December is the month of holidays, celebrations, gifts, family, friends, drinks, feasts and great company. Over the years and throughout my travels, gifts have become less of a priority and quality time spent with family and friends has become a much better way to ring in the holidays.

When there’s a chance help make a difference over the holidays, I’ll be there. I recently met German travel blogger Steven Hille during our adventures across Costa Rica with Futuropa. This Christmas, Steven has generously put together an initiative called Water is Life. After living in a small village in Uganda for a couple of months this year, Steven found importance in putting together a project which will help build a water pump (with manual and electric functions) to provide water for the whole village of Nandere, Uganda.   

In support of Steven’s mission, I wanted to tell you a little story of my own.

In September of 2012, I embarked on a life changing experience to South Africa – the trip that would now define what I do today – the trip that turned me marketing personnel to world travel blogger.  

About half way through our trip filled with bungee swings, adrenaline activities and beautiful scenic hikes, we stopped off at a hostel called Buccaneers Backpackers Lodge. Buccaneers is owned by an incredible couple (Sal and Sean) who generously drove us all around the town of Chinsta to see everything there is to experience. That day we visited a partnering school called Bulugha Farm School to watch a miraculous singing performance by the entire school. Their voices and beautiful dancing sent shivers down my spine. I’m not one to cry, but these children brought tears to my eyes, smiling ear to ear.

This day changed the way I looked at children and adults alike who were considered to be less fortunate. The children weren’t sad or broken lying on the road begging for money, they were learning and living and smiling. They learned to sing beautiful and heart wrenching songs so that travellers from across the world could come and listen in on their classes. At the end of their performance they gave you the option to write your name down in a book and donate what you could. I fell in love with this idea of give and take. It is hard to know who you should be supported and what they will be doing with the money. It is hard to just hand someone 5 dollars on the street when there’s that possibility you’re supporting something terrible. When children and adults learn to share their talents with you, that’s incredible, that deserves payment. I now live by a similar rule of my own.

It’s a give and take exchange – you give me something you created (a bottle cap magnet, a song and dance, a bracelet made of string) and I will provide you ‘thanks’ (money) in exchange.

Giving those who beg on the streets money, often promotes more begging. I know it’s a sensitive subject, but it’s important that you’re donating and giving back in the right ways. Staying at Buccaneers Backpackers Lodge helped inspire me and helped show me how to use my travel experiences to make a difference.

What’s inspired you to give back? What do you do in the world to help make it a better place? Share your stories, not with me… but with the rest of the world! This is exactly what Steven Hille is doing to help make a positive change in the community of Nandere, Uganda. If you’d like to learn more about his initiative, check out Betterplace.org.

For inspiration about travelling the world, check out the following posts: Why You Should Travel Now, How to Create Your Own Blog, How to Break Out of Habit and Travel the World, The Best Quotes to Inspire You to Travel, The Bucket List.