When I travel to other countries, it is important to me to try to understand as much as I can about everyday life of the local people. That is what I like about traveling with G Adventures. They don’t just usher us around from one famous sight to another–they give us opportunities to see how the local people live. Tours frequently include experiences such as home visits, opportunities to explore the local market, chances to try various methods of public transportation, visits to shops to see how traditional handicrafts are made, and opportunities to sample traditional food. Sometimes G Adventures takes us on visits to schools (especially on the trips I take with GEEO). But most importantly, every G Adventures trip I have taken has given us an opportunity to give back to the community.
On the National Geographic Northern India Highlights tour, we had the opportunity to support two organizations to give back to the community. The first organization was Women on Wheels. This program trains impoverished women to become professional drivers, empowering women by giving them employment and an opportunity to take control of their own lives by making them less dependent on a husband for an income. G Adventures hired Women on Wheels for our airport transfer upon arrival (which was included in the price of the tour) and most of us elected to hire Women on Wheels again to take us back to the airport at the conclusion of our trip. Both of the women who drove me to or from the airport were good drivers, dealing well with the often chaotic traffic in Delhi. My first driver wanted to talk to me quite a bit so she could practice her English, whereas my second driver did not seem to speak much English, but she was still friendly and did her job well.
Our second opportunity to give back came with Salaam Baalak Trust. This nonprofit organization gives street children opportunities for a better life by providing shelter, education, medical assistance and other services. On our first full day of the tour we took a city walk with a former street child to learn more about the organization, as well as the circumstances that cause a child to have to live on the streets. While some children are orphans, others run away from home to escape extreme poverty or abusive situations. Our guide for the walking tour was Annie. She said that street children do not usually have to worry about going hungry as there are places they can go reliably for a free meal. For example, all Sikh Gurdwaras have a community kitchen where anyone can go to eat. However, the children have no reliable shelter and no access to education. They are exposed to drugs, sexual abuse, and economic exploitation. Many street children will sniff shoe goal to mask any hunger they might experience. They lack to routine and security that children need to survive. Salaam Baalak Trust not only provides shelter, but also food, physical and mental health services, and educational programs. Programs are individualized to meet the needs of each child.
When I travel, I am often reminded not to give money to beggars on the street, especially not the children. Giving money to child beggars usually just perpetuates the problems. Often, children are kept out of school so they can help their families earn money by begging or selling things to tourists. Also, much like we are told about panhandlers in the U.S., when you give money directly to a person on the street, you can’t guarantee that it will actually be used for food. It is much better to give money to an organization that helps the homeless. We did see children and families living on the street during our journey in India, and it was as heartbreaking as you can imagine. However, taking the tour with Salaam Baalak Trust gave us hope that there are people out there trying to improve the situation.
Tracy Travels & Teaches 
Interesting about the “give back” program. Well written.
Thanks!