A Journey with
Two Meanings

Explore New Horizons

The contribution of tourism to the GDP of developing countries is non-negligible. However, beyond the question of the wealth created, there is also the question of its distribution and the impact on local populations, who often find themselves on the fringes of the benefits of mass tourism. Village Monde’s mission is to use sustainable tourism as an economic motor so that local communities are at the heart of tourism initiatives and their benefits.

Exploration in solidarity lands

Finished

Argentina

Explorers: Claudia Vachon

Duration: 8 weeks

Exploration area

  • Capital: Buenos Aires
  • Language: Spanish
  • Population: 45 millions
  • Currency: Argentinian pesos

Setting the context:Argentina’s landscapes offer a striking contrast: a desert separates the snow-capped peaks of the Andes Mountains from the Atlantic Ocean, not to mention the jungle, crystal-clear lakes,…

Exploration in solidarity lands

Finished

Mexico

Explorers: Amélie Jette-Masse

Duration: 8 weeks

Exploration area

  • Capital: México
  • Language: Spanish
  • Population: 133,642,035
  • Currency: Moroccan dirham

Setting the context: Mexico is a Latin American country, bounded in the southeast by Guatemala and Belize, and in the northwest by the United States. It is a very large territory, with almost two million square kilometers… 

Cooperation project

In progress

Vatovavy Region, Madagascar

To diversify the economy of the Fanatenantsoa association in order to increase the income of the peasant members and to promote the integration of resilient agricultural practices in the daily life of everyone and to promote the sustainable development of the community.

  • Diversifying agricultural production to adapt to climatic conditions and become income-generating
  • Capacity building of the association and its members in useful and accessible areas
  • Raising awareness among young people about the protection of ecosystems and motivating them to integrate sustainable development practices

Partner: Madagascar Tourisme Rural (MATOR) & Mahay Expédition

Exploration in solidarity lands

Finished

Morocco

Explorers: Stéphanie Gravel-Couture

Duration: 8 weeks

Exploration area:

  • Capital: Rabat
  • Language: Arabic and Berber
  • Population: 37.34 million
  • Currency: Moroccan dirham

Setting the context:Morocco is located in the extreme northwest of Africa, bordering Algeria, Mauritania and Spain. Bordered by both the Pacific Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, the country offers a rich diversity of landscapes, mixing mountainous regions, desert areas and…

Exploration in solidarity lands

Finished

Algérie

Explorers : Tanya Lecuyer

Duration: 12 days

Exploration area : Algiers, Tipaza, Kalâa Ath Bès, Ghardaïa, El Menia, Timimoun

  • Capital : Algiers
  • Languages: Arabic and Berber
  • Population: 44.62 million
  • Currency : Algerian dinar

Background: Between sea, mountain and desert, Algeria is a North African country situated between Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, Mali and Niger where nearly 45 million people live.

Exploration in solidarity lands

Finished

Madagascar

Explorers : Isabelle Vitté and Charles Mony

Duration: 23 days

Exploration area: Pangalanes Canal in the East, Central and South-West regions

  • Capital: Tananarive
  • Language: Malagasy
  • Population: 27.69 million
  • Currency: Ariary

Background: Madagascar is a huge island off the southeast coast of Africa. It is one of the 5 poorest countries in the world and 75% of the population lives below the poverty line…

Exploration in solidarity lands

Finished

Tanzania

Explorers: Gaétan Mony, Elodie Pellequer and their two daughters aged 5 and 2 and a half

Duration: 10 weeks

Exploration area: Zanzibar Island, Arusha and the Kilimanjaro region, Southern Highlands (Morogoro, Iringa and Mbeya)

  • Capital: Dodoma
  • Language: Swahili
  • Population: 59.73 million
  • Currency: Tanzanian shilling

Background: Tanzania lies between the great lakes of East Africa and the Indian Ocean. The country covers just under 950,000 km2 and has a population of 60 million, 65% of whom live in rural areas…

Exploration in solidarity lands

Finished

Sri Lanka

Explorers : Laura Mony

Duration: 40 days

Exploration area : Itinerary through the whole of Sri Lanka

  • Capital : Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte
  • Languages: Sinhalese and Tamil
  • Population: 21.92 million
  • Currency: Sri Lankan rupee

Background: Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is an island in the Indian Ocean, about 30 kilometres southeast of India, characterised by religious, cultural and linguistic diversity…

Exploration in solidarity lands

Finished

Kyrgyzstan

Explorers : Isabelle Vitte and Charles Mony

Duration: 13 days

Exploration area: Central (Naryn region), South (Osh region) and a bit of Central (Jalal-Abad region)

  • Capital : Bishkek
  • Languages: Kyrgyz and Russian
  • Population: 6.592 million
  • Currency: Som

Background: Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked, extremely mountainous Central Asian country (average altitude over 3,000m) along the Silk Road, the ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean…

Exploration in solidarity lands

Finished

Ethiopie

Explorers: Charles Mony and Isabelle Vitte

Duration: 20 days

Exploration area: Northern (Tigray), Central (Amhara) and Southern (Southern Nations and peoples) Ethiopia

  • Capital: Addis Ababa
  • Language: Amharic
  • Population: 115 million
  • Currency: Birr

Background: Ethiopia, located in the Horn of Africa, is, with a population of 100 million, the second most populous country in Africa but one of the poorest in the world…

Exploration in solidarity lands

Finished

Mauritania

Explorers: Charles Mony and Isabelle Vitte

Duration: 9 days

Exploration area: North-West (Banc d’Arguin National Park) and North (Adrar desert) of Mauritania.

  • Capital: Nouakchott
  • Languages: Arabic and French
  • Population: 4.65 million
  • Currency: Uguiya

Background: Mauritania is a poor country, ranked 155th (out of 188) in the United Nations Human Development Index in 2016, and in 2018, 17% of the population was considered to be below the poverty line.

Exploration in solidarity lands

Finished

Belize

Explorer : Denis Lyonnais

Duration: 16 days

Exploration area : Central and South : Cayo, Stann Creek and Toledo

  • Capital : Belmopan
  • Languages: English and Kriol
  • Population : 397 621
  • Currency: Belizean dollar

Background: Belize is a tiny Central American country nestled between Mexico and Guatemala that declared its independence in 1981…

Cooperation project

Finished

Karen Mogensen Reserve, Nicoya, Costa Rica

Implementation of an environmental education programme for 120 students from 10 villages and towns around the reserve.

  • Improvement of the living conditions of the targeted rural communities
  • Protection of the Karen Mogensen Reserve through environmental education of young people and promotion of sustainable tourism.
  • Increased capacity and knowledge of local communities in the preservation of the forest and its biodiversity and in the use of resources in the context of the challenges posed by climate change.

Partner: Asociación Ecológica Paquera Lepanto Cobano (ASEPALECO)

Exploration in solidarity lands

In progress

Groenland

Explorers: Isabelle Vitte and Charles Mony

Duration: 14 days

Exploration area: Kangerlussuaq, Southern Region (Narsarsuaq) and Illulissat

  • Capital : Nuuk
  • Language: Kalaallisut
  • Population: 56,421
  • Currency: Danish krone

Background: Greenland is a self-governing Danish territory with an area of 2.166 million square kilometres, 87% of its population being Inuit, the island’s indigenous community. The territory is characterised by very harsh climatic conditions that make the living conditions of the inhabitants difficult…

Cooperation project

In progress

Nouveau-Brunswick, Quebec

Select, train and send young explorers from Quebec and New Brunswick on interprovincial mobility missions to promote the Canadian Francophonie and strengthen ties between Quebecers and Francophones and Francophiles in Canada

  • Promote the Canadian Francophonie in the Acadian and Quebec territories
  • Promote sustainable Francophone tourism initiatives
  • Strengthen the ties between Quebecers and Francophones and Francophiles in Canada

Partners: Acadian Peninsula Tourism

Cooperation project

Finished

Ontario, Quebec

Training and coordination of the sending of several explorers from Quebec and Ontario from one province to the other. The purpose of these mobility trips is to promote a rich and mobile Canadian Francophonie.

Contribute to the development of Francophone and Canadian communities in Canada
Promote and encourage the use of French in Canada
Strengthen ties between Quebecers and Francophones / Francophiles in Canada

Partners: Société économique de l’Ontario (SEO)

Cooperation project

Finished

Regions of Diana, Sofia and Boeny, Madagascar

Sustainable empowerment of women and young people in rural areas of Madagascar through the promotion of sustainable tourism practices as a source of employment and financial resources.

  • Highlighting the potential of the sustainable tourism sector among women and young people to accompany and support them in their integration into the labour market
  • Training and workshops for capacity building in relevant and accessible areas (entrepreneurship, sustainable tourism, marketing)
  • Support and technical assistance to local partners in promoting sustainable tourism initiatives

Partners: Madagascar Tourisme Rural (MATOR) & Mahay Expédition

Cooperation project

In progress

Benin, Communes of Grand Popo, Comé and Kpomassé

Development of a resilient low-carbon local economy in mangrove areas in South Benin.

  • Mangrove restoration
  • Ecotourism
  • Resilient local economy

Partners: Eco-Benin & Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) & CO2logic

Cooperation project

Finished

Campung Dunia, Flores, Indonesia

Design and creation of an ecolodge in the village of Wolokoro in order to promote and develop village tourism off the beaten track in respect of the environment and local cultures.

  • Promotion of village tourism and development of an accommodation network on the island of Flores
  • Empowerment of local people through entrepreneurship
  • Supporting a resilient local economy through ecotourism

Partner: Campung Dunia Otonomi

Explorations in Solidarity Lands

Village Monde is always on the lookout for new destinations, well kept paradises, welcoming and proud villages, regions far from mass tourism.

This exploration mission is for travellers (alone, as a couple or a family) who wish to get involved as volunteers with Village Monde by giving their time during a trip that they finance. This mission is tax-deductible in the form of a donation receipt for tax purposes.

Our Explorations in Solidarity Lands program allows:

  • Identification of accommodation and activities with local impact;
  • Analysis of the existing structures and offer;
  • Meetings and exchanges with local actors;
  • Establishment of development partnerships;
  • Visiting committed communities;
  • Validation of the potential for sustainable tourism development;
  • Labelling of initiatives;
  • Raising public awareness for sustainable tourism.

Being an Explorer

The mission of the explorer is to meet, explore, certify and share travel experiences in order to be a vector of a more conscious, human and environmentally friendly tourism.

An explorer taking part in our Solidarity Lands program must respect various principles inscribed in our explorer’s charter.

International Cooperation Actions

In order to achieve its mission of supporting local entrepreneurial initiatives and developing sustainable tourism in remote areas, Village Monde has developed expertise in field action. This expertise consists of intervening at the level of specific communities through local initiatives, as well as through global structuring projects within several communities, a region or a country. A true laboratory for social innovation, this field action expertise is based on and enriched by the creation of new reference models in sustainable development, tourism, entrepreneurship, impact measurement and financing.

Global and Environnemental Citizenship Education

In order to generate sustainable changes, as many people as possible must feel concerned. This involves raising awareness among travellers and educating them about global citizenship through various tools and events. These serve to highlight the inequalities generated by the current global system and to demonstrate that, through conscious travel choices, we can have a significant impact on the communities we visit and on the environment, in addition to living particularly enriching human experiences at a time when it is essential to know, talk to and respect each other. Also, a component involving youth exchange programs makes it possible to work towards a diverse and united Francophonie from coast to coast.

Madagascar

Promotion of Sustainable Tourism Initiatives

In order to facilitate the connection between impact tourism and travelers looking for new experiences, adventure and authenticity, Villge Monde has created and developed the collaborative platform called Vaolo.  

Act With Us

Join us to be an actor of change!

Make a donation

You have a busy schedule but still want to contribute to our actions? It is possible to make a donation. We are accredited to generate donation receipts in Canada and in France.

Become a volunteer

If you want to contribute to a sustainable global society that respects people and ecosystems, join the Village Monde movement and become a member of our community of volunteers.

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