Maroon Volunteers

PIA in anticipation of the community's need for support has formulated a holistic, multi-pronged support strategy to enable community's development in a continuing and independent manner, we refers to this strategy as Maroon Projects. The Maroon Project's support for communities is is embodied in our Sustainable Co-Investment program.

  Maroon Volunteers is a "sweat" collateral component of our Sustainable Co-Investment program.  

Maroon Projects is a partner of Center for Responsible Travel,  Travel Philanthropy and Volunteerism program coordinated & facilitated by People in Action. It is built on the a ground-up approach to the National Geographic, Center for Sustainable Destination's, "geotourism" strategy.  

Volunteer tourism describes a field of tourism in which travelers visit a destination and take part in projects in the local community. Projects are commonly nature-based, people-based or involve restoration of buildings.

Development Values

Our core values are responsibility & sustainability, respect & dignity, service & partnership and economic transparency & empowerment. As with all the projects we offer, it is designed to be culturally sustainable and financially transparent, as well as being community-driven.

Responsibility & sustainability – volunteers will be working alongside a team of local community persons – volunteers placement will not replace any local worker. Community responsibility and project sustainability should be inherent aspects of the project 

Respect & dignity– mutual respect for personal and cultural dignity involves listening to each other and learning from each other. Foreign/local integration–knowledge and perceptions will differ from each other, but both sets of values are equally valid. Full preparation and guidance is given by our company to maximize the potential mutual benefits.

Service & partnership – we work together with the local Project Management Team in matching the volunteer and their skills to the specific requirements of the project. Volunteers will be able to work in true partnership with the local people on the project.

Economic transparency and community empowerment - we will work with the community to formulate & establish a community chest fund.  The price of the placement is paid directly to the Project Management Team, not to us (excluding the 8-5% volunteer recruitment fees to the foreign based travel agent)– at least 70%-80% of the price remains where it is needed most, in the host community and the project donation is used exclusively for this project.