“Tribewanted Sierra Leone is your chance to play a part in kick-starting the right kind of tourism in a country that needs it. It will be an amazing adventure, so don’t miss this opportunity to be one of the pioneering visitors.” – Ben Keene, Founder, Tribewanted

In October 2010, a new group of visitors will arrive on Sierra Leone’s John Obey Beach, 20 miles south of the capital, Freetown, and begin to build a new life alongside the local fishing community. The initiative is led by Tribewanted, a social enterprise whose groundbreaking social experiment on the Fijian island of Vorovoro has injected since 2006 more than US$ 1 million into the local economy by setting up an online tribal community of more than 10,000 people.

Filippo Bozotti, Tribewanted Sierra Leone’s founding partner says about the country: “It’s an addictive place; Not only is it one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to; it’s also one of the most relaxed.”

Tribewanted Sierra Leone has formed a partnership with the government, landowners and the local John Obey community to create an eco-village community over the coming years to support sustainable development in the area. A maximum of 30 tribe members will spend a minimum of 1 week at a time – living alongside a local team and the community immersed in the day-to-day running and development of the village. The project will run from October to June annually, closing for the rain season.

Tribewanted Sierra Leone has also partnered with the local non-profit organization, Shine On Sierra Leone, which works in the areas of education, public helth and sustainable community development, sponsoring six schools and computer centers around the country as well as providing micro-finance opportunities to over 5,700 women, and is about to build a birthing center with the support of the first lady of Sierra Leone. All profits generated from Tribewanted Sierra Leone will be reinvested in the local John Obey community, in education and in microfinance through Shine On Sierra Leone.

Tribewanted, in the words of its founder Ben Keene, is about “living alongside a local community whilst connecting with a global network of like-minded people.”

Tribewanted Sierra Leone tribe members will have the opportunity to join in with the development of the new village alongside the local team and community members. The project will be implementing a new and pioneering building technique called “SuperAdobe” developed by Cal Earth, a technique that uses only local earth and material. For the visiting tribe members, it will also be a unique opportunity to experience a peaceful, beautiful and vibrant country seeking a new beginning a decade after being ravaged by civil war.

Opportunity to Get to Know Tribewanted

Tribewanted will be presenting a Global Perspective Workshop at this year’s Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC) – being held from September 8th to 10th, Portland, Oregon, USA. Featuring critical issues and topics related to conservation, communities and sustainable travel, the Global Perspective Workshops will offer unique opportunities to meet local and global experts, and learn how you can be part of innovative initiatives that are changing lives and empowering communities around the world. The ESTC 2010 Global Perspective Workshops are held on Wednesday, September 8th, 2010, from 12:30-2:00pm at Hilton Portland, Galleria South, and are open to the public.