About Us
Community
Flight Centre Group of Companies Community
Campus Travel's parent company Flight Centre Group, has worked with a large number of charity and not for profit organisations over many years.
Please find below a list of some of the recent activity, as well as the story from one of our colleagues who participated in the house building project in Cambodia in December 2007.
- Introduction of the Flight Centre Foundation in 2007;
- Project in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity, where staff travelled to Cambodia in December 2007 to build a house for a local community (see story below);
- Fred Hollows Fundraising expedition to Vietnam in 2006;
- Oxfam Project December 2006;
- $7238 donated to Camp Quality (Children's cancer charity) in June 2007, which represents $2 for every Customer Satisfaction Survey completed.
The Habitat for Humanity Dec 2007 House Building Project
Hi Everyone,
Well I'm back from probably the most emotionally rewarding holiday anyone could ask for. There have been holidays that we have interacted with the local families and felt we have made a change in their lives, but in reality it was nothing like what the 10 of us have just experienced - being invited into their community and have an opportunity to make a change.
So, I wanted to give you a summary on what your wonderful donation of $1605 helped us achieve.
We completed 1 house (except the roof as we are not allowed to due to safety) and assisted with 3 other houses in the village of Samaky 6 (15kms outside of Phnom Pehn). These will be completed by other Habitat teams or a local contractor.
Here is a bio of 2 of the families that we were building for -
Family 1 - Widow (aged 54 - husband died 6 mths ago), 6 children and then grandchildren. Income $210USD/mth
Family 2 - Son (aged 24), Fiancee, Parents (aged 58/52), Brothers and sisters. Income $100USD/mth
We started each day between 8.30-9.00am and finished between 4.00-5.00pm Monday - Thursday. We went learnt how to do brick laying; mix cement; use a hoe & shovel; straighten out steel rods for the structure and try to complete a huge puzzle with big chunks of stone. Photos attached as promise, unfortunately due to luggage weight restrictions I didn't have the opportunity to take my high heels over for the photo opportunity ;-)
Even though we were there for the building we were blessed, in a way, that cement takes a while to dry and we couldn't do too much on the other houses...this free time allowed us to select
22 kids from the village, can you imagine how hard it was to leave the other 20+ kids in the village) and take them to a water park for some R&R.
For these 22 kids, our Habitat guide/bus driver/building manager & 11 Australians this became the best afternoon that any of us could've imagined. When was the last time you did something for the first time??? Well these 22 kids experienced 5 first times in the one afternoon - they left their village; travelled in a bus; went to the waterpark; went swimming (most had never seen water, other than in a stream or from a tap); and then travelled home in a dual cab ute as our bus broke down.
Overall I am honored that I was welcomed into such a happy & generous community. The joy that the children, the families and my fellow builders all shared, will never be forgotten......thank you for making this possible for me.
If you want to see anymore photos and hear more about the trip or how you can participate in your own amazing journey, you know where to find me.
As it has taken so long to email, I would like to wish you all a very merry christmas and happy & safe 2008. Cherish every moment with your family & friends.
Thank you,
Leticia Wood