No matter where their feet take them, those with chronic wanderlust will always feel love—through the surroundings, experiences or the people they meet. But travellers can give the love back, too, and do something for the community of their destination.
A small group of outdoor enthusiasts made that happen two months after the recent 7.2-magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol.
With donations in cash and in kind pooled from friends, workmates, employers and a local publishing house, the group delivered Christmas presents to 185 schoolchildren in the town of Sagbayan. The kids, who lost their school and a classmate to the quake, had been taking lessons in hot, crowded tents converted as classrooms with thin wooden partitions.
Hoping to share the Yuletide spirit with the youngsters, the travel group organized a day of art-making, singing, dancing and storytelling sessions. After the outreach activities, the visitors spent the rest of their stay getting a taste of Boholano cuisine, exploring the province and what remained of its historic churches.
Two of the organizers of the Bohol trip, Inquirer Outdoor Club president Jodee Agoncillo and Nastasha Verayo, share tips and guidelines on how to plan your own vacation-outreach.
Ask why. Kick off travel preparations with a concrete purpose. It will be the focus of all your efforts, and should be motivating as well.
The Bohol trip’s purpose was to augment what little supplies were available to the children and staff of a school after the earthquake.
Form a supportive, reliable team. Your travel buddies should be willing to go out on a limb, not just for the fun part of the trip but for the outreach, too.
Work or consult with an NGO or local government officer. They will help determine, as well as provide, all the information you need to know about your beneficiaries. Be wary of bogus organizations.
Share your purpose and vision. When seeking donors and inviting potential partners from the community, be clear about your goals. Ask how to help the beneficiaries the best way possible and what difference all the efforts will make.
Plan early. Flights are cheaper and there’s also less inconvenience filing vacation leaves in the office.
Make a to-do list.
Update your contacts and partners in the community. Do so regularly, a must if you aim for well-executed plans.
Know the volume of supplies to donate, or the number of beneficiaries. Shop and repack as early as possible.
Keep receipts and a logbook of donors, donations and expenses.
Make a realistic itinerary. Consider logistics, the smaller details, and the possibility of sudden changes such as people backing out from the trip.
Arrange transport (preferably vans for land travel) that can accommodate your cargo of donated supplies.
Bring extra funds. The Bohol team, Verayo said, had shipped most of the donations ahead of the trip but, up until the day before the flight, donations were still coming in. They had to pay excess-baggage fees for the additional cargo.
“Don’t expect a perfect trip,” Agoncillo said. “Prepare for the worst but always expect the best. Traveling with a purpose is fun.”
Document your trip/outreach and share photos online. Who knows, others might get inspired to combine outreach with their local travels, too.