
My Experience in Indonesia with V2I
“I had a big fear about falling into the trap of voluntourism.” –Kate O’Connor
In conjunction with Telunas, a geo-resort on Sugi Island, we were involved in economic development for impoverished and isolated island communities facing diminishing returns in traditional occupations (fishing, rubber harvesting, wood cutting etc.). With a growing tourism industry in the area, we were exploring ways to leverage this new reality to provide new sources of income for struggling families.
Venture 2 Impact visited Telunas Geo-Resort in 2016 to learn more about the resort’s aims to impact the surrounding islands’ economy through job creation and tourism. After learning more about the local communities and having key dialogues with the resort owners and the community, it was determined that Venture 2 Impact could help Telunas accomplish more of their community development goals and help to positively impact the surrounding communities. In 2017, a team of Venture 2 Impact volunteers used their experience interacting with locals living in the surrounding islands, information collected from an in-depth multi-island survey put together by the V2I team, and information provided by Telunas staff, to create a minimum viable product (MVP) revolving around secondary geo-tourism. When another volunteer team returned in 2018, they came alongside these new businesses for training, support and mentorship. Since that time, Telunas has been advancing the work we accomplished in the community, creating new opportunities for developing business to have access to tourism markets.
Telunas Resorts was started in 2004 as a small, family run, eco-resort that was hoping to make a positive impact in remote locations. Since then, it’s grown into multiple socially responsible resorts that are not only focused on providing unforgettable experiences for guests and helping them reconnect with what’s important, but are also committed to bringing sustainable positive impact to their co-workers, surrounding communities, ecosystem, and the local economy. Telunas impacts the surrounding communities through employment of over 160 people from the surrounding islands and many holistic community development initiatives such as scholarships, camps for youth, mentoring and life coaching, supporting local entrepreneurs, and carbon footprint reduction initiatives.
Nothing explains our work and our impact more than stories that come from our volunteers and those involved in our projects. We invite you to take some time to read more …
“I had a big fear about falling into the trap of voluntourism.” –Kate O’Connor
Entrepreneurs received
personal training
Creative solutions
Designed
Volunteers Engaged
and contributed