Responsible Travel is really important to Favour Tours & Safaris. We minimize the negative impacts of travel and maximize the benefits to the Kenya communities. We totally embrace sustainability and practice Fare Trade Tourism (FTT). In embracing a holistic approach, we advocates for fair working conditions and wages, equitable distribution of benefits and respect for human rights, culture, decarbonising and regeneration of our environment..“ We ensure travelling without causing any negative social, economic or environmental impacts on the places you visit”. Our tours benefit most communities at all grassroot levels.
With sensitivity and awareness, tourism can bring tangible benefits to all and take away from no-one. So we have adopted simple principles in our Company for Responsible Tourism that will affect the people and planet positively.
HOW FAVOUR TOURS & SAFARIS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Local Communities
Favour Tours & Safaris helps to bring revenue from tourism down to the grassroots. Most of the areas in Kenya, communities have never earned from tourism, though the country continues to receive billions of dollars from the growing tourism industry.
By taking guests to the grassroots and facilitating their interaction with the community, we provide a link that is enabling them to earn a living. This is mainly when guests buys from local curios, crafts shops and also pays for cultural events and entertainments. We also encourage local groups mostly for the marginalised (youth, women and disabled) to make hand woven and beading items for sale to the guests.
Campaigning for Green economy and Climate change
Following the worrying trend of climate change and global warming that affects human and wildlife, we responsibly take steps to offset all major carbon emissions created by the travelling of our guests. Part of the income from Favour Tours & Safaris is normally set aside for tree planting activities in the Aberdare Forests and surrounding communities manage and take care of the young trees for a fee. We further support the local community by distributing free tree seedlings for planting in their farms. This means that in the long run, the people will have income, be sufficient with firewood and timber for their use and as a result give the Aberdare Forest (Kenya water tower) a chance to survive.
The Aberdare Forest is the greatest water tower in Kenya and home for the much popular wildlife including “big five” and various bird species hence more efforts should be geared to conserve this vital ecosystem for sustainable global climate change.
By travelling with Favour Tours & Safaris, your will be making your personal contribution towards making the world a better place for all of us to live in.
A Fair Deal
Favour Tours & Safaris has invested in a tea farm along the Aberdare ranges on-looking Mt. Kenya. Many local villagers are employed in the farm and are paid at rates above the average income in the area as our contribution to improving and raising their living standards. Favour Tours & Safaris conform to NO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN and NO CHILD LABOUR.
Volunteering and Charity
Favour Tours & Safaris every year supports the local Primary and Secondary schools through provision of sports equipments, books, and other learning materials. We also pay school fees to several disadvantaged children to promote equity. We encourage our guests to pack along something for the kids while preparing to travel for their memorable vacations and holidays in Kenya, Africa.
COMMUNITY PROJECTS THAT WE SUPPORT
Aberdare Forest Conservation
The indigenous Aberdare Forest is a main source of water and wood for the local community near our tea farm. The community is entrusted with the forests management and in turn they are allowed to utilize it sustainably. To support sustainable utilization of the Aberdare natural forest resources,Favour Tours & Safaris contributes seedlings and manpower for planting trees through the local Community Forest Association. The local community are also given trees for their farms and this will give them ample wood fuel for their use hence will not destroy the forests.
We encourage all our guests to plant a tree in the forest as their personal contribution and forever leave a positive and memorable footprints in Kenya. You can also plant and own a tree in our Aberdare tea farm.
Gitugi Secondary School
Currently Favour Tours & Safaris supports this local secondary day school started by the local community at the foot of the Aberdare Forest. The main objective is to help children from economically challenged background to get a chance for secondary education as they cannot afford the high fees of boarding schools in urban towns. The school is very young and a lot of building constructions and reading materials are required. Currently the school needs an equipped laboratory and library for the students to be able to compete at par with their peers for the University chances in the country. Apart from the normal curriculum, the school trains students in basic life skills such as scouting, first aid, nature and conservations. Also some economic programmes in agriculture and business studies.
It is our wish to see the school continue registering growth to serve the local community. If the community is not supported by all of us will quietly suffer in silence and many local children will never achieve their dreams.
Well wishers are welcome to make their personal contributions to helping this most valuable institution.
Gitugi Primary School
Favour Tours & Safaris also supports this local primary school with learning materials and equipments. Again we supply girls with sanitary wares to ensure they dont miss any school days. Guests visiting our country can utilize one of their days visiting the schools and also make any contribution in helping the young children get a decent education and life. This will surely put forever a smile on their faces.
‘’ Giving back while travelling, not taking away’’