Partners
THE LIFELONG LEARNING FOUNDATION (THAILAND)
The Lifelong Learning Foundation is located in the beautiful Chao Mai Marine Park of Trang, South Thailand. Its main focus is on environmental and climate change projects along the coast and islands of the Andaman Sea. Since the tsunami disaster, it has initiated a number of rural development projects in the affected areas.
The Foundation works in close cooperation with the Nature Resorts (their partner organization) with the aim to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism development and local community training. We seek to provide opportunities to those who were once excluded and empower minority communities through breaking down social and educational barriers. Income generated at both the Haadyao Nature Resort and Libong Nature Beach Resort goes towards funding the various projects to help the Foundation achieve these objectives.
Local and international project achievements include:
1. Setting up of Nature Academy on 1st Jan 2000. Serving as an action station for Nature Lovers around the world while at the same time initiating/assisting in a number of Environmental projects and providing training in Sustainable Environmental Management Systems.
2. Thai-British Cooperation Project 2008 – 2012. This project aims to empower disadvantaged women who have been affected by the Tsunami of 26th December 2004 to develop creative livelihood opportunities, diversify income sources to reduce vulnerability to environmental shocks, and to help them make optimum use of additional household income for the benefit of their children’s health and education.
3. Thai-Swedish Project on Local Agenda 21 & Sustainable Tourism in Trang (2005-7). The overall aim was to secure a long term sustainable development process in Trang. The objectives achieved include amongst many other things, the development of a Policy and Master Plan for the Sustainable Development of the Province.
4. Thai-Dutch Cooperation 2007: Water Management for Sustainable Tourism on Islands. The purpose of the collaboration was to conduct feasibility studies towards the application of demonstration activities of integrated and decentralized systems for wastewater and desalination techniques along the coast and islands of Trang in South Thailand.
5. In cooperation with the Nature Resorts, the Foundation has supported various post tsunami community projects; organised volunteer programs to promote cultural exchange and goodwill; developed best practices in sustainable accommodation and provided training for local community members in developing sustainable tours in the marine park.
Our work has been highlighted in major travel guides (Lonely Planet and Rough Guide) and international travel newspapers/magazines around the world (eg. Allt Om Resor, City Mandag, Check In, Dagens Nyheter in Sweden; and Mondo, Me Naiset in Finland). For more information about our Foundation, please click.
The Lifelong Learning Foundation is committed to a long term process of nature conservation and local welfare activities along the coast and islands. We are proud to partner with the Ranovsky Foundation in this Pro Bono Project towards the development of a creative sustainable community.
