ABOUT
Operation Groundswell’s mission is to build a community of travellers who are socially, politically and environmentally aware of the places we travel to and live in. We do this by designing and facilitating educational travel programs that connect travellers with our in-country partners: local organizations, farmers, artists, activists and leaders who are inspiring positive change in their communities.
In 2020, COVID-19 prevented us from travelling to work alongside those partners. The pandemic impacted these already marginalized communities disproportionately. So, with community-based tourism at the core of their funding and success, we knew we needed to find another way to share and support their work: and the Groundswell Marketplace was born!
DIRECT TRADE
In this marketplace, every item is responsibly sourced and carefully chosen directly from Operation Groundswell’s international network of partners and delivered to you. While most products go through countless stages of processing and handling that ultimately cut into the profit for the maker, our marketplace skips those all of those steps.
FOR THE PLANET
In a time where the delivery of goods from halfway around the world to your doorstep is normalized, we at OG want to ensure that the products we bring are done so with the earth in mind. That’s why we’ve worked hard to optimize our supply chain so that your stuff doesn’t spend half of its life in transit, contributing even more to carbon emissions. We purchase the products from the makers, and send them to you. That’s it. When we keep the planet top of mind, we all win.
PEOPLE, not just products
Operation Groundswell‘s partners are more than just makers. They each have a story to tell, a movement to inspire, and a plan to make change in their communities and beyond. Giving our partners this platform expands their reach and ultimately helps to move their social and environmental justice work forward. It’s also why 1% of OG Marketplace sales goes towards our Community Contribution fund.
VISIT THE WEAVERS WITH OG
It’s one thing to see the finished product; it’s an entirely different experience to learn how it is made from the artists themselves. On our Mayan Roots program in Guatemala, we’ll stay with the women who have mastered the art of back-strap weaving. We’ll also…
- Learn about the supply chain of coffee from De La Gente and Café La Voz.
- Engage with a reforestation project called Chico Mendes who plant trees for social and environmental justice.
- Take a 3-day trek in the Guatemalan highlands and celebrate with a relaxing stay in San Juan La Laguna.
