BOULDER, CO, October 2007 – One theory of travel says leave no trace. Asia Transpacific Journeys however, says leave a positive footprint when you travel to Asia. With their 501(c)(3) designated non-profit foundation which funds projects such as their Clean Water Initiative, they believe travel can be a force for good.
“By choosing our style of culturally authentic, people-to-people travel, travelers support us, which in turn supports our
Asia Transpacific Foundation through direct financial contribution, employee volunteering and office infrastructure. Additionally, the immense generosity of our traveling clients breathes life into each humanitarian initiative the Asia Transpacific Foundation undertakes,” says Marilyn Downing Staff, Founder and President of Asia Transpacific Journeys.
This year the Asia Transpacific Foundation celebrates its 10th anniversary as a grassroots charitable organization whose primary focus is helping people access clean water. The United Nations estimates that nearly 80 percent of hospital beds in the developing world are occupied by people suffering from preventable water-borne illnesses. The Asia Transpacific Foundation pioneered the production of simple ceramic water filters, which locals learn to fabricate. These filters are helping put an end to devastating water contamination. To date, Asia Transpacific Foundation-funded filter workshops are fulfilling orders for 22,000 filter systems for, among others, Burmese refugee families along the Thai border who are in urgent need.
Says Downing Staff: “Our travelers are often moved and transformed by their travel experience in Asia and want to know how they can help and contribute. They like the fact that we have no overhead, so 100% of their donation goes directly to support the Clean Water Initiative. “UNICEF is taking note of our success and partnering with us to provide follow up, purity monitoring and education campaigns,” she says, noting that $100 provides clean drinking water for 20 people and $5,000 for 1,200 people. Donations are tax-deductible.
Filters are created from clay mixed with rice husks for porosity, fired, and then painted with a coating of colloidal silver for its disinfectant qualities. Once the filter production facility is in place, locals take over the means of production and produce the filters for sale to other communities, providing a dignified livelihood for dozens of people. The blight of plastic water bottles is also drastically reduced.
About Asia Transpacific Journeys
Asia Transpacific Journeys is a Boulder, Colorado-based tour operator specializing in custom journeys and small group trips to Asia and the Pacific region since 1987. Outstanding service, long-standing connections in Asia and deeply insightful cultural interpretation make them the operator of choice for the American Museum of Natural History, The Harvard and Yale alumni associations, the World Wildlife Fund, and discerning individuals, their families and friends. Asia Transpacific Journeys is the recipient of three “Top Travel Specialists” awards for 2007 from Condé Nast Traveler magazine. For more information visit
http://www.AsiaTranspacific.com
Press Contact: Sara Widness
sara@widnesspr.com | 802 234 6704
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