Queenstown’s Ziptrek Ecotours is spreading its wings to support a worldwide initiative that facilitates the funding of entrepreneurs in developing countries, empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty.
The sound of jingle bells high above Queenstown in the build-up to Christmas will be the flying-fox operator getting reined up and ready to spread festive spirit and charitable good tidings across the resort with its new Ziptrek Christmas offer.
For just $99 per person (minimum groups of ten during November and December) the eco-adventure company promises zippers a merry ol’ time up in the trees while also giving a portion of the price to Kiva -- the international web-based micro-loan organization.
The bighearted initiative adopted by Ziptrek Ecotours joins a world-wide community that is dedicated to funding those entrepreneurs through the website www.kiva.org.
Company director Trent Yeo said Kiva loans were “a very different way” to make a difference compared to traditional charity-giving at Christmas, with a 98 percent pay back rate that enabled investors to “keep on giving.”
“Kiva allows you to make small loans via its website to entrepreneurs on five underdeveloped continents, leveraging just $25 to change a life,” he said. “Kiva’s not a charity – these are partnership relationships.
“What better Christmas gift than giving those less fortunate the chance to build and sustain a business to benefit themselves, their family and community, while your hard workers fly through the trees above Queenstown.
“We will give ten percent from each Ziptrek Christmas party group booking by getting zippers online and actively involved with choosing which project they would like their donation to go to.”
Kiva's mission is to connect people, through lending, for the sake of alleviating poverty. As of November 2009, Kiva has facilitated over $100 million in loans. It seeks to empower individuals in lending to an entrepreneur across the globe with a small but very significant money loan. The loan is passed to a field partner and then directly to the receiver, enabling them to start or develop their business using the money to buy much-needed materials, livestock or equipment, or undergo vital training.
A stringent pay back programme is put in place at the time the loan is made and, when they’ve been repaid, those who made the original loan can then decide to loan it out again, pay it to Kiva to help meet operational costs, or take their money back.
Ziptrek Ecotours links with its sister company in Whistler, Canada, in carrying out the Kiva donation project and is optimistic that other companies, businesses and individuals in the resort will follow suit and set up their own Kiva online group or become a friend of Ziptrek’s Kiva account.
The percentage given from their Christmas party bookings will enable companies to change up to four lives and provide valuable services to hundreds more as the benefits are relayed.
“There’s a very old saying that goes “If you give a man a fish he’ll eat for one day, but if you teach a man how to fish he’ll eat for rest of his life” and this is what we’re doing by joining Kiva,” said Mr Yeo.
“So often people don’t see where their money is going, but with Kiva you do and you have the chance to re-invest. The wild success of Kiva to date would suggest this formula truly works.”
Ziptrek Ecotours will continue giving through Kiva after its launch with their Christmas Special. The offer runs exclusively during November and December and is only valid for group bookings of 10 persons or more. Bookings are essential. To book please call 0800 Ziptrek (947 8735)
To watch a one-minute video of Trent Yeo explaining Ziptrek’s new Kiva mission visit http://bit.ly/d7CYWq.
