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COMMUNITY AID PROGRAMS Travel Closer acts on the community in two main ways: by involving local villages in the tourism industry through our many tour itineraries, and by our community aid programs. The latter is accomplished through a school donations and child sponsorship program (together with a grass-root NGO) as well as through a planned charity hike. With all of our aid programs we never offer money to individuals or institutions. All our work is carried out through in-kind donations. In this way, we can make sure that funds are used fully and correctly. "Scroll down or browse the links on the left to find out more about how Travel Closer and its clients help the disadvantaged communities" We work closely with local schools of Northern Tanzania to contribute to their basic needs every month. Or focus lies with poor kindergarten and primary schools that have inadequate premises, facilities or equipment. Most of the aid consists in the purchase of desks, blackboards and similar furniture, reparation of floors, roofs and walls, guttering systems for collection of fresh water, construction of toilet facilities and other basic types of aid. Funding for our school donations program originates from tips received from our clients. As is the norm in guided tour services, clients are encouraged, although by no means obliged, to offer a tip at the end of their visit. With Travel Closer the difference is that 50% of all our tips are collected and used to help schools at the end of the month. The remainder is given to the guides that accompanied you on your journey. Please see our important notes on tips under the General Information section.
We offer all our guests the opportunity to participate in our monthly donations. You can visit and see for yourself our partnering schools and meet their teachers and students. Travel Closer is involved in two kinds of child sponsorship. We shortlist poor families who do not have the financial means to send their children to school. Primary school in Tanzania is free of charge, however, underprivileged families often do not have even the means of buying uniforms and materials for their children. For each child we purchase uniform, books and other materials to last them for an entire school year. Additionally we supply them with a substantial amount of staple foodstuffs (maize flour, beans and cooking oil) to help their and their family’s food budget throughout the year. Our second child sponsorship program is planned for the near future (in the next few months). We will be supporting the International Humanity Foundation (IHF) in its Kenyan Education Program (TEP) which helps the children under its protection to attend primary and secondary school. The IHF is an international, grass-roots organisation that cares for orphaned children around the world. With its family values, structure and their dedication to honest, transparent charity the IHF is a praiseworthy partner and one that best reflects our company’s commitment in this field. You can find more about this organisation at www.ihfonline.org Funding for our child sponsorship programs comes from a “self-taxation” system imposed on the company profits; percentages rising through pre-determined tax brackets. This stimulates a proportionate growth of aid compared to profits. If profits are too low to draw taxes, the program is compensated through client tips as per our school donations. We are currently working on a partnership with another operator as well as with a local charity to organise a yearly hiking expedition with the sole purpose of helping schools with very poor facilities. Participants will be asked to raise funds prior to their trip and the organising committee will provide free guides, porters and equipment to ensure that a maximum of funds is used for charity purposes only. Our first expedition into the remote mountain villages of Northern Tanzania is planned for early 2009. So stayed tuned to this page for further information!
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