.  EQI’s president, Mounir Neamtalla, first visited in 1996 and was so inspired by the beauty and spirituality of this remote corner of Egypt he expanded EQI’s advisory services to include direct investments in sustainable development – and so Siwa was reborn.

Steeped in history, it is renowned for being the site of the Oracle of Amon, whom Alexander the Great consulted. Visiting Siwa today you will find it very much the same as Alexander did, featuring majestic rock formations, luxuriant groves and dazzling salt lakes throughout the oasis.

Pool at Adrère Amellal

The Siwa Sustainable Development Initiative includes three different accommodations, ranging in price from $45 to $330 per night. The most luxurious, Adrère Amellal, is 20 minutes outside of Siwa and has 40 en-suite rooms overlooking Lake Siwa and is nestled at the foot of the White Mountain cliffs.  Built with indigenous material using traditional Siwan building techniques, the lodge has a minimal impact on the environment.  There is no electricity, rooms are lit with beeswax candles. the stars light up the nights, and the swimming pool is fed by local springs.

Shali Lodge, set in the middle of a lush palm grove in the heart of Siwa, is built of rock salt in the traditional architectural style. It has 20 charming suites that are simply but luxuriously furnished, all overlooking an internal courtyard.

At Albabenshal

Albabenshal is located, quite spectacularly, outside the jagged ruins of Old Shali, a 13th-century citadel in the center of Siwa.  A restoration of what were once rundown Siwan dwellings, Albabenshal has 13 rooms on three levels, linked through a system of alleyways and terraces overlooking the town center.

What They Are Doing

The Siwa Sustainable Development Initiative has brought significant benefits to the local community, while protecting Siwa’s delicate ecology and revitalizing its unique cultural heritage.  It has renewed Siwans’ pride in their cultural heritage, creating a wave of building in the Siwan traditional architectural style and has resulted in a decree by the governor of Matruh that all new constructions be built in the traditional style.

Siwan Woman Doing Embroidery

Most importantly, the initiative has created environmentally and culturally sustainable employment and income-generating opportunities that draw on local materials and expertise. At least 600 Siwans are employed in areas such as the supply of raw materials, production of furniture and handicrafts, transport of goods and workers, and as tour operators.

Creations of Siwa

In partnership with the International Finance Corporation, EQI is working to develop Siwa into a center of excellence for the production of organically grown produce and agro-culinary products, while improving the standard of living of Siwan farmers. The project, which hopes to benefit up to 450 farmers and 50 off-farm workers,  aims to add value to Siwan agricultural produce by promoting the adoption of organic farming and farm management systems that are compatible with international certifications. There are crop-prefinancing and cattle-financing schemes, a renewable energy initiative, and a packaging warehouse.

In August 2001, EQI launched a cottage industry aimed at revitalizing Siwa’s traditional handicrafts and promoting a culture of artisanship among women in the oasis. An initial grant from the British embassy went towards upgrading the embroidery skills of 50 Siwan women to ensure workmanship of the highest standard. The project allows women to work from home or in an all-women setting, in keeping with Siwan tradition. Within a year, the number of women participating in the project had reached 300. Siwa Creations has worked with several haute couture companies in Italy, including Ermanno Scervino and Nia Ferrante.

(Hotel View and Creations photos by Khaled Nagy.)

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Filed Under: Adrère Amellal, Africa, Carbon Footprint, Community, Conservation, Education, Egypt, Environment, Lodge of the Week, Women Tagged With: architecture, artisans, embroidery, handicrafts, organic, siwa, women

Flatdogs Camp

March 21, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Who They Are

Flatdogs is, in this day of high-end safari lodges, a good and affordable alternative. Owner managed, the camp overlooks the Luangwa River in the South Luangwa National Park.

The Treehouse Master Bedroom

With its choice of chalets, safari tents, and the exclusive Jackal-berry Treehouse, Flatdogs is ideal for many a traveler, from honeymooner to family (it is one of the few children-friendly camps) to diehard return visitor. Guests can drive themselves to the camp or fly into Mfuwe airport and start their safari from there. Many safari camps and lodges have a set menu (albeit with one or two choices per course), but Flatdogs has an a la carte menu that allows guests to choose their meals daily.

The Treehouse

The quality of the safari guiding is well known in the region. The guides, eight of them at present, who all come from the area, are a fund of information not only on indigenous culture but also on the history of the area and local conservation practices.

What They Are Doing

Chiyembekezo is a school that was set up entirely by local people for orphaned and vulnerable children. Kelvin, the founder, was concerned about the number of children he found walking the streets, fishing with their fathers, and generally not attending school. With their own money, he and a couple of other local businessmen hired a teacher (a fantastically committed woman named Dailes, who they paid when they could) and started a school in a small house. From there it has grown, and when it was providing education to fifty children five mornings a week Kelvin asked Flatdogs advice about raising funds.

Impressed with his commitment and initiative, the camp happily offered to help. Through combined fund=raising efforts, the teacher’s salary is paid, uniforms for the children are bought, and educational resources provided. The school uses St Agnes’ Anglican Church for classes, and Flatdogs recently helped install electricity and repainted the interior of the building. Future plans include the construction of a small secure storeroom, the upgrading of the playground, and sending Dailes for further training.

Flatdogs has also assisted Mfuwe Secondary School by building two classroom blocks, and it is raising funds for items such as new desks. At present Flatdogs repairs all broken desks from schools in the area.

Fresh from the Garden

Produce at Flatdogs is locally grown, and the camp has helped finance the installation of a water pump to help a local named Rodgers with his irrigation. In its own garden, the camp grows herbs and vegetables and will be helping Mfuwe Secondary School do the same to encourage kids to learn about conservation-savvy farming practices and about the variety of fruit and vegetables suitable for the local soil.

Wake Up!

Flatdogs makes a careful point of not buying only locally. “Buy too much of a scarce commodity,” it says, “and prices rise beyond the reach of local people. So we try to balance our needs, the demands of the business, and the prosperity of local people.” When Flatdogs requires lots of a product in short supply, it encourages Rodgers to grow plenty of it. So every tomato in camp will be local, but none of the fish will be, because it is a valuable protein source for locals and, says Flatdogs, “we want to keep prices down.”

At Chiyembekezo School

Flatdogs is involved in various women’s projects promoting women’s rights and independence by encouraging continued education and careers. It works with Project Luangwa through Eunice Nakachinda, who runs small projects in local villages, particularly with the aim of getting girls into school. Most girls are keen to learn, but they are often required to stay at home to help the family, so her project is one of educating the villagers on the value of education for all children.

Rodgers at Work

The camp also takes about 100 local children on safari each year to teach them the benefits of animals and to show them how peaceful they are in their own environments, to dispel the fear they have of animals who wander into villages at night. Each of Flatdog’s eight guides takes a vehicle full of kids out in the low season. The children are usually in their last two years of school, and most of them belong to the conservation clubs at their school. “We target these children because a couple of other local tourism operators offer something similar but for younger age groups.”

Besides solar heating for water, Flatdogs has some innovative recycling programs. Paper and cardboard go to schools to turn into bricks for cooking. Cans go to Mango Tree Crafts (based at Tribal Textiles), who use them to make a variety of quirky products. Glass and plastic go to Lusaka.

Click here for a Tribal Textiles video

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Filed Under: Carbon Footprint, Community, Conservation, Education, Environment, Features, Flatdogs Camp, T-Z, Uncategorized, Women, Zambia Tagged With: children, garden, luangwa, women

Feynan Ecolodge, Jordan

August 10, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Desert Life

Who They Are

Powerless Chic

Deep in the heart of the mountainous Jordanian desert, in a place known as the Wadi Feynan, lies an idyllic lodge quite unlike any other. Set against this glorious landscape, Feynan Ecolodge has 26 gorgeously simple rooms that all face the wadi. Because there is no electricity, light comes from candles – and we mean lots of candles! – and the showers are solar-powered. Spacious terraces, one on the roof, give you a view of the startling terrain by day and stars by night.

Situated about 215 km. south of Amman, off the Dead Sea-Aqaba highway, Feynan is not far from the famous archeological site of Petra and is in one of the oldest continuously inhabited areas in the world. The archaeological ruins date back more than 12,000 years, and there are some 100 sites are in the area, many under excavation and others still unexplored. Bedouin live traditionally in their tents in the surrounding valleys.

The Ruins of a Byzantine Church

A short walk from the lodge are Neolithic ruins that illustrate the shift from nomadic to village lifestyles are some of the oldest copper mines in the world, where Christian slaves were later worked to death by the Romans, a Roman aqueduct and mill, and remnants of Byzantine churches.

Two Rare Sinai Agama

Feynan is also situated in the 300-sq.-km. Dana Biosphere Reserve, which encompasses the four different bio-geographical zones of the country: Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian, Saharo-Arabian and Sudanian. Owing to its diverse elevations and geographical formations, Dana hosts a wide array of flora and fauna – more than 800 plant species, three of which are unique to the area, and 449 different animals that include threatened species such as the sand cat, the Syrian wolf, the lesser kestrel, and the spiny-tailed lizard. Dana also falls within the Dana Important Bird Area.

Au Naturel

What They Are Doing

Feynan employs its staff from the local Bedouin community, whose only alternative is to herd goats, which seriously damage the fragile environment. Part of Feynan’s revenue is allocated to helping conserve Dana and protecting endangered species. Water is sourced from nearby springs and is used carefully and under strict controls. Food excess and waste are composted to reuse as fertilizer.

Preparing the Evening's Lights

The solar-powered lodge illuminates its rooms with candles, which are made on site by Bedouin women. Other women work at an annex creating leather goods that are sold at Feynan and other reserves in Jordan. All transportation to and from the lodge, Petra, Aqaba, and elsewhere is provided by Bedouin using their own pickups, providing income to some 40 families. Feynan is introducing extracurricular programs to teach English and other subjects in English to local children at the community school.

The lodge is operated by EcoHotels and owned by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, a nongovernmental organization established in 1966 under the patronage of the late King Hussein and devoted to the preservation of Jordan’s natural resources. The RSCN introduced its people-centered approach to the management of protected areas in Dana in 1994.

The Wadi by Night

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Filed Under: Asia & Middle East, Carbon Footprint, Community, Conservation, Education, Environment, Features, Feynan Ecolodge, Jordan, Women Tagged With: archeology, bedouin, byzantine, candles, dana biosphere, desert

Jicaro Island Ecolodge, Nicaragua

July 14, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Afloat at Jicaro

Who They Are

Started by London businesswoman Karen Emanuel after she saw a sign ‘Island for Sale’ when she was visiting Nicaragua in 2007 – and then she bought it! – Jicaro is barely a year old and is already attracting praise and awards. Located not far from the ocean on a private island in Lake Nicaragua, its 9 casitas that look across the water to Mombacho volcano are all extremely private but only a short walk from the pool, the wellness center, and the main facilities.

The Zen of a Casita

Each casita has two levels, with the large bedroom above, and both floors have spacious decks to take in the views. The restaurant’s menu has plenty of options and prides itself on the selection of fresh fish from the lake and the sea, local vegetables and fruit, and locally raised chicken and beef. Besides yoga sessions and a variety of massage and wellness treatments, Jicaro offers tours to the historic Zapatera island and the volcano, hikes, and boating.

A Casita Hidden in the Greenery

An interesting aside: Guests can learn about local foods’ history, uses, and the different ways it can be prepared. Papayas, for instance, can be turned into juice, jam, pickled sauce, or a salad with feta cheese. Eat up!

What They Are Doing

Jicaro couldn’t do better than to take its sustainability lead from Costa Rica, which is exactly what it did. The team in charge of managing Jicaro has a decade-long track record in the field.

Built entirely from timber reclaimed from trees blown down by 2007’s Hurricane Felix, the buildings and furniture are made of tropical hardwoods which have a controlled wood certification. This the lodge did in conjunction with Simplemente Madera, designers and builders of both furniture and buildings in Jicaro that were already supporting sustainable forestry with the indigenous communities in the hurricane-affected areas before the devastation.

The Pool

Though still in its early stages, Jicaro is developing a program to work with local schools, focusing on environmental education, providing supplies and materials, and building infrastructure. To start with, they will work with three schools and just over 200 children, all under the age of 12.

From August through December, the Learning is Change program will, for two hours a week, use art, music, drama, and multimedia in order to expand the children’s approach to learning. Subjects to be taught with a combination of textbooks, hands-on activities, games, and field trips will include conservation, climate change, flora and fauna of the Nicaragua Lake, and sustainability. In order to achieve this, Jicaro is working with, as well as training, one of the female community leaders and four young adults from the local islands.

Kayaking on Lake Nicaragua

Three times a year Jicaro will give financial aid, in the form of infrastructure, supplies, and materials, to where they are most needed in the three schools. It will work in coordination with World Vision.

Starting in July, all employees will be take 6-hour courses that cover biodiversity, water, climate change, and sustainability. Each month after that there will be a field trip, homework activity, and a relevant guest speaker.

Recycling in Nicaragua is not as widespread as in Costa Rica, but last month saw the introduction of the employee recycling program.  Though it is voluntary, each employee is strongly encouraged to separate their garbage at home and then bring it to the hotel, which will dispose of it with the hotel’s recyclables.

A Lake Resident

In Their Own Words

“It is part of our goal to have sustainability streamlined into the lives of the people that work for us. We feel that exposing them thoroughly to the issues, making it fun and creative, will awaken a passion of some sort in them and motivate them to start making changes in their lives.”

Upstairs at a Casita

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Filed Under: Carbon Footprint, Community, Conservation, Education, Environment, Features, Jicaro Island Ecolodge, Nicaragua, Restoration & Repurposing, Women Tagged With: cayuga, Costa Rica, forest, yoga

Guludo Beach Lodge, Mozambique

July 12, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

A Dhow on Rolas Island

Who They Are

Far in the northern extremes of Mozambique, beyond Pemba in the Querimbas Archipelago, lies the beach oasis of Guludo Beach Lodge. Set up by Amy and Neal Carter-James, a young English couple who passionately believed that quality tourism could benefit poor, rural communities, Guludo goes much further in achieving sustainable tourism than countless resorts around the world that are many times bigger.

A Tented Banda by Night

Designed to blend in with the landscape without impacting it, the four types of accommodations all open up right onto the beach. The Adobe Bandas have king-size beds under a high thatched roof, and in the Tented Bandas your lodgings are beautifully furnished bespoke tents under thatch that let you feel a part of nature without losing the comfort. Also, there is the two-bedroom Family Banda and the more private Zala Suite.

The Simplicity of an Adobe Banda

If lazing on the white-sand beach gets boring, or you need a break from scuba-diving the coral reefs,  there are tours to the fascinating and historic Ibo Island and Rolas Island, as well as whale watching and, with the Querimbas National Park right behind you, a hideout to look for elephants.

Under their company Bespoke Experience the Carter-James plan to open other similar properties.

What They Are Doing

The Carter-James’s plans began to take root in 2002, when, at a meeting in Guludo village, community members said they would like to help them realize their dream of creating a lodge that helped the locals uplift themselves. Guludo was built following guidelines on how to make as little impact and be as unobtrusive as possible, and to respect local customs and culture. The lodge keeps in mind the principles of fair trade (such as employing 50 people from Guludo village and acquiring all its produce from within a five kilometer radius).

An Adobe Banda on the Beach

All furniture and furnishings were produced by local artisans on site, and even uniforms were made by a local tailor with locally bought fabric. Guests are encouraged to buy locally. Several groups have been set up in the area to provide products and crafts, including two weaving palm, one weaving bamboo, and one doing ceramics. These groups sell directly to guests and to the lodge, and a craft store is being created. It is hoped this will create work. The lodge also encourages local services, such as taking guests to a lookout to see elephants and promoting local dance groups.

Better Eating, Thanks to Nema

Five percent of Guludo’s income goes to a specially created foundation, Nema, which carries out an array of community and conservation projects. Numerous local issues were identified before Guludo opened – high infant mortality, lack of education, and lack of jobs.

Prior to Nema, less than one percent of children went on to study at secondary school and less than 20 percent completed all 7 years at primary school because of the costs and the need for children to help gather food. Nema is building two new primary schools and hopes to build a secondary school next year. A feeding scheme now provides a total of one nutritious meal to 550 children every school day. This year Nema has given out 79 scholarships, although funds are sorely needed to keep this number up (see how you can help). School attendance, as a result of these efforts, has increased by 350 percent.

The Fascinating Ibo Island

In the Guludo area the average life expectancy is 38, and 30 percent of children do not reach the age of five, many dying as a result of  malaria. In 2007 and 2008 over 4,400 insecticide-treated nets were distributed to each woman in six villages who were either pregnant or had children under five, resulting in over 10,000 people sleeping under nets. In 2010, Nema hopes to reach every woman with a child under five in all 12 neighboring villages.

Women Especially are Targeted for Help in Guludo Village

Every day 102 children in Mozambique are infected with HIV and less than three percent will receive treatment. The majority of new infections are in young people, with girls between 15 to 19 three times more at risk than boys the same age. A new local drama group has been trained to perform sketches illustrating the dangers of HIV, and its reception has been incredible, with whole villages turning out to watch the performances. Nema will also start to run HIV workshops, distribute condoms, and will show HIV awareness films. In 2010 it also plans to start a school soccer project to raise awareness among the youth.

Right Behind the Beach ... the Bush

In 2007, around Guludo, less than 50 percent of the population had access to safe water and the majority of pumps were in disrepair. In 2007/2008 Nema completed 28 new or rehabilitated water points and pumps in 12 villages, resulting in the provision of clean water to over 12,000 people.

A Humpback off Guludo

Guludo has also developed a seafood buyers guide to help people decide what non-endangered fish to buy. Guests have helped sponsor humpback whale research, and the lodge helps locals develop kitchen gardens and plans to start working with farmers to be more conscientious of protecting the forest and bush around them.

In Their Own Words

“Inspired by the people living in the Guludo area, Guludo Beach Lodge is just the beginning. Like many entrepreneurs, ideas  always abound and you never quite know what’s just around the corner in their quest of using business to relieve poverty.”

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Filed Under: Carbon Footprint, Community, Conservation, Education, Environment, Features, Guludo Beach Lodge, Health, Mozambique, Women Tagged With: carter-james, crafts, nema, water, whale

Fashion at the Oasis, Egypt

January 21, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Embroidery from Siwa

Walk into one of several fashion stores in Italy and you might see the designs and embroidery of the women of Siwa in Egypt. Closely associated with Adrère Amellal and its two partner hotels, which range in price from $45 to $330 a night, the Siwa initiative started off by helping 50 Siwan women to upgrade their embroidery skills and thus  ensure workmanship of the highest standard. The project allows women to work from home or in an all-women setting, in keeping with Siwan tradition. Within a year, the number of women participating in the project had reached 300. Siwa Creations has worked with several haute couture companies in Italy, including Ermanno Scervino and Nia Ferrante. Read more about the many projects of Siwa and Adrère Amellal, a luxury hotel that proves you don’t need electricity to be bright.

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Filed Under: Africa, Carbon Footprint, Community, Education, Egypt, News, Women Tagged With: embroidery, siwa, women

A Merrier Christmas

December 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

As part of its Instead of Christmas Cards and Gifts Program, the award-winning Le Quartier Francais hotel in Franschhoek, South Africa, paid for the children at a nearby nursery school – run by a woman who does it for little or no charge – to have their first Christmas party and a visit from one of LQF’s chefs dressed as Santa. The kids got healthy food, clothes, and a toy to take home. The children already are supplied with food for several days a week, and LQF is working on doing it for all five days for the entire year. Good idea!

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Filed Under: Africa, Community, Education, South Africa, Women
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