Human Connections
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Human Connections is a non-profit organization that connects
local people with international audiences. Our work starts with our
partners — remarkable artisans, tradespeople, and organizations in
Latin America. We then invite travelers and students to interact
with our partners through day tours, weeklong trips, and internships.
Through these educational programs, we provide a platform for
local people to share their culture and have agency over their
stories. These interactions are also financially rewarding for our
partners, as we pay them fairly for their time and help increase
their sales.
Our goal is to empower local communities while fostering
conversations that shift perspectives and increase understanding. We
believe that responsible travel has the power to affect positive
social change.
OUR MISSION
Connecting people from diverse backgrounds through educational programs that ignite action towards lasting social change.
OUR VISION
We envision a future of connected and socially conscious global citizens who are committed to creating positive change.
OUR VALUES
Connection: Making meaningful connections, both local and global, requires a deep understanding of where another person comes from. These kinds of connections are crucial to recognizing and appreciating our shared humanity.
Empathy: By listening to someone else’s story and putting ourselves in their shoes, we reconsider our assumptions, foster understanding, and recognize the dignity of each person we meet.
Education: Education is the most powerful tool we have. Access to multicultural education allows participants to gain new perspectives and approach problems in a holistic way.
Integrity: We hold ourselves accountable for ensuring that our impact is sustainable and ethical in the communities where we work. We invite honest and open dialogue about our work.
OUR STORY
In 2008 a group of Harvard University students traveled to Mexico in search for a practical, beneficial way to bridge the worlds of microfinance and educational tourism. Their pilot program established “microfinance tours,” in which travelers met and interacted with local entrepreneurs, and in exchange, these entrepreneurs received microloans to grow their businesses. The students experienced tremendous success and, with support from Harvard University and Projects for Peace, worked to expand their model, which they called Investours. In 2010 Investours became incorporated as a nonprofit organization in the United States, with active locations in Bucerias, Nayarit, Mexico and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Over time, the Bucerias project and the Dar es Salaam project each responded and adapted to their distinct cultural and economic contexts, and thus evolved in different ways. In response to this natural evolution, and in a peaceful, cooperative spirit, Investours decided to separate the two programs.
Project leaders in Bucerias recognized that this new independence offered a chance for creative re-visioning and strategic change. After months of research and community outreach, leaders decided that in order to maximize impact, financial investment should be directed to financial literacy and business classes rather than to the provision of microloans. In early 2014, leaders decided to officially branch from Investours into an independent organization they called Human Connections.
Human Connections is a social enterprise that maintains a positive relationship with Investours and developed a range of programming – tours, internship programs, and Global Engagement Trips – all aimed at fostering positive cross-cultural exchange.
Read more about Human Connections’ story here.
Organization campaigns
This holiday, help us move into our new office! The large space will allow us to host all our new artisan partners for meetings and events, as well as our growing Cultural Tours and student programs. The office is more central, sustainable and accessible.
Finished January 2, 2019
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