At Alternative Peru, founders Natalie and Carlos work hand in hand with the local people of the communities they visit to see in which ways they can help create more wealth in the area in a culturally respectful manner. They try to provide as many jobs as possible to the locals by bringing tourists to their communities to have lunch at a typical home in the area, buying their fair-trade souvenirs, learning how to cook typical Peruvian dishes and much more.
The tourists that visit these communities learn the historical and political reasons as to why millions of people from the provinces of Peru immigrated to the big capital and why these people are still living in such deplorable conditions despite the economic growth that the country has steadily been experiencing over the past decade.
More importantly however, by visiting these communities you come into direct contact with people who, despite their many hardships still welcome you with open arms and help you realize that they’re just like you and me. They just happened to be born into a more complicated socioeconomic class that hasn’t provided them with as many opportunities and so the late night commercial stops being a commercial and finally becomes a reality.
It’s quite easy to turn the television off or change the channel when those commercials come on because we don’t actually know the people in them and some of us don’t feel very inclined to help them because of this. However, once you do know them and learn of their plight, how can you still turn away and not lend a helping hand? Some travelers decide to take that opportunity to help feed the local street dogs by buying dog food. Others choose to help pay for the university education of children who have dreams to become a professional but their families can’t afford to pay for their studies. I have decided to use my Youtube channel to promote eco-tourism and sustainability with the hopes that I will eventually be able to inspire positive change in the tour operators in my country so that they do more work like Alternative Peru is doing. How will you choose to make our world a better place?
Stef Ventura is a
Vlogger and Health Coach. You can visit her at the following Youtube channels:
Stef’s Peru Travel Tips, Vida Sana Movement, Vida Sana Movement Español
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by Steph Ventura