Initiatives making a real difference, ready to achieve even greater impact with the right support.
We are proud to highlight a selection of projects chosen by EXO Foundation for their urgency and meaningful community impact. With already having deep roots, proven models and powerful stories, what they need now is the backing of those who share their vision. By engaging clients, partners can help extend their positive impact beyond travel and contribute to lasting change for communities and the environment.
To recognise leadership in this space, we are also launching our Key Impact Partners Program. Any client who supports one of these selected projects, either by adding a donation to every trip, sponsoring a project or offering training or guest learning experiences, will be formally recognised as a Key Impact Partner. It is a chance to demonstrate commitment to responsible travel in a way that is both visible and authentic.
Read on to learn more about our project spotlights.
ReForm Plastic
Originally developed in Vietnam and now being replicated in Cambodia, ReForm addresses plastic waste challenges through a community-based recycling model. By building an informal waste-picking community to sort and process plastic waste at a dedicated local facility, the project creates local employment, enables value-added processing and reduces environmental leakage. A feasibility study has already been conducted, confirming its relevance and potential impact in Cambodia. All it needs left is funding before ReForm can begin implementation.
Key Impacts
Increases income and livelihood security for waste workers through value-added processing
Extends recycling to plastics that are typically left behind, especially low-grade materials.
Creates a scalable, decentralised model suitable for both urban areas and tourism destinations
1516 Green Energy
1516 Green Energy delivers renewable power to rural and mountainous areas that lack electricity by installing small hybrid solar–wind systems in local schools and households across remote villages. By expanding energy access in these underserved communities, the initiative improves learning conditions for students, enhances livelihoods and reduces the health and financial burdens associated with kerosene lighting.
Key Impacts
- Reliable electricity access for schools and households
- Improved education for 350+ children and teachers
- Reduced indoor pollution and better quality of life
Click a Tree
Click A Tree restores degraded landscapes through community-led reforestation that enhances biodiversity and supports long-term land stewardship. By planting native species and integrating tree planting into corporate ESG strategies, the initiative creates local employment, absorbs carbon over time and empowers communities to manage their natural resources sustainably.
Key Impacts
- Planted and protects native trees across 64,000 sqm in Southern Thailand to restore areas degraded by past mining and palm oil expansion
- Each tree is expected to absorb 0.5 tons of CO2 over the next 50 years
- Creating hours of employment for local communities, securing jobs and fostering community participation in sustainable land management
Lovina - Responsible Dophin Watching
Lovina’s Responsible Dolphin Watching initiative in northern Bali responds to the pressures of unregulated wildlife tourism by training boat operators in dolphin conservation, developing skilled “dolphin heroes” and establishing safety and sustainability guidelines. Through collaboration with local stakeholders and awareness campaigns, the initiative protects dolphins and marine biodiversity while strengthening livelihoods tied to ecotourism.
Key Impacts
- Local guides and heroes empowered to lead sustainable practices
- Dolphins and marine biodiversity are protected through safe tourism
- Awareness raised among communities and tourism industry
- Community-driven, self-sustaining conservation practices established
Solar Chapter
Solar Chapter introduces simple solar lighting kits to off-grid households that rely on kerosene lamps, providing clean light for evening study, safer indoor environments and access to basic phone charging. By replacing kerosene with solar-powered alternatives, the initiative reduces household expenses, improves education outcomes for children and decreases the social isolation faced by communities without electricity.
Key Impacts
- Supplied solar-powered lighting to 456 families across three villages: 185 in Romang, 200 Tafuli and 71 in Boen
- Families saved $1.65 to $2.94 monthly by cutting kerosene costs
- The project enhanced safety, supports children’s education and improved digital access for residents who had to travel up to 7 km for phone charging
Interested in supporting a project?
If you are a tour operator, travel advisor, corporate group or traveller looking to engage meaningfully:
Contact: [email protected]
Become a Key Impact Partner
Together, we can ensure travel leaves a legacy that benefits both people and planet.
About EXO Foundation
EXO Foundation, the non-profit arm of EXO Travel, operates across a growing number of countries to foster sustainable development through responsible tourism. By supporting grassroots initiatives in environmental protection, community resilience and cultural preservation, the Foundation maximises tourism’s potential as a tool for poverty alleviation and positive change.
The work goes beyond funding by advocating for good practices across the travel industry, connecting partners to impactful projects and helping clients design trips that enrich both the traveller and the communities they visit.
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