Travel Corner: The 100 Friends Project
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How
You and Your Friends Can Change the World
by Judy Wolf
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If you've ever wondered what you could do to make your next vacation a bit more meaningful, look no further. In 1990, school teacher, counselor, and humanitarian Marc Gold stumbled across the answer.
While in India for the first time, he met a Tibetan woman in the Himalayas who had a "terrible ear infection." For less than $35 ($2 for the doctor visit, $1 for the antibiotics to stop the raging infection that would probably have killed her, and $30 for a hearing aid), he changed her life. Her family could never have afforded any of it, but Marc barely missed the money.
Such are the disparities we, as western travelers, face in many countries we visit around the world. The difference is, Marc decided to do something about it.
When he returned home, he began raising money. He sent a letter to 100 friends, family, and colleagues, asking them to donate "whatever they could give." Even $1 would do. He told them he was going back to India, where the average income was $400 a year. "I can’t help a billion people, I can help 100 or 50. You want to give me a buck or more, please do.” He expected to raise two or three hundred dollars. By the time he left, he had $2300 to give away to worthy organizations and individuals.
Since then, he's taken numerous trips -- to countries like Afghanistan, Mozambique, Kenya, Cambodia, Tibet, Nepal, Vietnam, and all over India -- and given away over $45,000. He pays his own travel expenses, connects with organizations doing good work in those countries, meets deserving individuals through trusted friends... and gives directly to folks in need. The funds have gone to support women’s projects, street children, hospitals, AIDS and tuberculosis victims, and refugees, among others.
While recipients aren't required to repay the money, he encourages them to use part of it to help others. "People seem to love that idea."
Now he is on a mission to grow the 100 Friends Project into a larger venture -- one that can raise more money to directly help more people. And, as he’s done all along, he hopes to simultaneously spread the philosophy of people-helping-people by sharing this model, through which travelers like us can make a direct, humanitarian difference in our world.
Wolfgang Vachon of Toronto, Canada, was recently inspired by Marc's project. Wolfgang heard about the project just a few days before he was leaving for a trip to Thailand and Cambodia, contacted Marc for suggestions, and instantly sent off his own letter to friends. By the time he left, he had not raised the $500 he was hoping for -- instead he had raised over $1100. Within days. And all of it went directly to the charity organizations Wolfgang connected with while he was traveling.
Marc was kind enough to share with me a few of his tips and hints for those of us hoping to follow in his footsteps, which I've summarized in this handy sidebar. So, where's your next adventure?
Do you have an interesting story to tell? Or know of an adventurous or inspiring tale lived by someone else? Let me know!
Copyright (c) 2004 Judy Wolf
About
the Author:
Judy Wolf (www.judywolf.com)
is a world traveler, freelance writer, speaker, and whitewater kayak instructor.
She's taken numerous, extended solo journeys around the world, traveling by
foot, bus, jeep, camel, truck, boat, train, plane, elephant, and bicycle to
over 30 countries on five continents. She currently lives in upstate New York
with her husband and border collie, where she's working on a book-length travel
narrative about her most recent adventures…that is, when she's not plunging
off waterfalls or entertaining the dog.
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