Malt 2018 Trip Descriptions
MAlt Appalachia: Exploring the Mechanisms of Rural Poverty
Appalachian communities are affected by high rates of poverty and often feel unheard. Students will work with the Appalachian South Folklife Center in West Virginia to support low-income families by helping them make their homes more efficient and livable through home repair and maintenance work. We hope this will serve as an opportunity to learn more about the challenges that residents in rural communities face - communities that may be both different and similar to our own. Engaging with the community and better understanding rural poverty will be key themes of this experience.
Leaders: Elliott Miller ’18 and Yuchen Zhu ’18
MAlt Miami: Responding to Human Sex Trafficking
In collaboration with the Life of Freedom Center, participants will have the opportunity to engage in conversations about sexual exploitation and human trafficking in the Miami area. Over the course of the week, we will participate in professionally-certified workshops as well as immersive field activities and simulations. This experience will provide us with the tools to further understand, respond to, and serve individuals who are victims of sex trafficking.
Leaders: Varsha Vijayakumar ‘20 and Anthony Salas ‘20
MAlt Costa Rica: Biodiversity and Conservation
Students will engage in the preservation and maintenance of Osa Conservation’s sustainable farm on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. Daily activities will include feeding animals and maintaining greenhouses and animal enclosures. Other tasks will include harvesting produce and sowing crops. While this trip primarily focuses on environmental conservation, students will also learn about and participate in Osa’s sea turtle conservation effort as well as their reforestation efforts.
Leaders: Gisel Hernandez ‘19 and Ravi Patel ‘19
Food Justice in Urban Environments
Through direct volunteer service and education, we will work to broaden our perspectives on the importance of sustainable urban agriculture as a vehicle for food justice. We hope to learn about the ways food systems and local food initiatives can positively impact communities. This trip will take place within the United States and the community partner and destination are still being determined. We invite you to apply to this trip and join us in the planning process!
Leaders Claudia Huerta ‘18 and Vir Chachra ‘18
MAlt La Push: Intercultural Learning and Women’s Issues in Native Communities
Students will live and work with members of the Quileute trip in La Push, Washington through Xperitas, a community partner invested in cultural immersion and building global community. Activities will include drumming circles, bonfires, learning about the fishing village, working with local schools, and increasing awareness about women’s issues in indigenous communities. This trip is focused on social justice and participants will work to deepen their understanding of communities issues throughintercultural learning.
Leaders: Valeriia Vakhitova ’20 and Sandhya Sewnauth ’20
MAlt Haiti: Empowerment through Education
To better understand the struggles and successes of education in a rural community, students will travel to Anse-a-Pitre on the southern coast of Haiti to live and work at a community day school and orphanage called EcoleAnandamarga. Students will explore connections between education accessibility and poverty. This trip partners with AMURTEL, an international NGO that works to assist communities through the empowerment of women and children while honoring their customs, language, and religious beliefs. There will also be opportunities to learn about and visit other on-going projects in Anse-a-Pitre.
Leaders: Katherine Kulp ‘20 and Jack Carew ‘20