OUR IMPACT
Travel with a purpose. See where your money goes.
We believe travel should create something positive for the people and places we visit. Here, we share what Ethical Ethiopian Experiences is doing in our community — from supporting local families and creating opportunities through tourism to offsetting our carbon emissions and investing in future community projects.
Our Impact at a Glance
A few of the ways your journey with us creates a positive impact in Ethiopia.
100%
Carbon offset
of our tours
are carbon offset
4
Local families
Families trained to earn income through tourism
2 + 15
hospital support
cpap machines+
matresses provided to the local hospital
X
Trees planted
trees planted in ethiopia
1
local women
female hamar guide supported through tourism
Carbon Offsetting — Proof, Not Promises
What does carbon offsetting mean?
Every tour has an environmental footprint, including emissions from transportation and other parts of the journey. We calculate and offset the carbon emissions associated with our tours, helping us take responsibility for the impact of our travel.
We believe responsible tourism means being honest about our footprint and taking practical steps to reduce its impact.
OUR CARBON OFFSET CERTIFICATE
One Tour, One Tree
Alongside carbon offsetting, we plant a tree for every tour we operate in Ethiopia.
X
TREES PLANTED SO FAR
During the next rainy season, we plan to plant a further X trees.
Our tree planting is an ongoing commitment, not a one-off project. As our tours grow, we will continue planting trees and update this page with our progress.
What We're Supporting Right Now
Our work in Turmi is ongoing. Here are some of the ways we are currently supporting people and organisations in the local community.
Supporting Families in Our Community
We currently provide monthly financial support to families in need in Turmi and the surrounding community.
Regular support can help families manage essential costs and deal with unexpected expenses — from healthcare and medicine to school costs, food and other necessities.
Our aim is not simply to provide one-off assistance, but to help families have greater stability and security when they need it most.
As this work develops, we will share updates and, where appropriate, information about what our contributions are helping to provide.
Supporting Our Local Hospital
One of our previous guests, Monica, raised enough money to purchase essential equipment for the local hospital:
2 CPAP machines
15 mattresses
Ethical Ethiopian Experiences is covering all transportation costs and organising the delivery ourselves.
We love this example because it shows how our guests can become part of something that creates a lasting benefit for the community. A guest's generosity, combined with our local knowledge and practical support, can help turn an idea into something that directly benefits people in Turmi.
We will add photographs and updates as the equipment is delivered and the project progresses.
How Your Journey Creates Local Income
Our impact doesn't stop at community projects. Every tour can create opportunities for local people to earn directly from tourism.
We believe tourism should create opportunities for the people who call these places home. That's why we work directly with local families and community members, helping them develop tourism experiences and earn an income from sharing their knowledge, skills and culture with our guests.
4
LOCAL FAMILIES TRAINED
Families in Turmi and surrounding villages who have been trained to earn additional income through tourism experiences.
7.5×
HIGHER PAYMENT
We pay local families at least 7.5
times what they would receive from other tour companies for comparable experiences.
What does this mean for local families?
Tourism income can provide families with an additional and more sustainable source of income. It can help them build emergency savings, pay for medicines and healthcare, support their children's education and manage unexpected expenses.
Rather than tourism money simply passing through a community, we want more of it to stay with the people who make our experiences possible.
Creating Opportunities for Local Women
Tourism in Turmi has traditionally been dominated by men. We wanted to create opportunities for women who might otherwise be excluded from the local tourism economy.
We have trained and work closely with the only female Hamar guide currently working in Turmi. Rather than allowing her exclusion from the male-run local tourism association to prevent her from benefiting from tourism, we work with her directly through our tours.
She has become a particularly special part of the Ethical Ethiopian Experiences experience and is hugely loved by our guests. By working with her directly, our guests gain a different perspective on Hamar culture while she earns an income and builds her own place within the local tourism economy.We have big plans to train more local women in the future.
Our Turmi Community Goals
We are working towards projects that create more opportunities for young people and strengthen the community for the future.
COMMUNITY LIBRARY
A welcoming space where children and young people can read, learn and access books outside of school.
TOURISM COLLEGE
Supporting local young women who want to study tourism and become guides, creating new opportunities to build careers within their own community.
COMMUNITY PLAYGROUND
A safe place for children to play, socialise and spend their free time in a positive environment.
VOLLEYBALL COURT
Creating opportunities for young people to enjoy sport, stay active and spend time together.
YOUTH GYM / BOXING STUDIO
A dedicated space for young people to exercise, develop skills and confidence, and have somewhere constructive to spend their time.
These projects are about more than buildings and facilities. We want to help create safe, constructive spaces where young people can learn, develop new skills, stay active and build confidence.