Sustainability

Corporate Social Responsibility

Over the past 25 years’, since we started our journey at Merit Travel, we have had the opportunity to travel the world and explore the common values that connect us all. We have learned that our actions, no matter how small, profoundly impact the people in every country we travel to. Because we believe in taking responsibility for our actions, we have created a unique Corporate Responsibility platform that engages everyone at Merit Travel in this duty.
– Michael and LouLou

Our sustainability plan is driven by 3 main principals:

Social Development

Communities around the world lack proper education and infrastructure. Our Volunteer Programs enable people to contribute to communities in need.

Environmental Protection

To minimize our ecological footprint we source businesses that share our values of nature conservancy, wildlife protection, waste management, and sustainable energy sourcing.

Economic Advancement

We help communities grow by supporting entrepreneurs and by investing in grass-roots projects.

Local Outreach

Merit encourages social outreach through our Share a Day and Share a Week programs. These fully paid days enable our team members to volunteer with any Charity or NGO. Because our team is important to us, the causes that they are passionate about are important to us as well.

our involvement

International Outreach

Across the globe, there is a lack of safe water and sanitation, causing the loss of life every day. Our ambition is to help end this global crisis. Merit Travel has partnered with WaterAid to help transform the lives of thousands over the coming years.

WaterAid is an international non-governmental organisation with a mission to transform lives by improving access to safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities. WaterAid’s vision is of a world where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation. Collaborating with WaterAid, we help by increasing awareness, fundraising, and development for local WaterAid projects. During campaign periods a part of our sales is donated to WaterAid, and we hold a number of events to increase awareness.

Our current fundraising efforts will be used to assist 12 health clinics across rural Tanzania. These clinics do not have access to a water supply. Our contributions will help build a safe water supply  for each clinic.

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Notable Projects

WaterAid Works in 37 Countries Worldwide

Canada

The Canadian team helps to coordinate and fund operations across our country teams.

United Kingdom

The UK team helps to coordinate and fund operations across our country programmes.

United States of America

The America team helps to coordinate and fund operations across our country programmes, with Nicaragua a particular focus.

Nicaragua

Known as the "Land of lakes and volcanoes", Nicaragua has abundant sources of freshwater, but little of it is safe to drink or readily accessible.

Sweden

The Sweden team helps to coordinate and fund operations across our country programmes.

Senegal

The Senegal team helps to coordinate our operations across West Africa from our new regional office in Dakar, Senegal.

Mali

Mali is a large, landlocked country in Western Africa, two thirds of which is desert. Despite exporting cotton and other resources across Africa and beyond, the country is one of the world's poorest.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone emerged from a decade-long civil war in 2002 but the country still faces many challenges. Two thirds of the population live in poverty, and millions of people lack access to safe water and proper toilets.

Liberia

Although Liberia emerged from a long and violent civil war in 2003, the country is still being rebuilt and many live in poverty. However, there is strong political will to bring safe water and basic toilets to the millions living without.

Burkina Faso

Droughts have made water scarce and caused many people to move to unplanned urban slums where services are poor.

Ghana

Ghana is rich in natural resources but many of its people are unemployed or live in poverty. Access to basic services is often inadequate, affecting people's health and preventing them from escaping poverty.

Niger

Niger is the largest country in West Africa but also one of the least developed. Much of it is desert and droughts are common, making accessing water difficult.

Nigeria

Nigeria is the most densely inhabited country in Africa with a population of 184 million people and growing rapidly. Water and sanitation services are not keeping up with the demand, with devastating results.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is in the Horn of Africa, where an extended period of droughts, famines and conflicts has had a serious impact on health and life expectancy. Many children die before the age of five.

Kenya

Kenya has a thriving tourist industry and exports tea, coffee and flowers around the world. But almost half the population live below the poverty line and millions lack safe water and basic toilets.

Uganda

Uganda has been independent since 1962 but the government structure is still changing and many people have no access to basic water and sanitation facilities.

Rwanda

Since the genocide in 1994, Rwanda's economy has grown dramatically, showing inspiring signs of development. However, nearly two in three people live in poverty and millions still lack safe water and basic toilets.

Tanzania

Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa, home to 52 million people. Due to the hot, dry climate, safe water is scarce and growing enough food is often difficult for the mostly rural population.

Zambia

Zambia is one of the world's fastest growing economies, thanks to its rich resources and thriving agriculture sector. However, over half the population lives in poverty and millions lack clean water and basic toilets.

Malawi

Malawi is known as the warm heart of Africa. Despite signs of economic development, many challenges remain – in rural areas only 20% of people have access to a toilet.

Mozambique

Mozambique is a former Portuguese colony in East Africa, home to over 27 million people. War, floods, droughts and earthquakes have all challenged development here.

Madagascar

Madagascar is famous for its unique wildlife and landscape yet across the island half the population live without access to safe water and 84% have nowhere decent to go to the toilet.

South Africa

The South Africa team helps to coordinate our operations across Southern Africa from our regional office in Pretoria.

Pakistan

Pakistan is one of the most populous countries in the world but millions of its people lack safe water or a basic toilet. Extreme flooding and an unstable political landscape are just some of the challenges faced.

India

With a population of over a billion people, India is home to 17% of the world's population. The divide between rich and poor is huge and over a quarter of people live in poverty.

Nepal

Nepal is a landlocked country with a beautiful but challenging landscape. Many people must make long, dangerous journeys to reach water sources. Less than of the population has somewhere safe to go to the toilet.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the world's most densely populated countries. 160 million people are crowded onto low-lying land where annual monsoon floods contaminate water sources and leave millions of people with appalling sanitary conditions.

Myanmar

Lack of access to safe water and sanitation causes around 18% of child deaths in Myanmar. WaterAid plans to commence work in Myanmar this year.

Laos

In mountainous Laos, over a third of the population don't have anywhere to go to the toilet. WaterAid is currently planning how best to support Laos to increase access to water, sanitation and hygiene.

Cambodia

Despite a growing tourism industry, Cambodia remains one of the poorest nations in Southeast Asia. More than half the population lacks adequate sanitation.

Japan

Our Japan office is currently setting up its presence. Please get in touch with our Country Representative to find out more.

Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste gained independence in 2002 following a 25 year war with neighbouring Indonesia. While there has been development and growth since, three in ten people still lack safe water and over twice as many have nowhere to go to the toilet.

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea in the Pacific region is one of the most culturally diverse countries on the planet, but it is also one of the poorest. More than half the population lacks access to a safe water source or basic toilet.

Australia

The Australia team helps to coordinate and fund operations across our country programmes.

Nicaragua

Known as the "Land of lakes and volcanoes", Nicaragua has abundant sources of freshwater, but little of it is safe to drink or readily accessible.

Notable Projects

WaterAid Works in 37 Countries Worldwide

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How to get involved

WaterAid Canada’s Bucket List Adventures is a five-year series of epic global excursions that take groups of WaterAid supporters to the world’s most breathtaking destinations. We aim to raise $1,000,000 to support clean water projects around the world.


HELP US SOLVE THE WATER CRISIS
Your donation will help us bring clean water and sanitation to health clinics in Tanzania.
Together, we can improve access to safe water for all. Merit and WaterAid are proud partners, supporting the need for practical and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene projects in Africa.
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CALL TO GET INVOLVED TODAY

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