ABERCROMBIE & KENT PHILANTHROPY INC
We improve lives & livelihoods in places our A&K guests travel.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our partner communities around the world often lack the resources needed to support health, education, conservation, and economic development. As the philanthropic arm of the global travel company Abercrombie & Kent (A&K), Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy (AKP), together with A&K's 50 global offices, practices an innovative form of community development assistance by introducing guests to grassroots organizations making a difference in the places they visit.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Antarctica Program
1) Antarctica Climate Change Project: AKP provides equipment to Dr. James McClintock for the assessment of the impacts of climate change on polar marine life in the Southern Ocean.
2) Save the Albatross: is devoted to helping save the albatross and other seabirds from becoming accidentally tangled in deep sea fishing lines, and dying needlessly.
3) South Georgia Heritage Trust: An eradication of the invasive rat population is underway in an effort to restore the seabird populations.
Botswana Program
1) Rhino Conservation Program: AKP is assisting with the translocation of endangered rhino to a protected area in Botswana where they will be safe from poaching.
2) Dipetsana Women's Bike Shop in Kasane: employs five local women in Kasane, Botswana. This village bike shop and tour enterprise provides these women with the opportunity to earn a much-needed income while also giving their community vital access to transportation. The bike shop receives restock shipments on a regular basis, paid for by the ladies with additional AKP support.
Cambodia Program
1) Cambodia Clean Water Project: AKP provides local communities with access to clean, bacteria-free water in rural Siem Reap where waterborne illnesses are responsible for more than half of all deaths.
2) Siem Reap Schools Program: improves educational opportunities for local children in Siem Reap, Cambodia. AKP’s involvement has begun with the building renovation and expansion of Beng and Tapang Primary Schools. 700+ teachers and students have collectively benefited from the safe and motivating learning environment that the new school structures provide
Brazil Program
1)Vidigal Entrepreneurs: AKP is supporting enterprises and social impact organizations to benefit Brazil's favela community.
India Program
1) Deepalaya School: The school has provided an education for more than 50,000 disadvantaged children over the past 30 years with an emphasis on the often-neglected education of girls.
2) Hansraj Children's Home: a residential school for about 100 girls from the adjacent tribal belts of Udaipur. The home provides free education, books, a residential facility, meals, clothes etc. to young girls. AKP’s current support includes improving facilities at the school
3) Digantar School: provides alternative education for rural, underprivileged children of local Jaipur. With AKP’s support, Digantar will fulfill their belief that every human child is capable of learning to live in society, defining her goals for life, finding ways of achieving the chosen goals, taking appropriate action, and of being responsible for the actions taken.
4) Kacherawala Primary School Jaipur: provides education until primary level to the rural children on the outskirts of Jaipur. AKP support of the school focuses on helping renovate classrooms, construction of sanitation facilities, boundary wall and the installation of solar panels for electricity, as well as provide resources vital to the students’ education and development of whole community.
Italy Program
1) Save the Florentine Monuments: AKP is helping to restore monuments of cultural significance in Florence.
Jordan Program
1) Jordan Bike Shop Program: supports a series of bike rental shops throughout Jordan, located in Feynan, Um Qais, Petra, Shobak, Tafileh, and Amman.The program addresses Jordan’s high unemployment rate, gives local communities access to transportation, and provides tourists with a means to explore Jordan through one of the bike rental locations.
Kenya Program
1) Masai Mara Conservation Programme: AKP works with local Maasai communities to plan their own development and enterprise priorities. Projects include tree planting, women's micro-enterprise, and support of schools.
2) Safe Water for Schools Initiative: provides clean water access to schools in the Masai Mara
Myanmar Program
1) Sin Kyun Village: AKP is helping to improve the quality of life in this remote village by building needed facilities such as a library and a house for teachers.
New Zealand Program
1) National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa: AKP supports the conservation of the endangered kiwi bird which is unique to New Zealand.
Peru Program
1) Ninos del Arco Iris: The organization supplies meals, medical care, education and hope for poverty-stricken children in the Sacred Valley.
2) Chinchero Community: AKP has provided resources to improve conditions of the Quechua community, including a playground for local children.
South Africa Program
1) Fransschoek Bike Shop: AKP is working with a local NGO to establish a bike shop in South Africa.
Sri Lanka Program
1) Project Leopard: AKP is saving leopards by supporting cattle farmers.
Tanzania Program
1) Ilboru School for Children with Special Needs: AKP constructed the first primary and secondary schools in Arusha that are tailored to the needs of children who are deaf and have learning disabilities.
2) The Doffa Bike Shop: employs five local women in Karatu, Tanzania This village bike shop an¬d tour enterprise provides these women with the opportunity to earn a much-needed income while also giving their community vital access to transportation. With AKP support, the bike shop receives restock shipments on a regular basis.
4) Serengeti Cheetah Project: A&K guests provide photos to a database to monitor the cheetah populations of the Serengeti.
5) The Duuma Wajane Bike Shop: employs five local widows in Arusha, Tanzania. This village bike shop an¬d tour enterprise provides these women with the opportunity to earn a much-needed income while also giving their community vital access to transportation. With AKP support, the bike shop receives restock shipments on a regular basis.
6) The Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) raises public awareness regarding the proper treatment of porters on Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as assists climbing companies with implementing procedures that ensure fair and ethical treatment of their porters.
7) The Safe Water for Schools program in Tanzania will deliver clean water to every school that borders the Ngorongoro Crater in 2019, providing clean water to 15 schools with 10,265 students and teachers
Uganda Program
1) Bwindi Community Hospital & Nursing School: The hospital provides health care to some of the poorest communities in the world. A new nursing school trains locals to become nurses that can provide quality health support to the Batwa communities. AKP support the school through the provision of scholarships for students.
2) Ebenezer School: provides education for young students in the Bwindi area. AKP support of the school focuses on helping build classrooms and the administrative building, as well as provide resources vital to the students’ education.
3) Bwindi Bike Shop: employs five local widows in Bwindi, Uganda. This village bike shop and tour enterprise provides these women with the opportunity to earn a much-needed income while also giving their community vital access to transportation. With AKP support, the bike shop receives restock shipments on a regular basis.
Zambia Program
1) Nakatindi Community & School: The project includes new classrooms, a lunch program, a school garden, water wells, a clinic, and a bike shop.
2) Chipego Bike Shop: is a village bike shop and bike tour enterprise that employs five local women and supplies nurses and students with much-needed transportation. This successful enterprise has thrived as the women have been profiting greatly and able to put enough aside to order re-shipment containers of bicycles.
3) The Nakatindi Maternity Ward provides a safe place for delivery, staffed with qualified health professionals, outfitted with appropriate and modern medical equipment and supplies, and easily accessible for the community’s residents and those in the surrounding area. Zambia is among the top ten countries burdened with the highest prevalence of HIV in the world.
Worldwide Disaster Relief
When disaster strikes, AKP provides relief in the form of food, shelter, and other donated supplies.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our organization has four primary goals: 1) children and young adults fulfilling their potential in supportive learning environment; 2) a sustained balance between endangered species, fragile ecosystems and economic opportunity; 3) adequate water, sanitation and other health-related needs of residents in our partner communities; and 4) the growth of economic opportunity in partner communities.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our organization believes partnerships with the communities in which we work is integral to the long-term success of our programs. By building these partnerships and seeking input from key stakeholders, we ensure our work is impactful. Our local offices and lodges provide us on-the-ground communication and monitoring, and in several countries designated fulltime AKP Coordinators develop strong ties with partner communities and oversee all of our investments.
All AKP General & Administrative expenses are borne by the Abercrombie & Kent Group of Companies. 100% of charitable gifts to Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy goes directly to support local projects worldwide. Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy is established in the United States as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization as well as a registered non-profit in the United Kingdom & Australia.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
As the 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of a large travel company, we are uniquely positioned to operate in a lean and efficient manner, while still being able to utilize the global resources of Abercrombie & Kent. The company's passionate employees around the world assist our organization in carrying out its programs and documenting successes.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In over 30 years we have watched the impact our organization has had around the world. We have improved lives through better education, better health care, better conservation methods, and more opportunities for economic development. The issues we tackle, however, are large and multi-faceted. There will always be progress to be made in the places we work, and we will continue to apply our efforts in the communities that need us most.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
Who are the people you serve with your mission?
The mission of Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy (AKP) is to positively impact lives and livelihoods in the communities where A&K guests travel. Our portfolio includes 56 projects in 26 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. We work with some of the most rural, isolated and indigenous populations on the planet, including the Batwa (pygmies) in Uganda, Quechua in Peru, Khmer in Cambodia and the northern tribes of India. The target individuals and/or groups within the "communities" we work with include single heads of households, persons with HIV, individuals with disabilities and the elderly.
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
-
What significant change resulted from feedback?
We supported the Bwindi Community Hospital in Uganda to build a "Waiting Mothers Hostel," - a place where women identified as having high risk pregnancies could reside on the hospital campus the few weeks prior to delivery. After almost a year of operation, our partners at the hospital observed a situation that the women were stressing each other out, living as they were, all with high-risk pregnancies. The solution was to provide skills building opportunities during those weeks, that were appropriate for women near delivery, which became a program of teaching knitting. The women waiting to give birth knit the baby caps and booties that the women who have given birth now carry home with their newborn to maintain the baby's temperature, etc.
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
ABERCROMBIE & KENT PHILANTHROPY INC
Board of directorsas of 01/16/2023
Jorie Butler Kent
Geoffrey Kent
Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy
Term: 2021 - 2023
Keith Baron
A&K
Andrew Burrett
A&K
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/04/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.