Tribe Wanted for Sierra Leone

‘Tribewanted’ was founded in 2006 by Brit, Ben Keene. The idea was to combine green tourism and the power of the internet, to create an eco-community, involved in building and managing sustainable development projects on the remote Fijian island of Vorovoro.

Tribe members pay a fee to visit the island and become immersed in the day to day running and development of the village, living alongside local people. Members are also involved remotely in decision making, via the internet community.

Tribewanted creates partnerships with locals, kick-starting sustainable development projects that they are unable achieve on their own. Longer-term plans are that local people will take ownership of leading the projects. Since set up, 1,100 members have visited, around 10,000 follow online and 600,000 pounds have been contributed to the local community.

Tribewanted say; “Our mission is to build and sustain cross-cultural communities that benefit locals and visiting members; inspiring positive change within and far beyond the village.”

Now, 30 year old Ben is taking on a new challenge; John Obey beach in Sierra Leone, West Africa. The new project aims to attract much needed tourism back to a country that has been ravaged by civil war since 1991 and to challenge its reputation for child soldiers and blood diamonds. Tribewanted is working in partnership with the local government, landowners and fishing community of John Obey to create an eco-village, starting with the creation of sustainable, beach front ‘eco-domes’. The first members of the new project are due to arrive in Sierra Leone in October this year.

Lucy's article was also posted by Responsible Travel

http://www.responsibletravel.com/Trip/Trip101502.htm