Good Life Expeditions is co-sponsoring the efforts of local non-profit, MEDLIFE, to raise money in support of vulnerable families in Peru and Ecuador that have lost their income due to nationwide lockdowns. In an effort to slow the spread of the virus, governments are only allowing residents to leave their homes for emergencies or essentials like groceries or bank visits. Borders are closed, and businesses are shut.
Good Life Expeditions is deeply passionate about creating transformative travel experiences that give back to the countries where they plan trips. Every traveler with the company supports medicine, education, and development for low-income families through their partner non-profit, MEDLIFE. But while the impacts of COVID-19 spread around the world, and travel has paused, they have had to find new ways to continue to support the local communities – especially those that rely on income from the tourism industry.
As of today, MEDLIFE & Good Life Expeditions have raised almost $2,000 and provided food for 100+ vulnerable families. Good Life Expeditions is proud to be partnered with MEDLIFE in this effort, and knows that with the help of the tourism industry, we can multiply these numbers exponentially. The company is asking our industry to work together to support the families that run local restaurants, drive taxis, work at stores, and above all make us feel welcome when we are visitors in their country. It is our chance to show our support and make sure tourism in Peru and Ecuador is still standing when our travelers return.
HOW IT WORKS
MEDLIFE & Good Life Expeditions will be collecting donations for the next few weeks via fundraising platform Givelively. On this page, you can make a donation, or you can create your own fundraising page on behalf of yourself or your company. Share the link to your page, encourage others to donate, and raise as much money as you can to support vulnerable families in Peru & Ecuador.
The field team of community organizers and nurses at MEDLIFE, in collaboration with Good Life Expeditions, has identified families with food, health, or water insecurity during the COVID-19 lockdown. As they fundraise, they will be proactively coordinating the purchase and delivery of supplies to the communities in need. The organizations will do this in the safest way possible, always complying with government restrictions and public health guidelines.
When deliveries are made, updates will be provided to donors and donors are encouraged to share these updates with your friends, family, or clients so that they can see the impact we are making together.
WHO YOU WILL HELP
Are you ready to donate? Thank you. We want to introduce you to a few of the families that will benefit from your generosity.
ALEXANDER & YANETH FROM CUSCO, PERU
After being orphaned at a young age, Alexander’s sister, Yaneth, became his primary caregiver. Unfortunately, Alexander and Yaneth have lost their income because of the lockdown. Yaneth was working as a waitress in the touristic Sacred Valley region but due to the mandatory quarantine and the border closures, she no longer has work. This leaves them unable to purchase food during a time when keeping children and adults well-nourished and with a strong immune system has never been more vital!
KIMBERLY FROM TENA, ECUADOR
5-year-old Kimberly has a rare case of lymphoma and MEDLIFE’s team of nurses in Ecuador has been helping her access treatment. Kimberly’s mother earns a living by providing laundry services. However, due to the drop in tourism caused by COVID-19, her customers can no longer afford her services. To make matters worse, the price of basic foods like vegetables and grains have increased because of the restrictions on transportation. As a result, Kimberly’s family is struggling to put food on the table. This is a major concern because maintaining a healthy weight is important for Kimberly to be able to receive surgeries that could save her life.
GIVE BACK NOW SO TOURISM IS AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE
We understand that COVID-19 has created challenges for everyone around the world. Job loss and health issues are common no matter where you live, and sometimes it seems better to turn away from the news and the current reality. But if you are able, we hope that you consider donating to the families that have welcomed us into their countries for years.
Good Life Expeditions lives and breathes the motto: travel that transforms and gives back. Right now, we can’t create travel that transforms. So instead, let’s work together to shift our efforts into giving back so that when we can travel again it is more transformative than ever.
Voices From The Field - ATTA is providing this space for the benefit of our members for building awareness within our community. The views and opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily ATTA’s, nor do we endorse them by their publication.