Hackney Travel Giving Back

Giving Back to our World

With eight billion dollar money skimming scandals rocking the United Nations, local scandals common among charities and major non-profit organizations spending up to 75% of their money on telemarketing and direct mail solicitation, it is challenging to find a way to effectively, efficiently and meaningfully give back to our world.

We have made the choice to seek out charitable opportunities as we travel around the world where we can give directly to families, small organizations and small entrepreneurs. In this way, we know that there is no executive at the top pulling out hundreds of thousands of dollars (United Way, U.S.), no local office is using disaster donations to remodel their offices (Red Cross, San Diego) and the money is not being used primarily to pay for further appeals for additional money (countless environmental organizations).

By giving directly, we know that our contributions of money, time and materials are making a measurable difference with a specific person, family or organization. As we identify these direct giving opportunities, we will post them here on our web site. If you choose to contribute money, time or material goods, you can be sure that your donations are making a difference in these people's lives.

Giving Pictures

Our primary way of giving back to the places we visit is our GivingPictures program. The program is very simple. We travel back into the bush until we find people who have never held a photo of themselves or their children. We capture their image on our digital cameras and then print them a photo. Click here to learn more about the GivingPictures program and how you can help support it.

Namibia:

We met this family along the road in the desert of Northern Namibia. They have a small farm, and this donkey cart is their only form of transportation. As an example of their ingenuity and self-sufficiency, they made their harnesses from old tires. While very happy and hopeful parents, they have very, very little in the way of material goods, and hope only to build a life that will enable their children to go to school and have more opportunities than they have experienced.

We sent them copies of our pictures and Rebecca wrote us back to thank us and to ask for any used clothing that we might be able to send them. If you send them used clothes, or any other goods, don't be upset if you don't hear back from them. They have no cash, so can't afford to buy stamps for letters. (We included a self-addressed envelope with a Namibian stamp we had purchased while we were there.) Please ship any material donations with the duties pre-paid, as they will not be able to afford to pay any import duties, taxes or levies.

You can send donations to:

Joeseph & Rebecca Lambert

P.O. Box 358

Outjo, Namibia

Bhutan:

While touring Bhutan we asked our guide to take us to a school so we could donate some school supplies. We stopped at a small primary school that is not visited by tourists and met the teaching staff and interviewed the headmistress.

The school is located in the Eastern portion of the country, and currently has 176 students in grades kindergarten through seven.

We donated pencils, which were much appreciated. Any consumables, such as tablets and paper looked to be in short supply. Since all students are taught English as a second language in Bhutan, I believe that introductory reading books in English would be good additions to the school library. As you can see from the photos, their textbooks, while worn, are carefully wrapped by the students, which tells me that education is still very highly prized and appreciated.

You can send donations to:

Gaytsa Community School

Gaytsa

Bumthang, Bhutan

The headmistress can be reached at: sarulamabt@yahoo.com

Katrina:

You can learn more about how to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina by clicking here.

If you have questions or comments please contact Douglas Hackney