Intrepid Travel – Real Life Experiences…

The following statistics could come as a shock:
Half the world’s girls are illiterate,
Over 60 million girls don’t attend primary school,
Over 70% of people living on less than $1 a day are female.

It’s pretty alarming, wouldn’t you agree? So, as a global company, Intrepid Travel has decided it is time to step up. We’re joining the fight for gender equality with the launch of SAMA, a 3-year global program, aiming to improve the lives of communities and help bridge the gender gap through early education.

Why get involved now?
Because we want to help bring about change and recognise that, as a global company, we are uniquely placed to do so. In December 2006, Intrepid announced an ambitious environmental goal to become a carbon neutral company by 2010. Having achieved this, we wanted our next long term sustainable development project to focus on a socially important goal – gender equality. We have supported a number of grassroots projects that empower women and girls since the Intrepid Foundation began its work in 2002, but we travel through areas where gender inequality is still a major issue. Now it’s time to roll up our sleeves and do what we can to help create a bright future for girls and boys.

We’ve joined forces with Plan – experts in child development
To help us achieve our goal we’ve forged a partnership with Plan, one of the oldest and largest children’s development organisations in the world. Plan not only has a track record of running sustainable, well-measured programs, they are committed to holistic education that is rooted in the values of child rights and the promotion of gender equality. Plus Plan are able to add value to all donations with AusAid funding!

Working together, SAMA will raise awareness about gender equality and raise much-needed funds for early education programs in developing countries. These programs will teach both children and parents about the importance of gender equality, starting with education at the pre-school level. It is widely known that education is a key factor in breaking the cycle of poverty. But what recent research tells us is that it’s girls who have the potential to lift themselves and their families out of poverty, if given access to education.

As Plan’s State of the World’s Girls Report states: “Investing in girls has significant benefits, not just for the girls, but for their families, communities and entire countries. Everyone benefits, including boys and men.”

Help us fight for gender equality and donate today by giving SAMA a High-5!

Photo: having fun at pre-school © Plan

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