Episode 193 - Soulful Mashup: Sustainable Development Goals and Travel - Part 2

Season 5

Aug. 27

In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by @journeywoman_original, we continue part two of our soulful mashup featuring guests discussing topics specific to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Guests highlighted include:

· Maria Pacheco

· Fiona Jeffery OBE

· Celine Cousteau

· Geetika Agrawal

· Christina Beckmann

· Sofia Godoy

Collective Dreams with Maria Pacheco

Maria Pacheco is a Biologist, Entrepreneur, Mother, and firm believer in the idea that collective dreams are unstoppable. She founded Wakami Global, a Guatemala-based business that connects artisans and their work with the global market. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the close-knit artisan community grappled with two major challenges: the lack of protective masks and significant food insecurity due to market disruptions. This urgent need sparked a local initiative to produce masks, which protected the community and generated a modest income.

With half the population already suffering from chronic malnutrition and markets shutting down, the community turned to regenerative agricultural methodology, creating a sustainable food production loop. It was more than just a means of survival; it was a pathway to food autonomy and economic resilience. Women in the villages had already started similar initiatives independently but now had formal technical support to scale their efforts. This involvement transformed their roles, turning them into business leaders with access to local, regional, and eventually national markets. Women began selling eggs, native crops, and more, demonstrating entrepreneurial spirit and further enriching the local economy.

Maria shares the concept of a shared table that emerged as a powerful symbol—tables with locally grown foods, bringing together people from the village and visitors alike. This communal gathering underscores prosperity, cultural richness, and environmental respect.

Listen to Christine’s episode with Maria.

To learn more about Maria Pacheco and Wakami Global, head to www.mariapacheco.com
Follow Maria on your favorite social platform: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

Sustainable Development Goals Highlighted:

Sustainable Development Goal #1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

Sustainable Development Goal #5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Sustainable Development Goal #8: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

Just a Drop with Fiona Jeffery OBE

Just a Drop, Fiona’s nonprofit founded in 1996, focuses on bringing sustainable, safe water, sanitation, and hygiene projects to communities, transforming lives globally. Fiona shares Just a Drop’s backstory as a shift from generating awareness to taking action for sustainability and impactful change.

Fiona shares that the organization supports 12 out of 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing that water is crucial for life. They discovered the broad impact of providing clean water—reducing the need for women and children to trek long distances, thus minimizing health and safety risks while freeing up time for educational and income-generating activities. This access to safe water helps in alleviating poverty, improving health, enhancing education, ensuring gender equality, and furthering several other SDGs.

By design, Just a Drop emphasizes partnerships with local entities and corporate donors to ensure long-term impact and sustainability, training communities to maintain projects and monitoring them for at least seven years. This approach guarantees that their efforts genuinely transform lives for the long term.

Listen to Christine’s episode with Fiona.

To learn more about Just a Drop and to find out ways you can support communities with safe & clean drinking water, head over to www.justadrop.org.

Follow Fiona and Just a Drop on Instagram@fionaejeffery @just_a_drop, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Sustainable Development Goals Highlighted:

Sustainable Development Goal #6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Sustainable Development Goal #10: Reduce inequality within and among countries.

Sustainable Development Goal #12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Interconnection with Celine Cousteau

Céline Cousteau is an environmental activist, storyteller, and author committed to sharing the vital message of interconnectivity between humans and the natural world. She implements this vision through film, art, and jewelry design, consulting with corporations and foundations, public speaking, writing, and most recently her podcast, Interconnectivity. Airing in 2022, Céline’s podcast will bring the voices of today’s leaders in diverse fields ranging from neuroscience and climatology, from business to music, to entertainment and wellness, focusing on an interconnected approach and mindset to today’s most pressing questions and the part we play in the answers.

Céline is the founder and executive director of CauseCentric Productions creating impactful, cause-focused content. She has directed, produced, and hosted over 20 films internationally. In 2020, Céline’s first feature documentary, Tribes on the Edge, received U.S. distribution with Gravitas Ventures.

Over seven years of production, the film became a catalyst for broader initiatives, such as an educational curriculum with the College of William and Mary and the co-founding of the Javari Project, which supports Indigenous health, biodiversity, and economic sustainability.

Celine emphasizes that this journey underlines a broader human truth: interconnectedness with others and nature is essential. The pandemic has provided a reflective opportunity about our collective future, urging the need for deeper personal and communal connections to better care for the planet—and one another.

Listen to Christine’s episode with Celine.

Cultural Connection and Creative Spirit with Geetika Agrawal

Geetika is a designer, avid traveler and founder of VAWAA: Vacation With An Artist. She discovered her love for learning and travel during her early college days when she spent her summers working with local artisans in small towns of Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu in India. As she traveled to countries around the world, she sought similar experiences where she could immerse herself into the local culture, make things with her hands, and get inspired by learning something new. She noted that there were others like her expecting the same from their travels, but there was no easy way to find local artists and designers in cities they would visit, sitting at home. Thus the idea of ‘Vacation With An Artist’ was born.

VAWAA facilitates cultural exchanges by pairing travelers with artists. The concept centers on the idea that meaningful travel involves deep, personal interactions that bridge different perspectives. By engaging with artists, who are the cultural pillars of their communities, travelers gain profound insights into the local history and future imaginings.

Before VAWAA, there was no streamlined way for travelers to connect with master artists, especially those without an online presence. She emphasizes co-creation, ensuring that the experiences were enriching for both the guests and the artists.

VAWAA aims not just to offer travel experiences but also to provide meaningful, soul-enriching exchanges that support and enhance the artists' practices, ensuring sustainability and mutual growth.

Listen to Christine’s episode with Geetika.

Book your mini-apprenticeship with an artist online or in your next destination with VAWAA.

Connect with Geetika on Instagram and follow VAWAA to learn more.

Listen to Soul of Travel Podcast episode 171 with Beth Santos, author of Wander Woman.

Subscribe to VAWAA's weekly newsletter: https://vawaa.com/subscribe.

Sustainable Development Goals Highlighted:
Sustainable Development Goal #3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Sustainable Development Goal #4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Sustainable Development Goal #8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

Innovating Climate Solutions with Christina Beckmann

Tomorrow's Air, co-founded by Christina Beckmann, is the first global initiative in travel that combines climate education with funding for sustainable aviation fuel and carbon removal technologies. Christina highlights that the travel industry accounts for about 8% of global emissions, encompassing everything from flights and lodging to meals and shopping. She emphasizes the need for a strong climate action message, even in the face of global travel's significant contributions to carbon emissions. In this clip, Christina differentiates between carbon offsetting and carbon removal, highlighting the measurable impact of the latter through technological processes.

Facing challenges like greenwashing and public skepticism, Tomorrow's Air aims to present positive, hopeful futures and advocates for investing in all climate solutions—from reducing emissions to scaling carbon removal technologies. Christina underscores that the travel industry, particularly the adventure travel sector, can become a leader in climate action, transforming travel from a source of guilt to a force for good. Tomorrow's Air combines education and tangible carbon removal actions, inspiring the industry to support and popularize innovative climate solutions.

Listen to Christine’s episode with Christina.

Connect with Christina on LinkedIn.

Learn more about Tomorrow’s Air.

Get to know the Adventure Travel Trade Association.

Sustainable Development Goals Highlighted:

Sustainable Development Goal #8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
Sustainable Development Goal #12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Ethical Travel with Sofia Godoy

Sofia is the Co-Founder and COO of Etnica Travel, a community-based travel company operating in Guatemala and the Yucatan Peninsula, which provides custom tours and immersive adventures with a focus on meaningful social impact.

Initially, Etnica launched an e-commerce platform to help artisans sell their products. As interest grew, they expanded to offer hands-on experiences like learning textiles, ceramics, and art. The company now includes diverse community tourism projects focused not only on artisans but also on conservation and education.

Awarded the UNWTO Global Startup Competition for the SDGs, Etnica focuses on breaking the cycle of poverty through ethical travel. They provide transparent, educative experiences that highlight Guatemala's complexities, such as inequality and corruption, empowering travelers to make more conscious choices while fostering genuine cultural exchanges.

Listen to Christine’s episode with Sofia.

Learn more about Sofía Godoy and Etnica, head over to https://www.etnicatravel.com/.

Follow on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Find out more about RISE Travel Institute.

Sustainable Development Goals Highlighted:

Sustainable Development Goal #1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

Sustainable Development Goal #5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Sustainable Development Goal #8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

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Related UN Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goal #5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

About the Soul Of Travel Podcast

Soul of Travel honors the passion and dedication of people making a positive impact in the tourism industry. In each episode, you’ll hear the stories of women who are industry professionals, seasoned travelers, and community leaders. Our expert guests represent social impact organizations, adventure-based community organizations, travel photography and videography, and entrepreneurs who know that travel is an opportunity for personal awareness and a vehicle for global change.

Join us to become a more educated and intentional traveler as you learn about new destinations, sustainable and regenerative travel, and community-based tourism. Industry professionals and those curious about a career in travel will also find value and purpose in our conversations.

We are thought leaders, action-takers, and heart-centered change-makers who inspire and create community. Join host Christine Winebrenner Irick for these soulful conversations with our global community of travelers exploring the heart, the mind, and the globe.

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Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). GUEST NAME (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.

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Soul of Travel Episode 193 Transcript

Women’s travel, transformational travel, sustainable travel, women leaders in travel, social entrepreneurship

You can find me on Facebook at Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community, or follow me on Instagram either @lotussojourns or @souloftravelpodcast. Stay up to date by joining the Lotus Sojourns mailing list. I look forward to getting to know you and hopefully hearing your story.

travelpodcastentrepreneurresponsible tourismwomen leaders

Christine Winebrenner Irick