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Unity is strength

“ What you give you get, ten times over” African Proverb

Travelling with a purpose is the best part of exploring new lands, learning about our history, vibrant cultures and the traditional lifestyle.

Living & Giving is about living our best life as well as giving back whenever possible, donating and spending valuable time with the community.

Who have we connected with?

Africa

Our first collaboration was with a London clothing brand called Kry-ltd at their pop up shop.

They kindly donated a percentage of their profit to us, which went towards shipping three barrels full of resources as well as gifted clothes from the community. These were then shipped to an amazing charity called Smile Impact in South Africa.

However, we later learned the high tax and custom charge we incurred, as well as purchasing resources from the UK economy, had no benefit to the local businesses in the community.

So our next destination would have to be done differently!

Learning valuable lessons from the prior methods of donations our trip to Ethiopia, painted the path in which we have continued to follow today.

Fundraising from UK events (hyperlink next UK adventure) our travellers converted the donations they had raised of just over £1,000 at a ratio of 1:33 in Ethiopian Birr.

This enabled them to shop locally in Addis Ababa at a stationery shop for Behere Ethiopia K Garten & Primary school, as well as a local grocery store purchasing food donations and resources for the babies at Kebebe Tsehai Orphanage.

Our mission to bank positive memories and impact lives worldwide was set in stone!

Caribbean

Venturing from the Motherland to the Caribbean our next community impact day was at Irving Wilson school in Barbados. The students in this school have autism, vision and hearing impairment but most importantly beautiful souls!

Taking their seats as students our travellers got the opportunity to learn the alphabet in Sign language from the children, as well as sit in on various other lessons. Magical moments watching children when they can express their uniqueness through teaching others, especially people from abroad.

It’s important to us that we communicate and donate resources that are needed rather than making a generalised assumption. For example, the scented colouring pens/pencils and audiobooks we purchased would make it a lot easier for the children to use and benefit from.

South America

Did you know off the continent of Africa Brazil has the highest population of the African diaspora?

Well, we had to go and see for ourselves and what an epic experience it was connecting with the community within Rio de Janerio.

Let loose in Mercadao de Madureira for sweet gifts was literally like kids in a candy store!!

The travellers were running around the store excited for the children to get gifted for the tradition known as Cosme and Damiao within Serrinha favela on 27th September.  Privileged enough to connect with the local children at Casa do Jongo and take part in a Capoeira class.

Welcomed by late Aunty Maria do Jongo, this empress was such a big inspiration to the local community. Founded in 2001 located at the top of Serrinha favela Casa do Jongo later moved to the bottom of the favelas in 2015. The Casa do Jongo program is for children to attend out of the half-day school period, learning African-Brazilian heritage Jongo, Capoeira also other martial arts, literacy and so much more. With no funding from the government, they do such an amazing job.

If Rio is the heart of brazil then Bahia is the soul!

An incredible woman Lia who is the founder of Campo da Paz orphanage welcomed us in. The children at this home have different levels of disabilities and require around the clock care. As a community they have built and maintain the ground rich with fruit and vegetables, however, sadly have no help from the government so donations and valuable hands-on time are essential for there work.

Appreciative of the resources we donated they often host lunch or dinner events to raise funds, using the produce they grow themselves. Despite the challenges faced, their warm heart still finds space to adopt stray dogs, cats, and even a tortoise.

There’s always an opportunity to do more in any country you visit, so please be mindful to connect with the locals, learn their way of life and support the entrepreneurs.

We believe adventures should take people out of their comfort zones, physically and mentally.

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience, can never go back to its old dimensions”

Exploring new countries it is always fun to take part in something new, a surge of adrenaline as we include exciting activities for our travel packages. 

Are you a UK resident? or here on vacay?

Either way, we would love to bank memories with you!

Our monthly events aim to promote a positive image of the African diaspora/ black community, trying new things, skill-building and working together as a team in a variety of activities. If you are part of a larger organisation or a solo black traveller, we invite you to join our mission as adventurous impacters. 

“Positive memories ease stressful times”

We understand that finding time to unwind in such a fast-paced society can be difficult.  Hence the reason why having a stress-free and fun activity to look forward to each month makes a big difference to your ‘normal’ routine. 

As well as stepping out of your comfort zone you also step into a bigger purpose of contributing towards charities, schools and local businesses on our travel package community impact day. Unity is a strength

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you”

UK Adventures 

“If you want to know the end, look at the beginning” African proverb

There is power in knowing your roots and strength in understanding thyself. As the African diaspora we are blessed with rich ancestral roots, a bloodline of architects, mathematicians, scientists, surgeons, astronomists, philosophers, Kings, and Queens.

These gems are often missed or removed when looking back into our history with a focus on the European interruption of enslavement.  

Knowledge is infinite and as we travel, we love to learn each countries roots and culture giving us a sprinkle of ancestral magic along the way.

What have we learnt?

IPN Museumemorial highlighted African heritage through investigation and research. On the historical and archaeological site of the New Black Cemetery, bone remains were seen in a pit mixed with rubbish showing the brutal reality of the status African- Brazilian’s held. 

Fortunate to be educated by an elder from the Quilombo community, we had an unforgettable hands-on experience of how cassava flour, palm oil, and natural syrup are produced and sold worldwide today.

Embraced by the healing energy in the Candomblé IlêAxéOpóAfonjá filled with nature, we learned about African gods, Xango, Ossarin, Oxum, and Omulu.

Founded by Eugênia Anna Santos, she is remembered for her great leadership qualities and strength as a priestess, in transforming the terreiro into an African world in the heart of Brazil. 

Watching as vibrant hand made wraps from Casa do Alaka were being made, each colour representing an African god. We learnt that one can not choose the god they wish to follow but the god must choose you.

Mestre Moa do Katendê was a respected Capoeira master, who founded the historic Afro block AfoxéBadauê in Salvador and was an activist for the defence and promotion of black culture. 

In the Afro- Brazilian museum our travellers learned the embedded connection of today’s Brazilian population to the African tribes such as Yoruba, Igbo, Tchokwe, etc. Also the history of the Indigenous people of the land, many forced out to live in the Amazon forest.

Living& Giving first partnered with @blacktravelers  in 2018 with a trip to Rio de Janeiro, and have since travelled to Bahia, Salvador and have numerous trips to South America and countries in Africa planned.  The tours on these trips are extremely educational leaving our travellers filled with new perspectives and knowledge.

Travel with us to learn and appreciate the history of numerous countries waiting to be explored.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” African proverb