It has been a while since we got enrolled in the social entrepreneurship program by ODB Brussels, but we anyway want to share the article which was written last year: click here. This 6-month program improved our skills in organizing tours due to the principles of responsible tourism, considering the impacts of our activities and prioritizing employing regional guides, buying products and other services from locals.
Today Walk to Folk is engaged in SDG Accelerator study program in Berlin. The main goal of this 9-month social entrepreneurship marathon is to find a partner in Germany with whom we can learn new concepts and methods in sustainable tourism.
For now all our tours involve local guides from regions, farmer's food or/and eco-lodges' services. We are focusing on solving the problem of fair wages by employing local guides (in Belarus there is a significant gap in earnings between cities and villages). We found that absolutely exciting! These people simply take you for the journey of their everyday lives, which sometimes is touching, surprising, or just informative. We believe that it is the best way to learn the culture: just talking to locals and be guided by them. Some example of such tours guided by locals: Hike across the bogs, Shapavaly, Lake district cycling.
Our environmentally friendly workshops like Bread baking or Natural cosmetics are not only pleasant 1-day trips, but also a reason to think of responsible consumption, to pay attention on the composition of products we buy from the shop and become more aware of problems caused by micro plastic or nutritional supplements.
Be responsible and travel with Walk to Folk!