Partners

In our work, we collaborate with a range of partners: community-managed village tourism enterprises; environmental and conservation bodies, funding agencies, government bodies, tourism academic departments; and travel companies with a sound track record in responsible tourism. In addition, we receive support from many specialist organisations and enthusiastic individuals in activities ranging from language training to rural handicrafts.

Community Partners

Our principal partners are the communities with which we work. To become partners, communities must demonstrate a need for supplementary income and a commitment to benefit sharing among their members, as enshrined in our Founders' Charter.  Each community forms a democratically-elected institution to set up and manage their village tourism enterprise (VTE), under a long term agreement with Village Ways Partnership.  In some cases they approach us directly, to seek our help in establishing a VTE. In other cases, we are introduced to communities by a funding agency, a government agency or through local contacts. 

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Develoment Partners

We are expert in the development of Village Tourism Enterprises in remote rural communities, and have worked in collaboration with funding bodies who wish to support responsible tourism initiatives.

In India, Village Ways formed an innovative partnership with UPASaC, a government-sponsored social venture capital agency, which is working to improve entrepreneurship and livelihoods in poor hill villages. Village Ways and UPASaC each sponsor a house share the cost of training villagers in the Saryu snd 'Pindar valleys.

In Ethiopia, Village Ways worked in partnership with Tesfa, an Ethionian NGO, from 2009 tto 2012 o raise standards and develop projects in the Highlands of Ethiopia. The Ethiopian VTEs are now run in collaboration with Mark Chapman, a Village Ways Partnership director based in Addis Ababa.

 

Travel Industry Partners

We are always seeking partner travel companies, which share our values and can bring guests who appreciate the community experiences offered by Village Ways. Village Ways Travel in India provides wonderful trips for independent travellers. In the UK, Inntravel has been a long-term partner for our communities in India, and we are about to launch a programme in partnership with La Balaguere in France.

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