Partners

All of our project partners are indeed charities or foundations that Anna and Hamish have forged strong links with. Our meetings with them have not been accidental, and have come about due to fate.

They are all truly inspirational people who are committed entirely to improving the quality of life of their communities by means of award winning environmental, educational, conservation and micro-enterprise initiatives.

In India our charity partners are:

The Good Karma Drive and St. Mary’s School in Dharamsala, India.

mindthegap is particularly proud to be connected to an amazing school in Dharamsala. It was founded in 1998 by the local people, who were driven by the belief that all children, regardless of their social or religious backgrounds, had the right to an education. The school, which began with just four pupils and now provides over 560 children with the hope of a better life, is in desperate need of both financial support and a volunteer workforce.

Sister Celia, the school’s principal would like to thank you for your interest in her school,

‘People like you make a lot of difference in this world by being sensitive to the needs of others. Indirectly you are going to touch innumerable people and their lives. It is through people like you that I believe this world has become a small village,’

Please help us to help the pupils at this fantastic school. It will be an experience that will stay with you forever and leave you with the undisputed knowledge that you have done something truly wonderful and touched the lives of many. It is a privilege to be part of this.

In Africa our charity partners is:

EFA – The Environmental Foundation for Africa for Sierra Leone programmes.

mindthegap is proud to work in partnership with the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA) which is dedicated in finding sustainable solutions to the problems facing the communities of the Western Peninsula and Tiwai regions. Our objective is to work with these communities to improve education, establish sustainable agricultural practices and provide environmentally sustainable micro enterprise models that benefit local communities and aid the conservation of the country’s rainforests and coastline and its incredibly diverse wildlife.

With their tireless dedication we are in a unique position to be able to help preserve one of Sierra Leone’s national treasures. Tiwai Island is one of the world’s 25 biodiversity hotspots, with the highest mammalian diversity of any tropical forest, including one of the world’s densest and most diverse chimpanzee and monkey populations, more than 700 species of plant life, not to mention the nocturnal pygmy hippo.

Historically these wonderful natural resources have come under threat from the 8 communities that surround the island. These communities are based in two chiefdoms, the Bari and Koya. However, since 2003, through the committed work of EFA, these communities have been encouraged to see long-term benefits through means other than those of poaching.

The goal is therefore the conservation of Tiwai Island by helping the development of its surrounding communities through the establishment of a range of sustainable micro-enterprise initiatives. These initiatives aim to help raise their standard of living, promoting the sustainable use of resources and providing viable economic alternatives to deforestation for timber, hunting of primates for bushmeat, and the plundering of other natural resources.

Our Volunteer Programmes are designed to provide people of all walks of life with unique experiences that cultivate personal growth and result in a meaningful contribution to the conservation of Sierra Leone and the sustainable development of its indigenous communities.

In South America our charity partner is:

The Yachana Foundation for our Ecuador Programmes.

mindthegap is proud to work with the Yachana Foundation, which is dedicated in finding sustainable solutions to the problems facing the Ecuadorian Amazon region. Their objective is to work with rainforest communities to improve education, establish sustainable agricultural practices, provide environmentally sustainable economic alternatives, and conserve the rainforest.

The Foundation is named after a Quichua indigenous word that means ‘a place of learning’. The result is therefore a simultaneous conserving of the rainforest whilst helping its people with a range of integrated sustainable development and conservation projects.

These projects are raising the standard of living, promoting the sustainable use of resources and providing viable economic alternatives to logging, cattle ranching, and the production of illicit crops.
In addition a School was opened in 2005 on this site to provide opportunities to young people in risky situations. Most of the students come from rural areas and many are sons and daughters of indigenous farmers from the Amazon Region. It is only through an education relevant to their lives that these students will gain the capacity to generate economic alternatives in their communities that will permit them to improve their lives as well as protect their natural resources.  In the School, all learning is focused on five main areas: rainforest conservation, sustainable agriculture, animal husbandry, eco-tourism, and sustainable micro enterprises.

These projects are raising the standard of living, promoting the sustainable use of resources and providing viable economic alternatives to logging, cattle ranching, and the production of illicit crops.

In addition a School was opened in 2005 on this site to provide opportunities to young people in risky situations. Most of the students come from rural areas and many are sons and daughters of indigenous farmers from the Amazon Region. It is only through an education relevant to their lives that these students will gain the capacity to generate economic alternatives in their communities that will permit them to improve their lives as well as protect their natural resources.  In the School, all learning is focused on five main areas: rainforest conservation, sustainable agriculture, animal husbandry, eco-tourism, and sustainable micro enterprises.

In 1997 the Yachana Foundation established a Medical Clinic in Mondana, the community that shares the same rainforest reserve. The Clinic was the only full-time, fully staffed medical facility in the remote Upper Napo River Region at the time that was able to provide general health facilities and medical clinics. In 2005, the title of the Mondaña Clinic was handed over to the Ecuadorian Health Ministry in an effort to bring long-term sustainability to the Clinic, and to guarantee that sufficient medical supplies and staff will be provided to meet the healthcare needs of the local people.