outreach efforts, the nonprofit identifies kids who are doing well in school, but whose parents cannot afford to continue their education. Every year, Children in the Wilderness (CITW) provides 600 scholarships to cover school fees, uniforms, and other expenses. In addition, CITW brings school children together weekly to learn, discuss, and expand their understanding of the local ecosystem. The structured curriculum encourages youngsters to problem solve, develop solutions, and take initiative over projects that directly benefit their village. In doing so, CITW helps develop the next generation of leaders who will learn to care for their natural heritage and become custodians of wild and resource-rich areas in the future. To date, the organization has directly impacted over 11,000 kids.

Take Action: When guests choose safaris tied to Children in the Wilderness, they are in turn helping support Eco-Club programs at local schools and supporting camps at partner properties.

Children of the Rainbow: For Peruvian children living in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, simple necessities like a primary school education, warm meals, and basic medical care were traditionally unattainable before 2008 — that’s when the Children of the Rainbow school was established. The school supports more than 220 children between the ages of three and 13 and provides a “whole child” approach to learning, which requires the entire family be committed to the process. Families from the Sacred Valley also benefit from an in-house doctor and dentist, nutritional assistance, and other social support services. Children of the Rainbow also offers a library with 2,000-plus books in Spanish, English and Quechua. Educational projects allow students to develop valuable skills like critical thinking and communication, as well as artistic and digital talents.

Take Action: Want to experience this impact firsthand? Visit Peru’s Kuychi Center to meet the children at Niños del Arco Iris (Children of the Rainbow). See how the community expands this elementary school’s outreach beyond education, growing it into an oasis of nutrition, medical care, and hope. After a warm welcome from the children, tour the school’s cafeteria, kitchen, garden, and classrooms, interacting with students and gaining insights from a local philanthropy coordinator along the way.

rugged highlands, lush jungles, and the majestic Inle Lake — the country’s second largest freshwater lake. The shores of the nearly 14-mile-long lake are dotted with floating villages and vegetable gardens, and sadly, hundreds of impoverished families who cannot afford adequate housing.

Take Action: Most Inle Lake residents belong to the Intha group, famously known for their leg rowing technique. During a visit to the area, travelers can participate in a house-building project, which provides new, locally constructed homes for families living in perilous structures. Even those who don’t know which end of the hammer to hold can be of service — and doing so means your contribution will have a long-lasting impact on a family in need. To date, traveling philanthropists have helped build more than 100 safe and sanitary single-family homes near Inle Lake.

Cometa: It’s difficult to imagine yet another reason to love Italy, but in the event you do, consider Cometa. This nonprofit organization helps at-risk kids and their families by providing access to tutors, job training opportunities, and recreational activities after school. The program offers a community hub of sorts that boasts an educational facility, sports field, and skills development center designed to help the less advantaged learn a trade and build relationships through teamwork. And the results are impressive! Since its inception, Cometa has influenced over 1,300 kids, 75 percent of which have found work within seven months of graduation.

Take Action: Guests can visit the establishment and receive hands-on experience working alongside the kids while they learn cooking, gardening, woodworking, and more.

Reteti Elephant Sanctuary: Historically, wildlife conservation efforts have often come at the cost of the humans who also call the area home. That’s why it’s critical for the tangible benefits of conservation to also apply to the people living in wild areas, which can positively impact the economic health of global communities. Kenya’s community conservancy model proves that humans and wildlife can coexist and thrive. There is perhaps no better example of the country’s self-governed sustainable development program than the Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy, home to the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary — the first indigenous owned and run sanctuary for orphaned elephants. When elephant calves are orphaned or abandoned (most often due to drought or poaching), the Reteti elephant keepers, all of whom are from the indigenous Samburu community, rescue, rehabilitate, and eventually release the elephants back into the wild. It’s a symbiotic relationship because the elephants in turn foster tourism, and the local keepers maintain important jobs. The sanctuary typically cares for 20 baby elephants at any given time, and each one requires an astonishing amount of milk.

Take Action: Guests visiting the sanctuary on a special Make Travel Matter® Experience with African Travel, Inc. will meet the caretakers and learn about the elephants’ journey (many return to the wild). For every couple that books a trip to Reteti, two bed-time blankets and three bottles of milk are donated to the sanctuary.