Over the next few months we would like to introduce you to some of our members in more detail, and share with you some of the reasons that they chose to implement The Code in their organizations.
eTrip Africa joined The Code in 2013 and was one of the first members to sign up using the range of new on-line tools.
Aurelie Sivadier, the Executive Director of eTrip Africa/Worldwide Travel Group LLC kindly answered some questions about her experience and motivation for join The Code below.
Did you already know about issue of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in areas that your company operates in before joining?
“There are some areas that we work, particularly in Mombasa and other coastal cities that it is clear that there is a very clear presence of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children. In other areas there are high levels of youth on the streets, while it is not evident that they are being Sexually Exploited it could very easily become an issue as many of them are homeless and quite vulnerable.”
If so, how did you learn about the issue of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children?
“In many areas you do not have to look far. Simply walking along the beach it is quite evident. Children are often participating in public displays of affection with much older tourists. In a short time period, nearly all foreigners visiting the area will be approached on several occasions with an offer.”
Has a member of your organisation ever heard/seen of cases in areas that you operate in?
“So far our organization has been lucky enough not to have an incident concerning one of our clients. However, as I stated above, it is impossible to visit some areas in East Africa without seeing clear signs of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.”
Roughly how much time were you considering joining The Code for?
“We had already been working on a policy regarding Sexual Exploitation of Children by our staff or clients. Our General Manager had seen your stand at ITB this year and after reviewing the website it was clear that the organization is the perfect partner to help develop policy and educate our staff and clients.
While our company is quite small and may not have a large direct impact on eradicating the problem, we hope that we can convince many of our supplier hotels to also adopt similar policies. Further, by doing business based on ethical principles, we hope that some other Tour Operators will also adopt such standards.”
What benefits/support do you expect from your Code membership?
“We already received assistance in finalizing our corporate policy regarding the Sexual Exploitation of Children. We hope to find good material from the website that will assist us in educating our employees, contractors, suppliers, and clients.”
Have you logged in to your membership portal? If so, please let us know how you found it?
“The membership portal is simple and easy to use.”
If you have any questions or comments about this article, or are considering joining The Code please contact us at info@thecode.org.
About Worldwide Travel Group
Worldwide Travel Group, LLC organizes and operates trips in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda under the trade name E-Trip Africa. Worldwide Travel Group officially signed The Code on April 4th, 2013.
For more information about Worldwide Travel Group please visit their website.
