Category: Good Work

How responsible travellers get more from the Brazil World Cup

Guest blogger Cristina Nanni, of volunteering NGO Frontier, reveals some great ideas for responsible tourists visiting Brazil for this year’s football World Cup…

sports fans in Brazil

On the 12th June the world will wait with baited breath as the first match of the Brazil World Cup 2014 kicks off as host country Brazil faces underdogs Croatia. Fans will have the chance to watch football in the country where Pelé, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Socrates first kicked a ball, but for many, watching the players fight it out in the stadium will be the end of their cultural experience.

For those that are keen to get to know more about the country behind the football, adding a volunteering project as a chance to give back to Rio’s impoverished communities is a fantastic opportunity to give back. So if you want to turn your sport pilgrimage into a true adventure, make sure to take a look behind the city’s scenes…

An easy way to get a look at the ‘real’ Rio is to immerse yourself within the favela community. By partaking in an introductory or favela tour you’ll get an insight into the vibrant carnival culture which Rio is famous for.

Recommended for… Whoever wants to discover Rio’s soul.

Be aware that…You have to be in Rio de Janeiro on the same day as your tour. Tours run from 10am to 2pm on weekdays and 12pm to 4pm on weekends.

Good credentials… A percentage of the tour fee goes straight back into the favela community, directly helping to support a number of initiatives aimed at getting kids off the streets and people back into work.

Rio, Brazil

If you have a longer stay planned in Rio, you might want to consider joining a community development volunteering project running for two weeks or more. Through a series of educational programs you can help impoverished local communities to acquire expertise and knowledge to expand their academic and career opportunities. By teaching and transferring skills, you will allow locals to be more competitive in the job market, and there is a wide range of activities you can be involved in: music and dance, graffiti art, sport, gardening, handcrafts for women and young people. If you have a basic level of Portuguese you could consider teaching English or IT, or offering tutoring services.

Recommended for… Anyone that wants to make the most of this World Cup experience

Be aware that… To take part to the project you have to commit for a minimum of two weeks and you will stay in a local hostel sharing a dorm room with your fellow volunteers.

Good credentials… This project will help you to gain valuable job experience in teaching while contributing to the sustainable development of a friendly and vibrant community in one of Rio’s largest favelas.

For more details, prices and booking visit www.frontier.ac.uk

About the author: Cristina Nanni works for Frontier, a non-profit international volunteering NGO that runs over 300 dedicated conservation, community, and adventure projects in 61 countries across the globe. Find out more about Frontier’s volunteer projects, ethical adventure trails and gap year planning.

You may also like… Positive favela tours in Rio de Janeiro

Volunteer for PoD’s new community football team in Ghana

Volunteer organisation PoD has launched a women’s football team in rural Ghana  – and you could join them!

The ladies football team, which started in March 2014, involves up to 30 women between 13 to 35 years old getting together on the village football pitch for fun sports sessions every week.

Running football training in Ghana

They, and the community’s men’s football team, would love to have more sports coaching volunteers around the year to help them increase their skills. The community is keen to learn other sports too, so if you are more interested in netball, cricket, volleyball, rugby or anything else they would love to learn.

Gemma, from the PoD UK office who has just returned from her African visit says “It was fantastic to watch the ladies team develop while I was on my recent project visit; everyone was keen to learn new skills and proudly posed post match in their new football kits. It was great to see the community supporting the first ever ladies football team in their first match against the neighbouring village – especially against the spectacular backdrop of the red setting sun!”

The football kits for each player are kindly donated to the charity by a past volunteer, but donations are more than simple hand-outs – the time given by volunteers helps the women and girls develop skills beyond the classroom. The women have lessons with a teacher from the secondary school before the volunteers run football sessions for the squad.

the ladies football team, Ghana, Africa

These sessions help them to increase their in confidence in everyday situations. It is also a great way to encourage team work and inspire increased school attendance by having fun in a relaxed environment, since many girls drop out of school early to start a family or help their family income.

A confidential weekly women’s health group run by the community nurse has been established to compliment the training and allow the women to ask questions they may not want to ask in a regular clinic.

If you would like to get involved in coaching football or any other sports in Ghana find out more about how you can get involved on the PoD volunteer website – visit www.podvolunteer.org

Get involved with creative arts in Nepal

Do you love arts and crafts? Or enjoy getting kids involved in dance, music and drama? Then you could be the perfect candidate for a new volunteering project in Nepal.

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Creative Arts, Nepal, run by the charity PoD, is looking for volunteers with skills in drawing, painting, music, drama, dance, creative writing, pottery, puppetry, story-telling, anything your creative mind can offer! Volunteers will be teaching young children at the Street Children’s Centre in the Himalayan city of Pokhara, running creative classes to break from the norm of rote learning. The creative classes help broaden the children’s imagination, improve self-confidence, open up new ways of learning, and most of all, add an element of fun!

Schools and children’s centres in Nepal rarely have the budget to fund arts-related classes meaning additional support from charities and their volunteers is greatly welcomed.

The work

Volunteers work for around five hours a day, five days a week, at the centre and are encouraged to come prepared with their own lesson plans and activity ideas for children of all ages. Approximately two to five other volunteers will be working with PoD in Pokhara at the same time, and everyone will receive support from PoD volunteer manager and resident Chrissie. Volunteers receive a Nepali language lesson during their first week, with placements lasting from two to 16 weeks.

Accommodation

Volunteers stay in the beautiful Himalayan lakeside city of Pokhara, surrounded by mountains. Accommodation is at a family-run guesthouse – basic but clean and comfortable, with your own en-suite room. Owner Bindu and her family always provide a very warm welcome for guests.

PoD has been working in Nepal since 2007 with two members of staff who are based in Pokhara. The Street Children’s Centre rescues children from a life on the street. The children here could have run away from home, been abandoned by their families or have grown up on the streets as orphans. The centre is home to around 15 orphaned and disadvantaged children between two and 15 years old. The orphanage uses its limited resources to provide the children with accommodation, food, education and support. The child care centres allow low to middle income families to work while their children are at a day care centre in a safe and secure environment.

For more information about the project, including fees, dates and how to book, visit Creative Arts, Nepal.

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Namibia: Volunteering in the world’s largest conservation area

Guest blogger Kat Ogilvie, of NGO Biosphere Expeditions, profiles one of their award-winning trips

Namibia is a leading example in the field of nature and wildlife conservation and the protection of animals and the ecosystem, not only in Africa, but in the world. Almost half of Namibia is under some sort of protection, whether it’s through national parks, communal conservancies or private game reserves. All of the work undertaken by Biosphere Expeditions contributes to the rich biodiversity of Namibia.

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The work – safeguarding big cats, elephants and other species of the African savannah

This expedition will take you to the beautiful Khomas Hochland (highlands) in central Namibia to conduct a survey of elephants and African cats, mainly leopard, but also cheetah and carcal, and their interrelationship with humans and prey animals such as giraffe, eland, kudu and zebras. As part of a small team you will learn some bush skills and then follow elephants and cats on foot or in the expedition vehicles to record information about the animal’s behaviour patterns. You will also set camera and live traps, conduct game counts and you may assist with the cat capturing and collaring, All this in effort to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and create a sustainable future for all.

Accommodation – comfortable bush camp style

The base consists of stone chalets with beds, linen, mosquito netting and furniture. There are hot showers, toilets, a communal lounge, rest areas with hammocks, and a kitchen.

Biosphere Expeditions has amassed several awards and this trip in particular has been honoured by National Geographic Traveller magazine’s Tours of a Lifetime list. It has also been honoured in the Wall Street Journal’s Best Volunteer Travel list and the Business Insider’s Best Volunteer Vacations list. Biosphere carefully select long-term projects always run by local scientists that make a significant conservation impact.  They don’t just go there once; they keep going back until the work is done, even if it takes years. By contributing, the work you put in is the reason why the research can be carried out.

Recommended for… Anyone looking to take part in award-winning conservation projects that make a difference. You don’t have to have any experience or qualifications and there are also no age limits so anyone can get involved.

Be aware that… Most of the work will be done from vehicles; however, you also need to be able to walk for at least 5km, even when it is hot and in broken, mountainous terrain for some of the activities.

‘Good’ credentials:

  • One of the expedition’s scientists was made a laureate of the environmental prize Trophée de Femmes of the Yves Rocher Foundation for work on this project.
  • Data collected by expeditions in Namibia has helped local and international partners make arguments that have led to the declaration of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, or KAZA TFCA.
  • The KAZA TFCA is the world’s largest conservation area spanning five southern African countries; Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, centred around the Caprivi-Chobe-Victoria Falls area.
  • As a result of this on-going project, fewer lions, leopards and cheetahs have been killed in farmer-predator conflict due to the extensive data collection.

 

For more details, prices and booking visit www.biosphere-expeditions.org 

About the author: Kat Ogilvie writes on behalf of Biosphere Expeditions, an NGO dedicated to genuine achievements in conservation and real transparency through expedition reports and scientific publications. Find out more about Biosphere Expeditions’ wildlife volunteer projects.

Dive in! Marine conservation projects in Fiji

Guest blogger Laura Robinson, of NGO Frontier, profiles a project that lets you gain a dive qualification as you volunteer…

In the heart of the South Pacific Ocean, Fiji includes 333 islands which are famous for their excellent selection of white sandy beaches, coral diving and pristine environments. The crystal clear waters that surround each island include an array of marine creatures including over 1,200 species of fish and 12 species of whale.

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Frontier’s Fiji Marine Conservation and Diving project gives volunteers a dive qualification and familiarises them with surveying underwater species. Volunteers in Fiji can also contribute towards the publication of scientific papers, gaining them some great credentials for future employers, for undertaking projects on their time abroad. As well as obtaining a PADI qualification, you also have the chance to carry out a BTEC award as well as a CoPE qualification.

The work

While earning a PADI qualification, volunteers conduct scientific baseline data surveys of reef areas, mapping the beds and mangrove growth in the area. New skills include underwater visual reef censuses which assess the coral cover to determine the extent of coral bleaching. On rare occasions, volunteers get to undertake research which involves the impact of fishing on coral reefs and to observe the impact of marine trade on endangered marine invertebrates.

Accommodation

During the project volunteers stay in a simple beach house on the island of Beqa. The house has been constructed by local craftsmen, using traditional building techniques and materials which aims to give you an authentic experience while you are away. Life at camp is very simple but also very fun, and you will experience what it is like to live almost carbon neutrally. Food in camp consists largely of rice, fruit, pancakes and fish which are purchased within the country to help the economy.

Recommended for… Anyone that enjoys diving and living a simple lifestyle, whilst also caring about local communities and their environments – and you must have a passion for conservation and wildlife!

Be aware that… This is better for longer-term stays; the first few weeks are spent on training with more survey time in subsequent weeks.  The work may be intense and challenging at times and activity varies depending on the time of year.

‘Good’ credentials

  • Once patterns have been identified, work begins alongside local communities to raise awareness over the value and vulnerability of their local marine environment.
  • Frontier also aims to create seasonally protected areas for turtles during nesting.

 

About the author: Laura Robinson works for Frontier, a non-profit international volunteering NGO that runs over 300 conservation, community, and adventure projects in 57 countries across the globe. She can be found blogging on Frontier’s Gap Year Blog or posting on the Frontier Official Facebook page.

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Meet the sun bears of the Wildlife Rescue Project, Thailand

The sun bears of southeast Asia are classed as a vulnerable species, but there are some good news stories. We caught up with PoD Volunteer to hear about how three of their resident sun bears, Ginger, Ben and Jessia, are getting on at the Wildlife Rescue Centre in Thailand…Bear_Praew

Currently the PoD Wildlife Rescue project in Thailand is home to 28 rescued beers, both the Malayan sun bear and the Asiatic black bear. Almost all bears at the centre were previously kept as pets in private homes and temples, however, a few were also confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade as cubs. Caring for the bears is not easy – they are very destructive, eat a lot, need large enclosures to be without stress, and because of their past as pets (being fed the wrong food) their medical condition needs close attention. Some bears are diabetic or have bad teeth from eating sweets for many years before they arrived at the Wildlife Rescue Centre.

Bear_PindaThe arrival of Ginger, Ben and Jessia

In September 2012, the centre received a call from a temple in Southern Thailand asking for help with some unruly bears. It’s very common in Thailand for people to donate wildlife to temples, even though they are far from ideal locations to keep wild animals, and in many cases medical care and sufficient nutritional food is not available. Thankfully, in this case the abbot had called the Wildlife Rescue Centre for assistance.

On inspection, the enclosures at the temple were not strong enough and two of the bears regularly escaped from the cage, destroying property in the local area. To reduce the threat to the community and improve the welfare of the bears, the abbot had decided that the best decision was to give them up.

 

Life at the Wildlife Rescue CentreBear_Ben

All three rescued bears, named Ginger, Ben and Jessia by the team, moved straight to the large open enclosures at the Wildlife Rescue Centre. This is where the real work (and skill) comes in as the centre tackles the issue of getting the bears to embrace sharing an enclosure!

Jessia is a rather boisterous character and in the first few weeks Ginger was not particularly welcoming towards her over-enthusiastic approach. In the initial introduction – when the gates between the enclosures were opened – Jessia ran straight up to play with Ginger but it was a bit too much and Ginger decided to climb to the top of one of the bear towers, making it clear that Jessia was not allowed to follow her!

Bear_PheemaiOver the weeks, the Wildlife Rescue Centre continued to introduce the bears in small sessions. As time progressed, Ginger became accustomed to the energy that Ben and Jessia both display. The centre continued to separate the bears at feeding time to ensure that competition didn’t emerge, but the centre is happy to report they are now living together very peacefully.

The more relaxed they are, the more their personalities shine through: Jessia and Ginger often play together, but Ben has always remained more distant. Jessia has taken a shine to a particular spot on a concrete tree while Ben very much enjoys searching for food that volunteers hide. Ginger has lost a good amount of weight and hopefully, with the large enclosure and her balanced diet (with less candy!) she will be healthier every day. The three bears all sit together while feeding and share the same climbing trees – it has definitely been a successful integration.

Would you like to join the team and volunteer with PoD at the Wildlife Rescue Centre in Thailand?Cleaning one of the bear pools

  • You’ll be helping to look after over 300 rescued animals including bears, primates, birds, reptiles and other small mammals.
  • Tasks including feeding the animals and cleaning their enclosures
  • You could also be helping construct new enclosures and taking visitors on tours
  • You’ll be working 6 days a week, 6.30am – 5pm but the atmosphere is relaxed and informal, just remember you’ll get more out of it the more effort you put in!
  • The centre is based on temple grounds around 100m south of Bangkok – this peaceful location is by a lake which houses a few ‘gibbon islands’ used to rehabilitate rescued gibbons. It’s 25km from the beaches of Cha Am and Hua Hin.

 

For more information about the project, including dates and prices, visit www.podvolunteer.org/Animals/wildlife-rescue-thailand.html

 

 

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Teach in Ghana – an educational experience

Guest blogger Ellie Cambridge, of NGO Frontier, profiles a volunteering opportunity with Ghana’s new generation…

school children in GhanaGhana is a land of contrasts featuring vast areas of land brimming with animals and birds, a stunning coastline, mountainous terrain and the highest waterfall in West Africa – fancy volunteering there? The people are renowned for welcoming visitors, and with education hugely important to local communities, you’re bound to discover a warm welcome if you join this teaching project.

Education provides Ghanaian children the opportunity to move away from less well paid trades and into something that could give them a better future. Many schools in Ghana rely heavily on the help of volunteers. Frontier’s Ghana Teaching Project gives volunteers the opportunity to help underprivileged children do something special with their lives.

The workteaching English in Ghana

While earning a TEFL certificate, volunteers will teach English to the pupils of a local school, mark their work, prepare homework, develop lesson plans and help organise extracurricular activities, such as sports clubs. Much of the teaching work that volunteers do requires creativity and a flexible approach in order to make learning fun and memorable for the children. In order to prepare for the teaching, volunteers are encouraged to sign-up to a training weekend to get their TEFL certificate off to an excellent start.

 

Accommodation

Volunteers stay in a homestay which provides ample opportunity to really get to know the Ghanaian culture and lifestyle by living with a local family. Volunteers are provided with three delicious meals a day, eating traditional Ghanaian dishes. The homestay is part attached to the community school where volunteers teach (your daily alarm may be the children singing as they arrive for school!).

 

school child in GhanaRecommended for… Anyone who wants to make a substantial difference to Ghanaian children’s lives, have a passion for teaching and are willing to get heavily involved in community life.

Be aware that… While clean and comfortable with everything that volunteers need, the accommodation is fairly basic. The food will be nutritiously well-balanced and filling, but may not be exactly what you are used to, so it is always good to be prepared for this difference.

 

‘Good’ credentials:

  • The project provides constant and dedicated education for children that otherwise may not receive it
  • By building English language skills, volunteers directly contribute to the development of Ghanaian business and the economy by increasing children’s communication skills, influencing their career choices later in life

 

About the author: Ellie Cambridge works for Frontier, an NGO dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, and building sustainable livelihoods for marginalised communities in the world’s poorest countries. Find our more about Frontier’s volunteer projects and ethical adventure trails and gap year planning.

 

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New Amazon Rainforest conservation project launched

Guest blogger Ellie Cambridge, of NGO Frontier, profiles a new conservation project that takes you to the heart of the Peruvian jungle.wildlife in the Amazon (c) Frontier

The mighty Amazon rainforest has long been seen as one of the ultimate destinations for adventurers – but with its fragile biodiversity in danger, it needs dedicated teams of conservationists and their volunteers more than ever.

NGO Frontier has launched a new volunteering project – Peru Amazon Rainforest Conservation. By working in a  unique region of the Peruvian Amazon, Frontier and the volunteers work in partnership with leading international universities on the project to carry out research and education, to promote a model for sustainability that could be replicated by other communities throughout South and Central America. And it couldn’t some sooner…

The Amazon Rainforest boasts half of the world’s species of plants, animals and insects, and holds one fifth of the world’s fresh water and produces more than 20% of the world’s oxygen. Due to deforestation, the rainforest is losing 137 plant, animals and insect species everyday. This project aims to lead by example and help protect the rainforest as a valuable resource that should be sustainably looked after.

The work – butterfly identification to tree phenology

Volunteers can get involved in several practical tasks and surveys, and take part in community work such as promoting the project’s work, and new sustainable ways to use the rainforest, in local schools. Practical projects may include camera checks, biomass projects, butterfly traps, tree phenology, agroforestry projects and night transects.

wildlife watching in the Amazon rainforest (c) FrontierAccommodation – a fabulous eco lodge in the heart of the rainforest

Volunteers stay in a fabulous Eco-Lodge which boasts a solar-powered internet connection, an environmentally sound septic system and gravity-fed water pumps; all helping to minimise the centre’s impact on the environment. The lodges consist of six thatched buildings with two single beds in each pod. All food is provided, which includes three meals a day of pancakes, omelettes, fruit, rice, beans, meat, potatoes and cheese. Other food and snacks, if required, can be purchased once a week from a nearby town.

Recommended for… Anyone who wants hands-on conservation work that will help protect a vital and biodiverse rich area of the world; and who wants to see what it’s really like to live and work in the rainforest.

Be aware that… This project means total immersion in the rainforest so volunteers can gain the best possible understanding of conservation, climate change, and poverty. It is for those that want to get stuck in to the conservation effort and do as much as they can to help, and will potentially involve a four day expedition into the rainforest sleeping under the starts if volunteers stay for longer than four weeks.

‘Good’ credentials:

  • Base data gathered by volunteers provides the local community with crucial information, helping them grow the local economy, alongside supporting natural resources to protect the environment
    Frontier aims to create international connections linking industries (including agriculture, tourism, timber) to a network of responsible organisations and communities to ensure continued sustainability

 

For more details, prices and booking visit www.frontier.ac.uk  

About the author: Ellie Cambridge works for Frontier, an NGO dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, and building sustainable livelihoods for marginalised communities in the world’s poorest countries. Find out more about Frontier’s volunteer projects, ethical adventure trails and gap year planning

image courtesy of Peru Amazon Rainforest Conservation

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New education project calls volunteers to Peru

Non-profit organisation PoD Volunteer (www.podvolunteer.org) has announced a new education project in Peru and is now calling on willing volunteers to join and support their work.

school children in PeruThe partnership, with a local community education initiative, is in the Peruvian town of Huaraz in the Ancash region and will provide educational and emotional support to children from low income families. If you want to join them in Peru, here’s a flavour of what you could be experiencing…

Activity

The project encourages a holistic approach to education combining homework tuition, emotional well-being classes, recreational activities and daily nutritious meals in a family orientated environment.  The community school was established in 2006 to support a low income area where many children were struggling to achieve in the school system. The school runs two daily sessions to compliment the state school system;

  • 9am – 12pm: Secondary school students attend the community education project, they then spend the afternoon at state school
  • 3pm – 6pm: Primary school students attend the project following their morning classes at state school. This is a big help also to many single parents who would not be home to look after their children in the afternoon.

 

The objective is to provide the children within extra support in their studies. Volunteers act as mentors offering help with homework, education on health and wellbeing and emotional support for students from difficult backgrounds.volunteering in Peru

Volunteers are involved with a number of tasks which can include:

  • Helping with homework; Spanish, English, Maths and other subjects
  • One-on-one tuition with children who are struggling
  • Informal lessons
  • Creative activities; music, arts and crafts
  • Active games and sports
  • Help on the nutrition awareness program, healthy living and hygiene education
  • Building and maintenance at the school

 

If you have any specific skills or interests then the community education project are always eager to involve this in the volunteer work. Especially if you have experience in social work, psychology, art, environmental sustainability, literacy and numeracy intervention, health education, fundraising, or languages and translation.

teaching in PeruAccommodation

Volunteers stay in a basic but comfortable volunteer apartment, located in the centre of Huaraz and about 10 minutes’ walk from the community school. The apartment has a fully equipped kitchen where volunteers can cook.  Bedrooms are shared with shared bathrooms.

Recommended for… Anyone with an interest in education, community development and working with young people and volunteers who want to immerse themselves in Peruvian culture.

Be aware that… The language barrier can be tough, we recommend volunteers try to pick up a few phrases before you travel and consider lessons when in Peru. You will find you pick up many phrases naturally whilst volunteering! Also, accommodation is not private – bedrooms and bathrooms are shared with other volunteers on the project.

Good credentialsLaguna Churup, Peru

  • Help fight poverty and child labour in Peru by providing educational and emotional support to children and adolescents from low income families.
  • Build self-esteem through helping plan and execute personal and emotional development workshops, crafts, and sports.
  • Support an ongoing local community initiative which has been operating in the region for seven years.

For more information on the role, what’s included and the project price visit PoD Volunteer – Peru, Community Education

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Costa Rica: Volunteering in the ‘Happiest place on Earth’

Jenny Collins, of NGO Frontier, gives us the lowdown on volunteering in Costa Rica – once voted the ‘happiest place in the world’!

Costa Rica’s stunning landscapes of cloud forests and volcanoes, plus the friendly Costa Ricans themselves, offers a big clue as to why this country was once voted the happiest country in the world on the Happy Planet Index. But if you’d rather give something back to the country as you explore it then there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer. Costa Rica sits just above the equator in Central America and benefits from a tropical climate which plays a part in encouraging the high levels of biodiversity in the country, and this is where helpful travellers come in…

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The Costa Rica Big Cats, Primates & Turtles Conservation project allows volunteers to monitor these important species in their own environment. Volunteers live in the middle of the rainforest in the Corcovado National Park (one of the most remote parts of the country) so really get the opportunity to be at one with the wildlife.

The work: Volunteers carry out extensive biodiversity surveys. Work includes walking primate transects to spot the white-faced capuchin monkeys, squirrel monkeys, Jeffries spider monkey and mantled howler monkey which thrive in these biologically rich forests.  Volunteers also survey populations of exotic birds, insects and amphibians, patrolling turtle nesting beaches (except between December and April when there are no turtles in this region), or track big cats.

Accommodation: This varies from tents to hammocks on a handmade deck, made from locally sourced materials. The camp is a 20-minute walk from Playa Piro, where the beach stretches for over 15 miles.

Part of camp life will involve cooking on a rotational basis. Costa Rican food is simple but delicious, with a focus on rice, beans and good quality fruit and vegetables. You could learn to make Gallo Pinto, the staple food of the nation, which is fried rice and black beans. Other favourites include light and crispy tortillas, most often stuffed with delicious cheeses and vegetables.

Much good work has already been carried out by volunteers on the project and new research projects are often set up on location. Recently the volunteers identified deforested locations that have been abandoned in recent decades and which were once used as land for plantations. These areas are missing many of the important species native to the area so Frontier are collaborating with the local Osa Conservation group to initiate a re-vegetation programme. Native species are being used and seeds taken from local areas to establish seedlings within the nursery. In the long-term, it is hoped that the re-establishment of native plant species will encourage more wildlife to return to the area.

Recommended for… Wildlife lovers and anyone who fancies getting back to nature and helping to conserve important areas of biodiversity.

Be aware that… Living in a forest can be tough as well as a great experience and it’s always good to be prepared for all eventualities so that there are no nasty surprises during your time on camp.

‘Good’ credentials:

  • The project supports the local economy by sourcing much of the supplies, including all of the food, from the local community
  • Helping to conserve the local areas will ensure the Costa Rican people can continue to create a sustainable income from tourism

 

About the author: Jenny Collins works for Frontier, an NGO dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, and building sustainable livelihoods for marginalised communities in the world’s poorest countries. Find out more about Frontier’s volunteer projects, ethical adventure trails and gap year planning.

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