Shared value with rural communities
Richard Hearn
From chance to enterprise
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The Indian Himalayas
Response to cry for help
Team of complementary skills
Funding, private v institutional
Creation of committees, co-operatives,
SHGs
• Business structure; community to holding
company
Community development
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Community tourism structure
A growing role for women
Inter-village relations
Training in hosting, guiding, food &
hygiene, housekeeping & accounting
Local economic benefit
• Guesthouse ownership and business
equity
• Direct & indirect employment
• Local suppliers
Project to product
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Community need & will to engage
Base line survey
Market possibilities
Product design for market
Route to market
Growing niche of purposeful
travel
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Fostering village life & traditions
Cultural exchange at the core
Slow journey, deep immersion
Desire to repeat experience
Sense of privilege
Shared value at the heart of the
business
• Social enterprise
• Enlightened self interest
• Community benefit fundamental to
company profit
The Projects
Binsar Sanctuary
• Kumaon Hills, India
• Loss of traditional livelihoods &
depopulation through economic migration
• 2006 - 5 villages, 5 guest-houses
• 2011 – 6th guest-house
• Walking holidays
The Projects
Saryu Valley
• Kumaon Hills, India
• Regional Govt policy to generate microenterprise in remote hills - partnership
• 2009 - 2 villages, 2 guest-houses, 1 tented
camp
• 2012 – 3rd & 4th guest-houses
• Walking & special interest holidays
The Projects
Thar Desert
• Rajasthan, India
• Individual entrepreneur with social
concerns
• 2011 - 1 village, 1 guest-house, 1 mobile
camp
• 2012 – 2nd guest-house
• Holiday, living/understanding desert life
The Projects
Sirsi Spice Gardens
• Karnataka, India
• Loss of traditional revenue, spice
plantations
• 2010 - 1 village, 1 guest-house
• 2012 – 2nd guest-house
• Relaxing holiday, cooking courses, gentle
exploration
The Projects
Kettuvallam on the backwaters
• Kerala, India
• Group of villages by-passed by thriving
tourism market
• 2011 - 4 villages, 1 house-boat
• 2012 – 1 guest-house
• Relaxing holiday, journeying by boat from
village to village
The Projects
Meket & Tigray
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Highlands, Ethiopia
Working with existing NGO, TESFA
2008 - 4 villages Meket, 4 guest-houses
2010 – 4 villages Tigray, 4 guest-houses
2012 – raising standards & developing 2
guest-houses
• Walking & trekking holidays
The Projects
Ol Donyo Wasin
• Northern Rangelands, Kenya
• Working with NRT conservation trust
• 2012 – building 2 guest-houses with
Samburu communities
• Walking & discovery holidays
Future challenges
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Step-up to international business
Recruitment
Better & stronger administration
Training & standards
No deflection
Work in common with other environmental,
conservation & socially focused
businesses
& provide economic benefit
to the host communities