Ecoventura is an enthusiastic cheerleader for Pack for a Purpose, a charitable organization that encourages travelers to bring educational supplies to their holiday destination and donate them to a worthy cause.
Great Minds Think Alike
Both of our organizations believe that many people, fortunate enough to travel, wish they could make meaningful contributions to meet the needs of the people in the locations they visit. Such contributions are a way of repaying hospitality and expressing appreciation for the experiences they enjoyed during their travels.
In this case, we were asking for school donations for the children living in the Galapagos Islands.
While Ecoventura supports both the Alejandro Alvear School and the Corazones Unidos School, this June we donated an array of school materials (and a telescope!) to the “Unidad Educativa Especializada Corazones Unidos;” with the generous help of our passengers who participated in the Pack for a Purpose effort.
About the School
This exceptional school — located in San Cristobal — supports sixteen children with special needs whose parents live on limited means. The school has a progressive philosophy, custom tailored curriculum, well-trained teachers, innovative learning opportunities, and community-wide involvement; leading Galapagos youths to enjoy the educational experience.
We asked our travelers to pack 5 lbs (2.27 kgs) of supplies to donate from the list we provided. Doing so, only took up a small amount of room, required little effort and made a big impact on in the lives of these special children residing in San Cristobal.
What Did They Need?
The school supplies they needed were…
- Thick pencils
- Thick colored pencils and crayons
- Coloring booklets
- Glue sticks
- Dry erase markers
- Pencil sharpeners with handles
- Textbooks (including ecology-focused teaching materials)
- English and Spanish-language dictionaries
- Puzzles
- Clay
- Picture cards of the alphabet and animals
- Pencil cases/bags
- Pens
- Rulers
- Solar calculators, etc.
Ecoventura passengers simply gave the donations to the Captain of the yacht — making it easy for travelers to contribute and required no extra logistical support — and Ecoventura delivered the supplies directly to the school’s director Gina Zambrano, who aligned with Pack for a Purpose through us at the start of 2018.
Over the Top
Some inventive travelers even asked if they could donate other supplies such as computer equipment, scanners, musical instruments, playground balls, teaching aids, art supplies, backpacks, and other MUCH needed items for the school — which gave us one more reason to LOVE our passengers!
Ecoventura was delighted by the unparalleled participation of the passengers, and the school was humbled by the generosity of the passengers and sent their sincere gratitude for the Pack for a Purpose donations.
When you choose to book your cruise with Ecoventura ask how you can help by choosing exactly what to Pack for a Purpose to express your gratitude to the local community with the donations you so graciously offer.
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