The Adventures of Pili's Little Explorers

By Kike Calvo, Safina Center Fellow

All photos: The Adventures of Pili supports the educational outreach programs of many local organizations. Our materials became the center of a workshop for children living in the coffee areas around Cali (Colombia). All activities were focused on sustainability, creativity, and cultural traditions. Photo: © CafiOccidente / The Adventures of Pili

When it comes to outreach education projects in remote areas, one of the most complex aspects of our operation is physical reach. The big question is how do you bring educational materials to as many places as possible?

For months we have been very successful working with local NGOs and other organizations, by shipping physical educational materials, such as bird journals, coloring books, and bilingual books. The key has always been working locally as much as possible, in order to avoid international shipping fees.

The pandemic allowed us to look at our strengths and weaknesses, and we identified the need for further local reach. And this is how The Adventures of Pili’s Little Explorers concept was born. With the aim of starting a direct dialog with local conservation projects to see how could we be of help, and how could our skills and educational materials be incorporated into their currently existing educational campaign and potential needs. The main goal is the creation of an international network of local organizations linked to “The Adventures of Pili” project. These efforts are focused to empower young people to take on their own conservation projects, in cooperation with supporting local organizations and institutions. Our initial steps will include providing a selected selection of our educational materials to be included in their own local educational efforts. 

Conversations have already started in different locations around the world, including places like Colombia, the Galapagos Islands, Argentina and Madagascar; which are already considering our idea as a way to support Little Explorers. We see our potential partners among parent-teacher associations; local schools; fairs and trade fairs; conferences; NGOs; and organizations involved in conservation education and awareness. 

We think this will be a great way to identify local needs, and increase our impact in multiple places. If you know of an organization or institution that meets these characteristics, we would love to hear from them. Learn more about The Adventures of Pili here.