Bridge the Gap Villages: Vorovoro Island, Fiji

IndianapolisBridge the Gap Villages: Vorovoro Island, Fiji

$11,237

Raised of $35,000 USD

Fundraising ended on Mar 15, 2013
42 supporters
32%%

About This Project

To learn more about us, please follow these links for more detailed information about our plans and our future:

Our StartSomeGood Venture Page

Our Facebook Page

Our Website  



Our Goal: To raise the initial funds needed to re-open Vorovoro Island, Fiji, as an eco-tourism village community experience in April 2013.  



This intiative will serve as a platform for connecting the Vorovoro community with business education and mentorship opportunities, enabling them to utilize the tourism industry in positive ways as local business owners.



Chiefly family of Vorovoro Island


Invest in Tourism that Empowers


Bridge the Gap Villages will enable the native Fijian community of Vorovoro Island to harness the power of their international tourism potential in sustainable ways by:



1) Partnering to establish a small-scale, community-based eco-tourism destination that the community will gradually learn to own and operate for themselves.



2) Connecting the Vorovoro community with culturally relevant business education and mentorship opportunities that will support future business development endeavors in their community and beyond.




3) Using a dynamic business model that incorporates the employment experience with cultural & vocational apprenticeship, business education, and mentorship, we will help empower the local community to pursue and achieve their goals of generating sustainable
income through small business ownership.



Read more about the details of our plans
HERE.


View photos of our rewards
HERE.

 


The Vorovoro Community



In the rural paradise of Vorovoro Island, Fiji, few job opportunities exist.  Villages depend on a subsistence-base lifestyle supplemented by occasional income from fishing and farming. Poverty is high, and local marine eco-systems are suffering significant
damange caused by over-fishing.








The community of Vorovoro want to strengthen their economic situation, but they don't want to compromise the integrity of their culture, land, or way of life to do it.






The Vorovoro Experience



The visitor’s experience of Vorovoro could be called many things – voluntourism, beach holiday, cultural immersion, adventure travel, nature travel – and they would all be correct.  Ultimately, your time on Vorovoro is whatever you decide you want it to be!




Fijian culture is rooted in community and hospitality, and visitors to Vorovoro can expect to be welcomed like family.  The native people of the Vorovoro community are genuine and gracious, and effortlessly extend their hospitality to create what has been called
a perfect visitor's experience. Many people have describe feeling as if they have “come home”.




Life on the island is simple yet fulfilling, a rare opportunity to experience what it’s like to slow down, unplug, and connect.  For many of us, it’s our first opportunity to experience first-hand sustainable living practices.  Fijian culture is known for its
playful and joyful approach to life, and laughter is often the background music to which we live, work, and play.



So what will you do with your time on Vorovoro?  



There are endless possibilities on Vorovoro, and most visitors enjoy a comfortable mix of island recreation, cultural immersion, and contributing to our collective impact through participating in local community initiatives.  




Reading with kids on Mali Island



The Vorovoro experience has the potential to create lasting and positive change for travelers who join our global community; it’s meaningful and responsible travel like you’ve never experienced before.  Please click

HERE to learn more.

Use Of Funds

$35,000 Tipping Point Goal


The Primary Objectives For This Campaign Are To:



- Hit the ground running in April.  This means refurbishing all existing accommodations and island infrastructure, re-establishing solar and wind
power, and providing a reliable means of transport to and from the island. We have carefully timed our launch in April to coincide with peak season of reed harvesting for new roofs as well as the end of the rainy season to maximize good conditions for building.
 


- Prime the project for success by letting the world know about it.  This means establishing effective initial marketing channels through use of social media, our website, and local and global partnerships.



- Lay the foundation for the business training and mentorship program. This involves working with the landowning family and local craftsmen, artisans, and laborers to teach the skills necessary to manage the tourism operation—and eventually own it outright.




- Empower Fijian employees to plan and launch small businesses of their own, in their community and within the region’s burgeoning tourism industry, creating a cycle of opportunity that reaches into the broader Mali tribe.



Nemani and Pupu Epeli hard at work


Bridge the Gap Villages can be successful only with the engagement and support of socially-conscious people like you. Your generous support encourages responsible and sustainable tourism development that benefits both local people and travelers alike.


Bure


TIPPING POINT: $35,000



To effectively open the island up for visitors in April 2013, we require a bare minimum of $35,000 USD. Here’s what we will accomplish with that sum:



 - Travel to Vorovoro Island in March 2013 and begin work with our Fijian partners to source and purchase reeds, bamboo, timber, and tools needed for the refurbishment of the island’s existing accommodation and gathering structures.



 - Organize a local building and labor crew to begin the process of rebuilding and refurbishing, starting with accommodation buildings.



 - Purchase necessary supplies to accommodate visitors (mattresses, pillows, cooking supplies, and linens, which will be tailored by local seamstresses).  



 - Replace the batteries for the island’s solar power and make solar and electrical repairs and improvements.  



 - Repair existing water catchments and plumbing, which provide both drinking and bathing water for island guests.  



 - Cover such practical and operational expenses as Fijian work visas, lease payments for the first 3 months, and fair wages for the local craftsmen and laborers who will be working to prepare the island for visitors.




 - Provide a phone and 3G internet access so that we can maintain contact with guests and our social media following.




 - Rent the boats necessary for transporting guests to and from the island.



Ocean lullabyesTOTAL
FUNDING GOAL: $110,000





If we are fortunate enough to meet our larger goal, we can:



 - Build additional accommodation options and enlarge and improve the cooking area. 




 - Purchase additional water tanks to increase our rainwater catchment capacity for farming.



 - Lay the foundations for our sustainable employment and business mentorship programs.




 - Begin creating and purchasing environmental curriculum for the Mali District School in collaboration with the local teachers.



 - Upgrade our technical equipment.



 - Implement our marketing plan to let the world know about Vorovoro.



 - Cover initial operating expenses while the project ramps up.


 



Mali District school children

$110,000 Stretch Goal


Latest News

No updates yet.

Rewards

Select Reward
$10.00

VINAKA! That’s Fijian for “Thanks”—we’ll send you a fun video update and a sincere thank you from us and our Fijian partners for helping seed the dreams of the people of Vorovoro. We will also add you to our newsletter mailing list so you can see what progress your donation is helping to fund!

2996 left

Select Reward
$25.00

LAKO MAI! Come join our communal dining area, in many ways the heart of our village, and you’ll always be a part of it: your name will be beautifully carved into one of the wooden posts that decorate our dinner table. We’ll even email you a photo of the carving! We’ll also send you the thank you video associated with the Vinaka level of support.

2988 left

Select Reward
$50.00

BULA SIA! Hello! For your generous support of the island’s local artisans, you’ll receive a handmade gift straight from them: a keychain crafted from coconut shell. We’ll also send you the benefits associated with the Vinaka and Lako Mai levels of support.

992 left

Select Reward
$100.00

SIGA! Spread the sunshine! As a token of thanks, we’ll send you one of our favorite low-impact travel items: Nokero’s solar light bulb. We’ll also send you the gifts associated with the Vinaka, Lako Mai and Bula levels of support.

496 left

Select Reward
$250.00

VOIVOI! We'll send you a beautiful piece of island art—your choice of either a cute turtle family (3 turtles), woven from the native voivoi plant OR a lovely mangrove-seed and bamboo mobile—all created by one of the village artisans from nearby Mali Island. You can view photos of these items on our website (www.btgvillages.com). Note: Delivery will be in June 2013 to allow sufficient time for completion. Items will ship from USA. You will also receive the rewards associated with the Vinaka, Lako Mai and Bula levels of sponsorship. Please email us at [email protected] to specify turtle or mobile, or you can just let us surprise you!

99 left

Select Reward
$500.00

A WEEK IN PARADISE Save more than 10% by pre-purchasing your island time! An all-inclusive stay on Vorovoro includes roundtrip transfer to Vorovoro from Labasa airport, all meals and lodging. Enjoy pristine beaches, snorkeling on the world’s third-largest reef, fresh fish and fruit, legendary Vorovoro island hospitality, and balmy evenings under a blanket of stars. Use your island time within five years, gift it to someone special, or donate it to a charity auction. Your name will also appear on our website’s Social Impact Investors list and you will be added to the mailing list for our newsletter.

193 left

Select Reward
$1,000.00

TWO WEEKS IN PARADISE Save more than 10% by pre-purchasing your island time! At this level of support, you will receive two weeks of all-inclusive island time (including all food, accommodation, and roundtrip transport to Vorovoro from Labasa airport). Use your island time within five years-- bring a friend and stay for a week!—or gift it to someone special or donate it to a charity auction. Your name will also appear on our website’s Social Impact Investors list and you will be added to the mailing list for our newsletter.

199 left

Select Reward
$2,500.00

THREE WEEKS IN PARADISE + BUILDING SPONSORSHIP Your support at this level will fund the extensive refurbishment or new construction of a traditionally built accommodation structure on Vorovoro. In return for your generosity, you will receive three weeks of all-inclusive island time (covering all food, private accommodation, and round-trip transport to Vorovoro from Labasa airport), good for the next 5 years to use, gift, or auction as you wish! And to ensure that your legacy of generosity endures, we will carve your name on a dedicatory sign at the entrance of the building you helped fund. What a meaningful and lovely way to demonstrate that you’ll always be part of the Vorovoro family! Your name will also appear on our website’s Social Impact Investors list and you will be added to the mailing list for our newsletter.

200 left

Select Reward
$5,000.00

FOUR WEEKS IN PARADISE + BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP This invaluable level of support provides seed funding for a local Fijian-owned business; by donating at this level, you’ll be helping us establish a truly sustainable economy in the region. Your donation entitles you to a total of four weeks of all-inclusive island time (covering private accommodation, meals, and round-trip transport to Vorovoro from Labasa airport), good for the next 5 years to use, gift, or auction as you wish! We’ll also include your name on a Vorovoro art installation recognizing you as a key supporter of our island project. Your name will appear on our website’s Social Impact Investors list, and you’ll receive a personalized video reporting on the business goal that you’re enabling. You will also be added to the mailing list for our newsletter.

99 left

Select Reward
$10,000.00

FIVE WEEKS IN PARADISE + PROJECT SPONSORSHIP In return for your significant level of support, you’ll receive five weeks of all-inclusive island time (covering private accommodation, meals, and round-trip transport to Vorovoro from Labasa airport) for you organization to use, gift, or auction as you wish. Your logo will feature prominently on our website, all our PR materials, and will be included on our Social Impact Investors list. We’ll also add your name to a Vorovoro art installation recognizing you as a major supporter of our island project. You will also be added to the mailing list for our newsletter.

10 left