Giving Back
We're enormously privileged to travel this beautiful planet, experiencing the diverse customs, cuisine, music, art, architecture, and history of those who welcome us into their world. But it's impossible to miss the signs of need that are often within plain sight. Giving back to those in need has always been a priority for us. Besides arranging travel for groups engaging in humanitarian activities, we also actively support and contribute to projects that promote education, clean water, human rights, wildlife protection, economic justice, and more.
In 2016, we formalized our philanthropic efforts by launching the Friendly Planet Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation. As a standalone entity, the Foundation will focus solely on expanding our support for humanitarian causes around the world, allowing us to work more efficiently on existing projects and identify new opportunities in the places we visit, seeking out projects that provide real, long-term opportunities for people to improve their lives through jobs, education and entrepreneurship. At the same time, the Foundation will provide opportunities for our travelers to support our efforts through tax-free donations to the Foundation and through participation in our tours.
Thank you for all you do.
Peggy M. Goldman
President, Friendly Planet Travel
For questions about the Foundation, please call 800-555-5765, ext 228.
Philanthropic projects by Friendly Planet Travel
We're very proud of our affiliation with these projects, and we invite you to join us in supporting their incredible work.
Trailblazer Foundation, Cambodia
It's hard to imagine not having such a basic necessity as clean, potable water, but this is the reality for millions of people. In Cambodia, we've been funding the construction of hundreds of wells and pumps to provide clean water to poor villagers, and many of our travelers have done the same.
Relate Bracelets, South Africa
Relate Bracelets offer an innovative double good: employing the elderly and underprivileged while also supporting non-profits doing good in Africa. We purchase one for each traveler on our African safaris, funding clean water, saving elephants, and supporting social services and children's education.
Bamboo School, Nepal
As Nepal heals after the devastating earthquakes in 2015, we're helping to enhance and expand a school in Kathmandu that offers an affordable education to underprivileged children. Our Foundation is donating 200 new desks, and we're working to create a library and computer lab for the students as well.
Kiva Microlending Team
In many countries, hard-working people simply don't have the resources or opportunities to prosper. But we're changing that—not by charity, but by lending. Through the world's first person-to-person micro-loan website, we're giving poor entrepreneurs the tools to succeed and support their families.
Know One, Teach One, Vietnam
Know One, Teach One provides a path out of poverty for homeless teens in Vietnam, offering them a place to live, an education, and job training through student-run restaurants. In Hanoi, our travelers are served lunch by these young restauranteurs-in-training, courtesy of Friendly Planet.