In The Beginning...

A truly life changing experience working on wildlife and community volunteering projects in Africa convinced Gemma Whitehouse to give up her job as a Marketing Manager for an international company and use her skills and expertise to set up a company offering others the same amazing opportunities with a service second to none - thus Amanzi Travel was born

Amanzi (May 2006)

Amanzi (January 2007)

Amanzi - the Shona word for water, is also the name of the lion cub that Gemma helped to rear whilst volunteering in Africa.

Gemma strongly believes that everyone, at some point in their life, needs to take a break, take stock and do something that can make a real difference to others - and through this, to themselves also.

Amanzi Travel offers unique, worthwhile volunteer projects and incredible adventure travel experiences throughout Africa giving its customers the opportunity to explore and discover this beautiful continent, its people and its wildlife for themselves.

Amanzi Travel was created so that everyone, at some point in their life, could "do something amazing" and is committed to providing an unrivalled standard of service so that each individual can have their own experience of a lifetime.

Amanzi Travel now has a small dedicated team of staff who have travelled extensively throughout Africa and have a real passion for what they do. We won't rest until we have done all we can to make your experience as worthwhile, rewarding and special as possible.

We welcome volunteers with drive and enthusiasm and a desire to make a difference. Our volunteers do not need to have any specific skills to help on a volunteer placement except an open mind. However we also offer skills-based placements like our medical projects, so if you would like to use your specific training and experience to further your contribution please speak to one of our advisors. Our medical and teaching projects are also open to enthusiastic volunteers with a desire to help in these areas.

A volunteer placement in Africa will probably be one of the most worthwhile and rewarding things you ever do!

Amanzi Travel aims to...

• work with and provide a pool of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers for worthy projects throughout Africa.
  
  
• offer people of all ages and walks of life the opportunity to take a break from their 'normal life', visit Africa and do something worthwhile and meaningful for its people and its wildlife
  
  
• offer people incredible African adventure opportunities that are focused on self development and achievement
  
  
• offer people luxury safari experiences that form part of the ongoing investment into sustainable conservation development and community empowerment.
  
  
• provide uncompromising, personalised service with a tailor made approach, ensuring that volunteers and customers return to us again and again.
  
  
  

  Responsible Travel
  
  

  Amanzi Travel was initially created with the aim of protecting and maintaining specific local projects. As our company has enlarged we have made sure we never deviate from our aim to passionately give back to the communities. By engaging in a volunteer placement or adventure tour with Amanzi Travel you are choosing to partake in ethical and responsible tourism, as we are fully committed to benefit and support local communities by maintaining a positive contribution to local projects, local people, and the local environment and wildlife. By becoming part of the local team for the duration of your stay, you too will become an integral part of the ongoing infrastructure designed to support and maintain worthy projects.
  

  By embarking on a volunteer placement with Amanzi Travel you will play an important role in our company's ambitions to:
  

• Support the local economy and empower local communities and projects to create self-sustaining communities, to continue their growth and development.
  
  
• Leave a lasting contribution to the long term welfare of Africa and the prosperity of its people.
  
  
• Increase awareness and support of some of the most worthwhile community/ and wildlife volunteer projects in Africa.
  
  
• Establish and expand responsible tourism within Africa.
  
  
• Contribute to the protection and preservation of Africa's amazing wildlife
  
  
• Run with the consensus and support of the local authorities.
  
  
• Use local guides who share their native expertise, although we are always on call for advise and help back at the office.
  
  
  

  Carbon Off-setting
  

  
  
  

  
  As part of our determined initiative to promote responsible travel, we are now offering a carbon offsetting facility for flights - whether you book them through us or not, you can still calculate the carbon emissions you will generate on the calculator above and then make an informed decision to offset. The offset payments are made online using a credit card through WorldPay's secure payment service. You will then receive a certificate from ClimateCare noting the CO2 emissions offset through this service, www.climatecare.org.

  
  

  Carbon offsets explained

  
  

  Carbon offsetting enables you to take responsibility for your emissions by paying somebody to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere on your behalf. We are using a company called ClimateCare to invest in several relevant emission reduction projects all over the world.

  What kind of projects will my money be funding?

  
  

  Project	Country	Type	Standard	ERs
  Improved Lao stoves	Cambodia	efficient stoves	VCS	20,490
  Efficient cook stoves	Uganda	efficient stoves	GS VER	1,500
  Qingdao wind	China	wind power	VER+	21,150
  Bagasse co-generation	India	biomass power	VCS	5,430
  Mulan Wind	China	wind power	VCS	11,204

  VCS Voluntary Carbon Standard
  GS VER Voluntary Gold Standard
  VER+ TUV SUD's Voluntary Standard
  ER Emissions Reduction

  
  

  Project example

  Clean stoves in Uganda

  The Uganda Stoves Project supplies efficient wood burning stoves to institutions such as schools in Uganda. As well as reducing greenhouse gases produced from cooking, the stoves reduce the amount of wood fuel needed, helping to reduce deforestation. Cooks also experience the benefits of reduced indoor pollution since the stoves are less smoky.
  
  Sarah Nakabuyo Naloongo is a cook at Kibuye Primary School in Kampala - where the new improved wood stoves were installed in Autumn 2007. She told us how the new stoves had improved her life because the kitchen is now smoke free and the food is easier to cook.
  
  "Beforehand, we cooked the food on an open fire using stone stands and the room would be black with smoke. The new stoves have improved my life because I no longer have to work in a dirty environment. The new stoves are taller too which means that I don't have to crouch down and damage my back."

  
  

  Carbon Calculator

  Flying from: Going to: Passengers: Flight Type: Return One Way Find out more about ClimateCare and this carbon calculator