Intrepid Travel will add a new local craft experience to its Sri Lankan itineraries, highlighting the impact employee and traveller donations to the Intrepid Foundation have in local communities.
Those visiting Sigiriya will now be able to experience the new ZeroPlastic Impact Centre, created by local partner Zero Plastic Movement with support from Intrepid’s award-winning Impact Grant program.
The centre showcases locally made, plastic-free alternatives to everyday items, including cutlery and toiletries crafted from coconut shells, bamboo, cane, clay, wood, lacquer and natural fibres.
Funded through a $50,000 Impact Grant from The Intrepid Foundation, the centre connects travellers directly with local artisans, offering opportunities to purchase handicrafts, take part in workshops and see circular economy initiatives in action.
“The ZeroPlastic Impact Centre marks a major milestone for us as it truly sets an example for how tourism can be a vehicle to creating and sustaining positive change in local communities,” Intrepid Travel Sri Lanka general manager Poornaka Delpachitra said.
The Impact Grant program, which launched in 2023, funds grassroots non-profits working across conservation, animal welfare, equality, and community development. Grants are funded through donations to The Intrepid Foundation, matched by Intrepid Travel, with recipients voted for by Intrepid staff and travellers.
“These grants are made possible through the 1 per cent donation many travellers choose to add when booking their trip, which Intrepid Travel matches,” The Intrepid Foundation general manager Biheng Zhang said. “In 2025, we opened voting to the public for the first time and received 1,418 votes for the Travellers’ Choice grant. We’re already seeing strong progress across those projects and look forward to sharing more once they’re complete.”
Global impact
The Zero Plastic Impact Centre is one of many projects supported through the Impact Grant program globally.
In Peru, social enterprise Awamaki used an $8,148 grant to transform its popular Llamita baby toy into a circular, plastic-free product by replacing synthetic stuffing with upcycled textile waste. The project funded new equipment, training for 22 women artisans, product testing and marketing support, reducing waste while creating new income streams.
In Cambodia, Cambodia Rural Students Trust (CRST) completed a $33,000 solar energy project, installing 32 solar panels and an advanced off-grid system at its campus. The system now generates around 40,000 kWh of clean energy each year, providing reliable power for students and staff while cutting emissions and building local technical capability.
Intrepid Travel’s Impact Grant program was named Best Grants Program at the 2025 Workplace Giving Australia Awards.
In 2024 alone, more than 700 Intrepid staff voted to allocate $266,000 across eight long-term Foundation partners globally. In 2025, The Intrepid Foundation awarded 16 grants totalling $709,000, made possible by the generosity of Intrepid travellers.
To learn more about Intrepid’s Impact Grant program and its recipients, click here.
