Ten years of social and ecological commitment worldwide - the DERTOUR Foundation is celebrating its anniversary with a very personal campaign: ten people talk about their very own experiences with the projects. Kathrin Sommer (Manager Corporate Responsibility at the DERTOUR Group) reveals her wishes and plans for the foundation in an interview.
Since its establishment in 2014, the DERTOUR Foundation has supported more than one hundred projects in 28 countries on 5 continents and, together with local partners, has created many positive changes and improved numerous life prospects.
DERTOUR Foundation e.V. is celebrating its tenth anniversary with the "10 years - 10 faces" campaign. Every month until the end of 2024, the Foundation's website, social media, DERTOUR travel agencies and events will present examples of success stories from around the world with personal stories.
You can find the stories and their faceshere. There are already six, and more will be added on the DERTOUR Foundation website. You can also watch the new image film there.
"These examples show us the hard work and commitment of everyone involved and how the projects have changed people's lives and continue to do so. Ten years of the Foundation means a decade of positive change, successful collaboration and making a difference in communities around the world. We hope to lead by example and inspire others," says Laura Steden, Director Corporate Responsibility at DERTOUR Group.
Sören Hartmann, Chairman and founding member of the DERTOUR Foundation, adds: "The DERTOUR Foundation is also becoming increasingly visible internationally within our Group - and its sphere of influence is growing as a result. This enables us to reach even more people in even more places and change even more. Our motivation is to use the economic power of tourism to protect and preserve the diversity of our planet, to promote local economic development and to fight poverty."
Three questions for Kathrin Sommer, Manager Corporate Responsibility at the DERTOUR Group
one: 100 projects in ten years - that's an impressive number! Do you have a favourite project?
Kathrin Sommer: That's a difficult question. All projects make a great contribution and positively change the lives of people and animals.
So far, I have been able to get to know four projects from the "Supporting people" area on project trips. On these trips, I got to talk to the trainees at the artisan centre and the Maasai women at the women's centre in Tanzania. I also visited the Travel and Tourism training projects KOTO in Vietnam and Smiling Gecko in Cambodia. It was always very touching to see how grateful the people are for our help, how self-confident they have become as a result of the courses we have funded and how happy they are to share their new knowledge with others as mentors. That is true empowerment!
When an experienced Maasai woman tells you that our training courses (for example in hygiene, clothing or nutrition) not only bring independence, autonomy and education, but also joy and light into her life, it is very touching.
one: You had announced that in future you would be expanding the topics you focus on in the area of Sustainability in the foundation's portfolio. For example, in addition to the many empowerment projects, you want to place more emphasis on environmental protection and environmental education. Are there any new projects that focus on these aspects?
Kathrin Sommer: Yes, that's right. in 2024, we added two new projects in this area to our funding programme. We are adding WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) and a women's empowerment project in India to our portfolio.
With the "Water is Right" Foundation, we will be supporting a WASH project in the Dominican Republic for the first time. With the help of the DERTOUR Foundation, 20 marginalised young people over the age of 18 will receive vocational training during the school year that will enable them to become self-employed in the repair, maintenance and installation of water and wastewater infrastructure. Following the course, successful graduates are offered a tool loan programme through which they can borrow the tools for follow-up jobs.
Our second new project is based in India. Although women make up a large proportion of employees in tourism worldwide, they are hardly represented in the sector in India - especially not among rickshaw drivers. To change this, the Lake City Rickshaws Initiative is focussing on women in this traditionally male-dominated sector. Women from low-income households, mainly aged between 18 and 35, are being trained to drive e-rickshaws and offer excursions in Udaipur. But the project can do a lot more - you can find out more about it here.
one: What are your wishes and plans for the near future of the DERTOUR Foundation?
Kathrin Sommer: The DERTOUR Foundation wants to promote and help shape positive social change while always keeping the needs of those we want to help in mind. This will continue to be our core concern in the future.
I personally hope that we can expand our commitment to environmental protection projects in important tourist destinations and promote projects that can be actively experienced by our customers.
We also want to get hoteliers and external partners in the destinations more enthusiastic about Foundation projects and generate more funds as a result.
And finally, we are pushing ahead with internationalisation within the Group and were recently able to welcome DERTOUR Austria as a new member at the general meeting. It is great to see how the DERTOUR Foundation - originally founded as a purely German project - is gaining more and more support and importance within the DERTOUR Group.
Located near Hanoi, the KOTO educational centre is a safe haven for young people aged 16 to 22 who come from difficult backgrounds. Copyright: Carsten Heinke
Supporting people
Over the past ten years, the DERTOUR Foundation has built and equipped 71 schools worldwide with the help of experienced local partners, enabling 15,000 schoolchildren to receive an education. In addition, 66 young people have been trained in tourism and the hospitality industry. Examples include the Pimali project in Thailand, Smiling Gecko in Cambodia, Africa Amini Alama in Tanzania and KOTO in Vietnam. In Tanzania, a total of 112 young people received qualified vocational training to become bricklayers, metalworkers or carpenters. Also in Tanzania, 58 microloans were granted to Maasai women to support their financial independence and self-determination.
Copyright: Maldives Coral Institute
Preserving nature
Together with local partners, the DERTOUR Foundation is fighting to restore and preserve the balance of nature.
In Sri Lanka, for example, the project partner Wildlife and Ocean Resource Conservation (WORC) is being supported in restoring and preserving the mangrove forests in the Koggala Lagoon. Around 15,000 mangroves have been planted here since 2022 to protect the precious ecosystem.
In Mauritius, the collaboration between the DERTOUR Foundation and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) has also helped to save 27 Aldabra giant tortoises since 2021.
© Copyright Reisetrend | Getty Images
Protecting animals
The DERTOUR Foundation aims to safeguard the welfare of animals, protect them from the potential negative impacts of tourism and promote the positive effects of tourism on wildlife. Over the years, the foundation has worked with numerous animal welfare organisations and other partners and supported various projects to offer travellers animal-friendly experiences. One example of this is the Lipsi Marine Mammal Centre in Greece, which today serves as a sanctuary for seals, turtles and dolphins.
In Tanzania, 52 elephant guards were trained, in South Africa 1,800 children were sensitised to environmental education in Kruger National Park and 36 young women from tribal communities were trained in the fight against poaching.
More information about the DERTOUR Foundation, the projects it supports and how to donate can be found on the foundation's website.
