WE Travel Brochure

WE Travel Brochure

Travel

Inspired, immersive experiences that stay with you long after they’re over

Minga Lodge, Ecuador

We invite you to join us at our signature lodges in India, Ecuador or Kenya for a travel experience you won’t get anywhere else. Go beyond a safari to walk in the footsteps of families in rural Kenya, trek the Amazon jungle to meet the indigenous communities who call it home and discover India’s vibrant culture through the eyes of locals. With years of experience working with our charity partner, WE Charity, and its development projects, we have formed close bonds with local communities, building the foundation for an unparalleled immersive travel experience. ME to WE travelers connect with the people and places around them—join families to collect water, harvest food and partake in cultural traditions, and even have the opportunity to contribute to a local project, working side-by-side with locals. This is a travel experience that stays with you, and leaves a legacy that lasts for generations. In the following pages, discover more about one of our newest projects in Ecuador that travelers are invited to be part of. To learn more about WE's work, visit WE.org . To learn more about ME to WE Trips, visit metowelodges.com . When you travel with ME to WE, you’re welcomed as part of our family.

Discover the secrets behind one of the world’s most-loved treats

Award-winning chocolate In 2017, ME to WE Chocolate was honored in the prestigious Ecuador Chocolate Awards, with a first- place title for our 65% dark chocolate and second place for our 42% milk chocolate.

Impact in every bite With each bar, farmers are empowered to transform their communities. Each bar delivers a life-changing impact—health care, education and food—back to the same place where the chocolate starts its journey. Indigenous to Ecuador, this bean that bursts with floral, fruity and nutty flavor is renowned by chocolatiers the world over. But the bean has become overshadowed by cultivated clone cacao varieties that are disease- resistant. These clones don’t have the same depth of flavor, and farmers using clones end up earning half the wages for the same amount of labor. With training, farmers can grow Fino de Aroma crops without fear of an outbreak. We’re partnering with farmers to work through a local cacao collection center, a processing facility that ensures the rich Fino de Aroma flavor is preserved, while also giving farmers the chance to earn an above-market price for their crops. Our partnership with WE Charity offers travelers the unique opportunity to immerse themselves deeply into local communities and projects. In Ecuador, join us to experience our newest initiative, ME to WE Chocolate that Changes Lives—a new line of single- origin, top-quality chocolate that truly has an impact on local farmers and communities. Tour cacao farms and meet farmers to discover the journey of chocolate from bean to bar, and, of course, have a chance to make and taste chocolate yourself. The heart of ME to WE Chocolate is in the Fino de Aroma bean, the world’s finest bean that is prized for its rich, deep flavor.

Renata, 29, lives with her husband, Jorge, and two sons on a farm in Chone, Ecuador, inherited from Jorge’s parents. Arriving on the farm nearly a decade ago, Renata had never even picked up a machete. Now, harvesting cacao pods is second nature, and Jorge is a founding member of a cacao collection co-op, a group of farmers who came together in the pursuit of a fair price for their cacao. With every bean Renata produces, she’s confident in the knowledge that she’s building a brighter future for her sons—not only through sustainable farming, but also through education: proceeds from chocolate sales are helping build a new school in Chone. “My sons will inherit this farm, and they will learn to work the field with a machete,” says Renata. “But they won’t have to use the machete. Education will let them choose.”

Meet a farmer who is bringing ME to WE Chocolate to life

Minga Lodge, Ecuador A luxurious, peaceful oasis nestled in the Amazon on the banks of the Napo River that marries local design with comfort and convenience.

Accommodations

• Two tiers (deluxe and standard) of luxury, cabin-style accommodations available, furnished with local décor and modern amenities. • Inspired common spaces that include an al fresco dining platform overlooking the Rio Napo, offering spectacular sunset views. • Eco-friendly conveniences, including hot water, electricity and en-suite bathrooms. • Enjoy family-style meals prepared fresh daily by expert chefs, including Western favorites and Ecuadorian specialties.

Activities

Explore the rainforest Join your naturalist guide on optional hikes to discover the Amazon’s incredible array of plant and animal life. Shaman ceremony Be invited to the home of a local shaman, who will guide you and fellow travelers through a traditional cleansing ceremony.

Community discovery Step into the shoes of locals to learn about daily life in the rainforest and indigenous traditions—from seeing how chocolate is made to learning to shoot a blowgun. Get hands-on Have the opportunity to give back directly to the places you’re visiting—we can arrange for you to spend time volunteering on a local project like building a school or working on a community farm.

For more information on our Ecuador trips visit metowelodges.com/ecuador .

Araveli Lodge, India Explore India’s vibrant culture from your base at Araveli in rural Rajasthan, situated in the foothills of the stunning Aravalli mountain range.

Accommodations

• Private cottages and luxury tents. • Nearby hiking trails in the mountain foothills. • Modern conveniences, including hot water, electricity and en-suite bathrooms. • Enjoy the rich flavors, aromas and spices of Indian cuisine, prepared fresh by our chefs. Savor each meal on our al fresco dining platform, which offers an incredible vista of the landscape below.

For more information on our India trips visit metowelodges.com/india .

Our work in India Our charity partner has a long history in India, and has been working with communities there since 1998. In the years since, they have successfully built and refurbished schools, created health centers, organized women’s alternative-income groups and more. These connections give our travelers the unparalleled opportunity to truly be welcomed into communities and experience India’s culture through the eyes of locals.

Activities

Community discovery Walk side-by-side with women as they fetch water from the well, care for their goats and cows, and cook chapatti for their families—learning what it takes for a community to thrive. Indian cooking class Join our chefs to learn how to prepare traditional favorites like butter chicken and samosas. Get hands-on Visit local projects, including schools and water wells—we can arrange for you to spend time contributing firsthand to these projects to give back to the places you’re visiting. Meet local artisans Have the chance to learn about the origins of tie-dye and block printing as you try your hand at creating colorful masterpieces.

Project highlight Empowering local students India boasts relatively high school-enrollment rates, but the dropout rate in rural communities is high and quality education is uncommon. Have the opportunity to visit a school in rural Rajasthan, where our partner, WE Charity, is working to change the statistics on education, particularly for young girls. Meet students and learn firsthand the impact education has on them, their families and future generations.

Bogani Lodge, Kenya Discover all Kenya has to offer as you enjoy Bogani, a sprawling 40-acre camp located in the heart of the savannah.

Accommodations

• Private cottages and luxury tents. • Beautiful property situated on the edge of the Maasai Mara national reserve. • Modern conveniences, including hot water, electricity and en-suite bathrooms. • Our chefs, Wesley and Shake, invite you to join them on a culinary journey of Kenya, including rich and savory Kenyan favorites like ugali, polenta and barbeque, enjoyed on our al fresco dining platform. For more information on our Kenya trips visit metowelodges.com/kenya .

Our work in Kenya In the 16 years since our charity partner began working with Maasai and Kispigis communities in Kenya, they've built schools, libraries, water projects, kitchens and teacher accommodations. Community leaders have supported development and education projects, and implemented active women’s, men’s and youth groups. These unique connections give our travelers the unparalleled opportunity to truly experience Kenya’s culture through the eyes of locals. For generations, Maasai women have gathered under the shade of acacia trees to practice the traditional art of beading while sharing conversation and stories. Get to know an incredible group of women as they teach you how to bead and share how it’s helping them earn a sustainable income through ME to WE Artisans, which to date employs more than 1,400 women. Rafiki bracelet Raf iki is the Swahili word for friend. These beaded bracelets represent a full circle of positive impact— from the women who hand-bead every piece and are empowered to earn a living to the people around the world who wear and love Rafikis every day. Project highlight ME to WE Artisans

Activities

Go on safari Head out into the nearby Maasai Mara National Reserve with your local guide. Walk in the footsteps of a Maasai Warrior Head out on a leisurely hike as you learn about medicinal herbs from a Maasai Warrior, and have the chance to train in the art of Maasai weaponry. Meet local artisans Join Maasai women under the shade of acacia trees to practice the traditional art of beading, learning how their work empowers them to earn a sustainable income. Community discovery Walk side-by-side with local women as they fetch water, feed their animals and cook for their families-learning what it takes for a community to thrive. Be part of a community project Have the opportunity to give back to the places you’re visiting—we can arrange for you to spend time contributing to a local project like building a school or water well.

WE Villages partners with communities around the world Our charity partner, WE Charity, has a decades-long history of holistic, sustainable development through its international development model that addresses the five primary causes of poverty with five pillars that work in tandem to transform communities.

Education It starts with schooling. Education gives children the knowledge, courage and self-confidence to better themselves, their communities, and the next generation.

Water Clean water solutions in communities ensure that children, especially girls, can attend school instead of fetching water, and helps families avoid waterborne illness.

Food We help entire communities have better access to healthy food, and surplus food to sell. Food gives families the energy to thrive and helps kids do well in school.

Health Children can only attend school if they and their parents are healthy—we help families access health care and programs that teach disease prevention and healthy living.

Opportunity We teach parents, often mothers, skills such as animal husbandry that help them generate an income and accrue savings, giving them the ability to invest in their children’s education and health.

Start your journey For more information and to book a trip, visit MEtoWElodges.com

Every project is led by the community

Our partner communities take ownership of the programs and projects that create lasting change. Working in tandem with local government, they devote time and resources to every new initiative, and help keep the project running when it’s finished.

Travelers connect with communities

ME to WE Trips give travelers the incredibly unique opportunity to experience the WE Villages development model firsthand— connecting with communities and cultures, building relationships and even contributing to ongoing projects.

Every trip supports the WE Villages development model Along with travelers contributing to WE Villages projects, half of all ME to WE profits are donated to support WE Charity, while the other half is reinvested to grow the mission of the social enterprise. That means that with every trip, more life- changing impacts are possible in the communities you visit.