HOLIDAYS WITH A PURPOSE OPPORTUNITY

Surfing holiday of a lifetime

Are you a surfer and/or do you fancy a ‘holiday of a lifetime’. Surfers have a very rare opportunity to come on a boat trip on the 100ft sailing vessel ‘Indo Jiwa’ through the Hinako Islands ( North West of Nias, Indonesia ), a group of eight pristine tropical Islands, rarely visited by foreigners.
There is an ongoing opportunity through Baggy Lodge (the UK booking agent for Holidays With Purpose). ‘Holidays with a purpose’ aims to combine an amazing surf boat trip experience, whilst also putting something back into the local community.

The trip is designed to give you a unique experience to become part of a village community, not simply as a tourist observing but as a member. Each day you will have the opportunity to surf some amazing breaks on off shore islands, dive, snorkel, and fish, then put something back to the community by going onshore to work on one of the numerous projects which ‘Holidays with a Purpose’ have set up. These include teaching youngsters to surf, hosting children‘s activities, teaching English, building projects or getting involved in kick starting a micro business aimed at giving long term sustainability.
In the evening you will return to the boat for a delicious meal and retire for the night in air conditioned comfort.

For more details of the organisation ‘Holidays with a purpose’ log on to www.holidayswithpurpose.com and/or read on here. Or email us at hwp@baggys.co.uk

THE PURPOSE

Who are they?
The people of these areas live a simple subsistence lifestyle. Many of them have never left the island of Nias, some have never even ventured to Gunungsitoli the capital.
The December 2004 Tsunami hit many areas of Nias. The Hinako Islands off the coast of Sirombu, West Nias was affected but not damaged. However the community was unsettled and lived in fear. In March 2005 an 8.7 Richter scale earthquake hit.
Homes and lives were lost and the fear of another tsunami caused most of the villagers to flee the coastal areas for higher ground. To this day, the people of the Hinako Islands have the overwhelming task of reconstructing their lives.

Who are we?
Ruby and Channa Senaratne first visited the island of Asu in the Hinako Island group off Nias, for their honeymoon in 1995, they ended up spending 4 years there. During this time, they became involved in the life of the community, running a small cafe, holding playgroups and medical clinics and attending church.
They learnt a lot about the local culture and customs, the livelihoods and issues that affect the people. These people retained a special place in their hearts. Ruby and Channa spent a total of 8 years in Indonesia, working in the surf charter industry and owning a furniture factory. They are fluent in Indonesian language.
After hearing the tragic news of the tsunami and earthquake Channa and Ruby felt the need to go back and help the people they had come to call family. The "Holidays with Purpose" idea had already been in the planning stages for some time.
The decision was made to combine the boat trips with the rehabilitation of Nias and its industry. The March earthquake further solidified their resolve to go and help.

What?
Nias' main industry is coconut cultivation. The majority of the population is in some way involved in growing, harvesting or processing coconuts. However, due to a decreasing demand for copra, the dried meat of the coconut, this industry has been steadily declining in Nias.
The people of Nias have been suffering from reduced incomes and constant price rises for years now. The tsunami and earthquake struck a devastating blow to these people already surviving with so little.
The coconut palm has so many wonderful uses and with education in new production methods and introduction to wider markets, the rehabilitation of this industry in Nias in a reality.
Local Empowerment Assistance Project aims to do just that. To re-establish and revive the economy of Nias, one project, one village at a time.
A pilot project has begun on Hinako island where we have built a small virgin coconut oil and factory. This small factory produces high quality cold pressed virgin coconut oil, LEAP assists by bringing the product to the Western market. see www.sumateraoil.com
100% of the profits from the wholesale price of these products go back into the local community in the way of development projects such as an education centre, livelihoods projects and appropriate technology workshops.

Where?
Nias is a small island off the coast of West Sumatra, Indonesia. The Hinako islands is a small group of eight islands situated just off Sirombu on the West Coast of Nias. These are areas that may seem to be forgotten by the rest of the world.

Why?
Because we believe that poverty is wrong and that as citizens of this earth it is our responsibility to help to combat this. There is an imbalance of wealth in this world and all too often money given in good will is misused or never reaches its intended destination.
We are not simply an aid project, we are about helping these communities to become self sufficient with their own natural resources. We give you an opportunity to contribute directly to a project, both physically and financially. You will see first hand where your finances are going and you will be able to stay in contact should you wish with the project and it's progress.

How?
Guests from the Holidays with Purpose charters will come into the village projects and become part of them, helping out where needed. They will contribute their energy, skills and love and in return will receive the satisfaction of personally helping to fight poverty and empower to peoples lives.

Fundraising
We encourage you to find out what the current project being run is and raise funds at home to contribute to it when you come. Not only will you come away with a wealth of beautiful memories and photos but with the sense of satisfaction at knowing that you have personally made a lasting contribution to the area.

THE HOLIDAY

Join us for a LIFE CHANGING experience ... yours and theirs!
10 day trips include:

ACCOMODATION

Up to ten guests can sleep in five air conditioned double cabins. There is a spacious saloon downstairs where you can watch a movies, listen to music and chill out in the air-conditioning.
Upstairs is a covered eating area overlooking the enormous deck, with plenty of space to sun-bake, relax or find a quiet corner for yourself.
Climb up to the wheel house and discover yet more deck space with a 360 degree view of the surrounds. The perfect place for a surf check, early morning quiet time or a triple pike with swish into the ocean as the sun sets.

SAMPLE MENU

The menu aboard the "Indo Jiwa" supports where possible locally grown produce. It is a mix of eastern and western cuisines with a healthy, high energy focus, the fish BBQ is unbeatable. Our resident cooks were trained by award winning chef Channa Senaratne (3x winner of best ethnic food in Qld)
Breakfast: fresh fruit, tea or coffee; home made muesli, toast and spreads. Cooked breakfasts include pancakes, French toast and omelets.
Lunch: salad wraps with fish or chicken; Mexican bean burritos; Fish burgers; fresh sushi and sashimi; thai glass noodle and seafood salad.
Dinner: Thai, Indonesian and Indian influenced curries made from chicken, seafood and local vegetables; seafood laksa; Chinese style whole steamed fish with stir fried vegetables and rice; Beef rendang.
Dessert: coconut and palm sugar crème caramel; chocolate mud cake; fried bananas with caramel sauce; coconut cake with lime syrup; fresh fruit platters.

ACTIVITIES

Surfing
The surf of Nias is world famous. There are numerous un-crowded breaks, some well known others our secrets, a selection of some we can tell you about here:

Others you will have to come and see for yourself, un-crowded barrels await!

Snorkelling
The islands around Nias are coral atolls where you will discover an amazing array of underwater environments. There is even an old Dutch shipwreck to explore off the island of Bawa.

Fishing
From tropical reef fish, yellow fin tuna, and mackerel to lobster, if you are a seafood lover you will be in heaven. There is nothing quite like the thrill of catching it yourself and eating that night for dinner.

Sunbathing, swimming and beachcombing
Crystal clear lagoons surrounded by white palm fringed beaches, without the lines of umbrellas and beach hawkers, it doesn't get much more perfect than this.

Hiking and historical exploration
Come for a journey back in time and discover relics of an ancient culture. Traditional houses over two hundred years old, purposely built to withstand earthquakes are still standing. Ancient megaliths tell stories of the past. If history and culture is your thing there are mysteries to be uncovered in the jungles of Nias.

FINDING YOUR PURPOSE

HWP provides a variety of channels through which to develop a groups? purpose as they visit the islands. As each group identifies its specialised skills or purpose prior to the trip, a suitable program can be chosen or tailored to suit them. Suggested programs are outlined below, some may need a group to undertake fundraising prior to the trip allowing the wider community to indirectly involved in the positive impact made by surfers on holiday. Sound like a win / win? Read on,,,

1. Builders With Purpose:
For surfers who want to charge some Indo perfection and not completely put down the tools. Following the quake there has been a need for new buildings and the LEAP team continues to need construction skills as the LEAP centres continue to expand. You will also find the local builders are exceptional in carving with a machete and fascinated by Western building methods. This is one of those programs where fundraising is likely to be required.

For this one you can work around the surf forecast, putting in a full days work and a full days surfing or mix it up, with a morning shift on the tools and an arvo surf based on the winds.

2. Competition With Purpose:
This is one of the most exciting reasons to visit Indo; beyond the waves it?s the people. Most surfers are in some way familiar with the odd comp, but out here for the locals it would be an unheard of novelty. In nearby Sirombu (mainland Nias) as well as the classic fun little wave on the point, Richies Right, there is a fun beach break which the local surfers, mostly Muslim have learnt to surf. These guys would be blown away if a group was to come and run a basic surf comp at their local break, they?re stoked with a block of wax and the odd prize sponsored by your local surf shop would blow them away! Imagine if you could bring some surf product and bless them, film them surf and show it on the boat, the opportunity is there: take it.

On Hinako Island, there is a massive following of Badminton players and the sport it huge and they are very, very good. An Island comp would be massive, and the same could be said for Ping Pong, practice up guys they are pretty good!

This can also be combined with another ?purpose? to add that much more to the experience.

3. Kid Purpose:
LEAP has initiated an amazing kids centre called the Coconut Kids Club. This facility was built by a Builders HWP trip in '06 and is a testament to the impact the LEAP program has. 180 primary age kids now receive an extra 4 hours of education per week, all for no charge. They attend on a village-by-village basis, coming 2 afternoons per week. Kids usually arrive an hour early they are so keen for this activity. Picture yourself after having been barrelled all morning, catching the boat back to Hinako, with a guitar and a footy and playing with all the kids, laughing, singing and giving you all the ‘hallo mister’ you can handle, then take them for a swim in the lagoon, throwing frisbees and tennis balls as the sun sets.

4. Dirt With Purpose:
A significant problem in the islands is poor nutrition, and LEAP is combating this by teaching composting methods, and educating local people how to grow organic vegetables, then providing them with seeds. The goal for '07 is that there would be HWP gardens built and planted in each village. The goal being that every family could see the potential and copy the garden, or maintain the HWP garden, thus improving nutrition and health.

In this case you would work for example in the morning, elbow to elbow with the locals in the garden, then wash of the dirt and sweat with some clean, deep blue barrels at Bawa on lunch as the wind swings around, stay out a bit longer and let the sun set behind the island coconut palms while reflecting off the peak as you return for one more wave.

SAVINGS

Keep the Faith Special
Pay just USD $1,790.00! save $1,100.00 off the original 2009 price! (all prices are quoted in US Dollars but will be converted to UK Sterling at the time of booking)

Fund raisers Discount
Unlike other charters, profits from HWP are donated directly to a non profit charity: LEAP (Local Empowerment Assistance Project) www.leapin.org You may choose to pay the full amount, however if you wish to fundraise on behalf of LEAP, every $100USD (up to $500USD)raised will gain you the same discount from your balance owed. NOTE: this must be deposited at the same time as your balance of trip payment, refunds are not given. See below.

Full package ($1,790.00)

$1,790.00 ----
$1,690.00 $100
$1,590.00 $200
$1,490.00 $300
$1,390.00 $400
$1,290.00 $500

Fundraising activities undertaken have included:

Not only are these events a great deal of fun, they raise awareness of the good work being done by LEAP. There is an opportunity to show a film produced by The Bible Society and Christian Surfers International which shows what a group of surfers did on a previous HWP. It Features Bethany Hamiliton, Glyndon Ringrose and an assortment of surfers on various craft. Its a quality production and certainly gets every viewer amped to make a difference with their $, if not join the trip themselves. For more information or a copy of the DVD email: holidayswithpurpose@gmail.com

What's next?
If you have looked the online schedule (http://www.holidayswithpurpose.com/charter_schedule)and are ready to confirm your dates, check with us via hwp@baggys.co.uk or call us on 01271 890078 and we will arrange to take your deposit.

On receiving this deposit your booking will be secured.