The Afar Foundation is the philanthropic affiliate of Afar Media. Its mission is to promote cross-cultural exchange by sponsoring international travel and study for students who cannot otherwise afford to experience another part of the world. Greg Sullivan, Afar Media’s founder, has made the foundation the primary beneficiary of his estate. “At Afar Media we believe that travel can change lives for the better,” Sullivan says. “Not only does travel expand your understanding of the world, it also can increase your understanding of your place in the world.” The foundation is launching a pilot program with Global Explorers, a nonprofit organization that teaches students through immersion in international travel. The Afar Foundation-Global Explorer program starts with a yearlong classroom program designed to prepare students for the trip. Teachers take students through a structured curriculum that focuses on leadership, service, cultural tolerance, and conservation biology. The Afar Foundation-Global Explorer program, called Learning Afar, will initially work with two high schools in New York City and San Francisco, providing scholarships for five underserved students in each area to make group trips to Costa Rica for ten days in the spring of 2010. Students will be encouraged to document their travels through writing, photography, and videography, and to enter those materials in a contest sponsored by Afar Media. The Afar Foundation plans to expand its partnership with Global Explorers and consider similar programs after the completion of the pilot program.
The Afar Foundation's guiding principles:
- Help underserved students experience cultural diversity and understanding through travel.
- Prepare students to become responsible global citizens.
- Give back to all communities visited through service and exchange activities.
The Afar Foundation was established in 2008.
