CHANGING PEOPLE’S LIVES—ONE VILLAGE, ONE SCHOOL, ONE PERSON AT A TIME
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n 1992, Alan and Harriet Lewis established Grand Circle Foundation, an entity of the Alnoba Lewis Family Foundation, as a way to give back to the world we travel. With our travelers’ help, we have supported thousands of projects all over the world—from water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); to education and community development; to Indigenous rights and conservation; and disaster relief.
Below is a snapshot of some of the many projects the Foundation supported in 2024.
GUATEMALA:
Safe Passage (Camino Segura)
FUNDED TO DATE: $135,192
FUNDED IN 2024: $43,676
PARTNER SINCE: 2014
Safe Passage is a school built on the edge of a refuse heap in Guatemala City, in a community where many families earn a living scavenging. In 2024, Grand Circle Foundation funding provided access to secure clean water for 540 children from approximately 425 families living in these unsanitary conditions. Funding also provided the children with access to educational tools to help them recover from the learning deficit resulting from the Covid pandemic.
KENYA:
Libraries for Kids
FUNDED TO DATE: $25,000
PARTNER SINCE: 2023
Libraries for Kids was founded by first-traveler Roy Austin, who was inspired to bring books to every school in Kenya after meeting local students on an O.A.T. adventure. In 2024, a trailer filled with more than 60,000 books was delivered to Kenya. Now every rural school supported by the Foundation in Kenya has a reading library and every student is allowed to choose a book to take home to keep.
SOUTH AMERICA:
Amazon Watch
FUNDED TO DATE: $96,483
FUNDED IN 2024: $30,000
PARTNER SINCE: 2020
We are committed to preserving our planet—and we often look to Indigenous leaders for guidance. To that end, we have partnered with Amazon Watch to support Indigenous People in Ecuador and Brazil. In 2024, we provided funding to fight wildfires in Brazil; to help the Sarayaku community in Ecuador devastated by flooding; and to support the community of 2023 Alnoba International Indigenous Award recipient, Celia Xakriaba.
VIETNAM:
Minh Tu Orphanage
FUNDED TO DATE: $412,751
FUNDED IN 2024: $70,242
PARTNER SINCE: 2002
Founded by a Buddhist nun, the Minh Tu Orphanage is home to more than 200 children and young adults with disabilities. In 2024, Grand Circle Foundation renovated the basement living area, laundry room, kitchen, and dining hall—and continues to provide monthly funding for the purchase of milk, diapers, and other necessities.
MORE THAN $250 MILLION PLEDGED OR DONATED IN SUPPORT OF THOUSANDS OF PROJECTS IN OVER 70 COUNTRIES
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Learn more or make a donation by visiting www.grandcirclefoundation.org
