(EMAILWIRE.COM, June 02, 2009 ) SEATTLE, Wash — Travel — especially to locations with a distinctly different culture from ones' own — opens the eyes and hearts of those visiting, and a successful travel experience should include personal interaction with the Indigenous people and culture. Wildland Adventures has integrated this into every trip they offer, which is one of the reasons they are proud to partner with Americans for UNFPA (United Nations Fund for Population Activities; www.americansforunfpa.org) and Planned Parenthood Golden Gate (PPGG) to conduct an educational fundraising tour of Ethiopia.
The Ethiopia.
The nine day "Americans for UNFPA & PPGG Leadership Delegation" tour is designed for people who really do make a difference. This small group tour (with no more than 16 participants) will travel into the heart of the close-knit and traditional Ethiopian culture to experience first-hand the challenges — and victories — encountered by the projects and field staff of the UNFPA and PPGG. The itinerary gives participants in-depth exposure to both organizations’ efforts to provide women and children's health care and promote human rights — first with a general overview of the programs, followed by field visits to programs in process, and meetings with women receiving support in Addis Ababa, Hossana, Bahir Dar and Lalibela.
The Ethiopian Delegation Donor tour departure is scheduled for October 18-26, 2009 and starts at $5995 per person (based on a group of 16 participants). $1250 of your payment is a tax deductible donation to Americans for UNFPA and PPGG, and will directly support the work of the UNFPA field offices.
There is also a 7-day extension available to visit the historic monasteries and castles of Axum and Gondor and to view game in the beautiful Simian Mountains from EthiopiaÂ’s premier eco lodge, which begins October 26 and continues through November 1 and begins at $2650 per person, of which $200 is a tax deductable donation.
The Americans for UNFPA and PPGG operate in both urban and rural areas of the country — and delegates will observe how different the issues that affect women and children in sprawling urban environments are from the issues that affect rural villagers. While in Addis Ababa, delegates will visit the Bright Futures (Biruh Tesfa) project. This program, which operates only in the country's sprawling metropolis, helps protect poor urban girls from abuse and exploitation. Delegates also visit the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital to learn about this bastion of protection – the only accessible option for Ethiopian women who suffer from the crippling, embarrassing and often deadly effects of fistula. The next few days of the trip focus on a very different environment — the rural areas. In Hossana, delegates visit PPGG’s flagship international program — Community-Based Reproductive Health — which brings maternal and child medical services to 1300 villages where medical care had previously been lacking. In the village of Bahir Dar, guests visit the Light for Eve (Berhane Hewan) program, which works to protect children from (or give support for those already in) child marriages. Delegates will also visit Lalibela, which UNESCO has helped provide with “modern conveniences” such as electricity and paved roads. There will be time along the trip to explore the local culture and scenery, as well as to visit with both the participants in each project.
Wildland Adventures' partnership with the Americans for UNFPA continues with three more unique experiences in 2010, to Guatemala, Malawi and Cambodia, and planned trips for 2011 and 2012.
For information and reservations visit Wildland Adventures on the web: www.wildland.com or 800-345-4453 or e-mail info@wildland.com.
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About Wildland Adventures
Wildland Adventures was founded in 1986 by Kurt and Anne Kutay with the intention of offering authentic worldwide cultural and natural history explorations for active and inquisitive travelers. Wildland Adventures was rated the #1 Best Adventure Outfitter on Earth in 2009 by National Geographic Adventure Magazine, moving up from the #4 spot held in 2008. Wildland also operates educational fundraising trips in conjunction with the non-profit Americans for UNFPA (United Nations Fund for Population Activities), an international agency that promotes the right of women and their families to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity.
At the core of Wildland Adventures is its commitment to conservation and authenticity. On a Wildland AdventuresÂ’ trip, there are remarkably few barriers between visitors and local cultures, creating an authenticity in the way people travel and the places they encounter. A sample of destinations offered by Wildland Adventures includes Costa Rica, Peru, Patagonia, Belize, Alaska, Turkey, Egypt, Africa, India, New Zealand and Antarctica.
