The Whole Experience

Gives Back

Donations given to date: $12,098 USD

This is a very important aspect of The Whole Experience Retreats that is near and dear to our hearts. As a part of our model, we guarantee that 3-5% of all proceeds from each retreat will be given back to the wonderful countries that host us. We decided to launch this arm of the business in an effort to help strengthen communities and assist in giving voices to those that need it.

Take a look below at some of the amazing initiatives led so far. If a particular cause resonates with you, we’ve included links below so that you may contribute to that cause.

“We Make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”

Montezuma

Costa Rica

ASVO Marine Turtle and Ecosystem Conservation. This is an inspiring turtle habit project we supported in Costa Rica for three of the retreats we hosted during 2021- 2022. Their sea turtle conservation project has been around since 1989 and has three different project sites in Costa Rica. This non-profit hosts volunteers from around the world as they collectively educate tourists about the importance of protecting these majestic creatures. Who due to a loss of habitat, fishing practices and other harmful human caused impacts have been pushed near excitation.  Our tribe loved getting to have hands on experience with this project and releasing baby sea turtles. Witnessing a baby sea turtle takes its first swim into the ocean is awe inspiring and a once in a lifetime experience!

Lombok

Indonesia

For our first official project, we partnered with a local non-profit that is doing work in Lombok, Indonesia. As you may have heard, Lombok got hit this year with a series of natural disasters. One small village in particular was severely impacted by the recent earthquakes and reached out to the non-profit we chose to work with via social media, asking for help. This story really touched our hearts as social media and creating community via networking platforms is in part how our business is so successful and is the primary way we connect with our clients. The funds we donated to this project (5% of our revenue) were able to assist in building 3 wells for this community. We took a trip to Lombok after our Fall Retreat to visit the visit the village and see the production of the wells.

Take a look at the video to see how incredible this experience was!

Sri Lanka

Sustainable Education

We were able to give to a passion project by our incredible chef Marco Brandenberger, where him and his partner are developing a local english school in Sri Lanka to create an opportunity for local kids to be able to follow a sustainable education where creativity is number one. With our support, they are working to rebuild/upgrade the English school to make it a safe and beautiful place for the local kids to set a solid step into their own future and with that the future of others. By making use of natural materials to rebuild the school like wood, bamboo, and palmtrees and with a look into the local architecture they are working diligently to create a safe environment for the kids. To learn more about this project, visit their Facebook Page and send Marco a message to contribute!

The Bali Street

Mum Project

The second cause we were able to support was The Bali Street Mum Project – which works with impoverished mothers and children who are begging on the streets. They provide refuge, training, and an income for all the mothers and children that have been rescued. In addition, they sponsor their children through school, provide nutrition and better living conditions. To learn more about this initiative visit their Instagram and message them directly to support!

Youth of

Phuket Island

In Thailand, we were able to partner with the Foundation Phuket Has Been Good To Us.

Phuket Has Been Good To Us works to improve the economic opportunities and life chances of young people by funding and implementing high-quality, practical English language education, for free, in government schools on Phuket Island. They create vocational opportunities by developing English skills both through formal education as well as after school and non-curricula activities. The Foundation also teaches English to over 900 children in two Government schools by working with qualified, fluent English-speaking teachers to provide the best possible English language education.

At this point, they don’t receive Government funding and can only pay for their teachers, visas, work permits and teaching supplies through donations and fundraising events. We were able to attend a fundraising event and contribute 5% of our Thailand revenue to this wonderful cause.

To donate, please click here

Youth of

Phuket Island

In Thailand, we were able to partner with the Foundation Phuket Has Been Good To Us.

Phuket Has Been Good To Us works to improve the economic opportunities and life chances of young people by funding and implementing high-quality, practical English language education, for free, in government schools on Phuket Island. They create vocational opportunities by developing English skills both through formal education as well as after school and non-curricula activities. The Foundation also teaches English to over 900 children in two Government schools by working with qualified, fluent English-speaking teachers to provide the best possible English language education.

At this point, they don’t receive Government funding and can only pay for their teachers, visas, work permits and teaching supplies through donations and fundraising events. We were able to attend a fundraising event and contribute 5% of our Thailand revenue to this wonderful cause.

To donate, please click here

Yaowawit School

Northern Phuket

For our first official project, we partnered with a local non-profit that is doing work in Lombok, Indonesia. As you may have heard, Lombok got hit this year with a series of natural disasters. One small village in particular was severely impacted by the recent earthquakes and reached out to the non-profit we chose to work with via social media, asking for help. This story really touched our hearts as social media and creating community via networking platforms is in part how our business is so successful and is the primary way we connect with our clients. The funds we donated to this project (5% of our revenue) were able to assist in building 3 wells for this community. We took a trip to Lombok after our Fall Retreat to visit the visit the village and see the production of the wells.

Take a look at the video above to see how incredible this experience was!

Cape Town

Amy Foundation

In Cape Town, We Give Back partnered with the Amy Foundation. Which offers a Youth Skills Development program that assists young adults from challenged backgrounds to become economically active. The situation in the townships of South Africa is still dire with 60% unemployment in the 18 – 35 year old age group. Amy Foundation seeks to address this issue, offering both practical and theoretical training, the program equips individuals for the world of work, further studies or entrepreneurship. Their hospitality program provides entry-level training in culinary arts, the service industry (hotels, restaurants etc), Barista training and becoming a food service entrepreneur. Their training provides these students, from limited backgrounds, with a basic understanding of what the industry entails and what it requires from them. They spend a large portion of their time on etiquette in the workplace, personal ambition, self-motivation, respect and commitment. The success of the program relies on the partnerships they make with hotels, restaurants, chef schools etc. These organizations provide the next step in the journey of these young adults. Through internships offered by development partners, the students are able to gain real experience in the industry and ultimately offered a job placement. From their youth skills training centre they have placed 503 unemployed youth in employment or “learnerships” over the past 31 months and they are excelling in the workplace. It is only through compassionate visionaries and other supporters that they can do what we do. Together we can change lives and make a difference where it is so badly needed! Thank you.

To donate to this incredible cause, visit their site here.

Cape Town

Amy Foundation

In Cape Town, We Give Back partnered with the Amy Foundation. Which offers a Youth Skills Development program that assists young adults from challenged backgrounds to become economically active. The situation in the townships of South Africa is still dire with 60% unemployment in the 18 – 35 year old age group. Amy Foundation seeks to address this issue, offering both practical and theoretical training, the program equips individuals for the world of work, further studies or entrepreneurship. Their hospitality program provides entry-level training in culinary arts, the service industry (hotels, restaurants etc), Barista training and becoming a food service entrepreneur. Their training provides these students, from limited backgrounds, with a basic understanding of what the industry entails and what it requires from them. They spend a large portion of their time on etiquette in the workplace, personal ambition, self-motivation, respect and commitment. The success of the program relies on the partnerships they make with hotels, restaurants, chef schools etc. These organizations provide the next step in the journey of these young adults. Through internships offered by development partners, the students are able to gain real experience in the industry and ultimately offered a job placement. From their youth skills training centre they have placed 503 unemployed youth in employment or “learnerships” over the past 31 months and they are excelling in the workplace. It is only through compassionate visionaries and other supporters that they can do what we do. Together we can change lives and make a difference where it is so badly needed! Thank you.

To donate to this incredible cause, visit their site here.

Cafe Stepping Stone

Cartegena

In Colombia, we partnered with our wonderful chefs from Cafe Stepping Stone, who built their social enterprise cafe in Cartagena. The three young Australian friends, Tom, Vanessa and Hannah, started this cafe with one thing in mind – to provide a safe and comfortable space to facilitate learning, growth and confidence that gives quality, comprehensive training and employment to the local disadvantaged youth. Through practical experience, this cafe will provide the youth with opportunities and skills to gain future employment. To help donate to this wonderful organization, you can visit their GoFundMe page, every dollar counts!

In addition to supporting this wonderful initiative, we also supported a local foundation, FEM , which focuses on sustainable development projects to empower indigenous and afro communities to dream of a better future. We participated in a traditional weaving class, that allowed us to learn about the culture, make some products ourselves, and donate to their initiative.

WE Charity

International Charity

As a Canadian company, it was important for us to support a Canadian non-profit and give a portion of our earnings to an organization with an international scope. WE Charity is an international charity and educational partner. Their organization is unique in that it operates collaborative programs both domestically and internationally. In the US, Canada, and the UK, WE Day and WE Schools are initiatives of WE Charity that educate and empower young people. WE Schools is a year-long service-learning program that nurtures compassion in students and gives them the tools to create transformative social change. And WE Day is a series of inspiring events that celebrate youth making a difference in their local and global communities.

In Africa, Asia and Latin America, we partner with communities to implement WE Villages, a holistic, five-pillar international development model designed to achieve sustainable change. Together with local leaders and families, we transform lives with solutions that are adaptive, effective and sustained long term by the community itself.

As an organization, they have empowered 1 million people to lift themselves out of poverty, 200,000 children now have access to education, and 27.6 million hours have been logged of volunteer service through WE Schools.

To donate, visit their website here.

WE Charity

International Charity

As a Canadian company, it was important for us to support a Canadian non-profit and give a portion of our earnings to an organization with an international scope. WE Charity is an international charity and educational partner. Their organization is unique in that it operates collaborative programs both domestically and internationally. In the US, Canada, and the UK, WE Day and WE Schools are initiatives of WE Charity that educate and empower young people. WE Schools is a year-long service-learning program that nurtures compassion in students and gives them the tools to create transformative social change. And WE Day is a series of inspiring events that celebrate youth making a difference in their local and global communities.

In Africa, Asia and Latin America, we partner with communities to implement WE Villages, a holistic, five-pillar international development model designed to achieve sustainable change. Together with local leaders and families, we transform lives with solutions that are adaptive, effective and sustained long term by the community itself.

As an organization, they have empowered 1 million people to lift themselves out of poverty, 200,000 children now have access to education, and 27.6 million hours have been logged of volunteer service through WE Schools.

To donate, visit their website here.

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