Making a Difference: DIF in Cancun
January 2010
This January, YMT Vacations and Travcoa participated in a
Sustainable Development conference that joined representatives
from sister companies across North America. Held in beautiful
Cancun, Mexico, the conference severed as a great opportunity
to discuss and share new topics and goals in responsible travel
initiatives between companies. Networking and discussions from
these sessions has given YMT Vacations and Travcoa, as well as
the entire collection of specialist TUI companies in North America,
a newly refreshed perspective and vigor in both continuing to
evaluate current practices and habits and brainstorming new
ways of operating in better, more environmentally and socially
responsible ways.
More importantly, however, Cancun’s conference afforded
the representatives a chance to make a difference in the local
community. Student City, a sister company of YMT Vacations and
Travcoa, has made a huge impact in Cancun with their philanthropic
work with DIF.
A non-profit organization that provides a safe-haven for
abused, abandoned, and disabled children, DIF is now home to
about 60 children between one month old and 17 years of age.
Student City’s work with DIF in the past inspired the representatives
across all sister companies participating in the conference to add
to the goodhearted efforts for the shelter.
“It was amazing to see the outpouring of support for this
worthy cause,” said Susan Zeile, Sustainable Development
Champion for YMT Vacations. “Not only did YMT Vacations
generously donate as a company, individuals from YMT were
bighearted with their gifts for the kids.”
Prior to meeting in Cancun, participants collected donations
from their companies in an effort to purchase much-needed
supplies for DIF while in Mexico. The generous company gifts and
personnel donations enabled the purchase of a multitude of items,
including a washer and dryer, clothing for each child, educational
toys, books, and various multimedia.
“I was so proud to represent Travcoa and so grateful our
company stepped up and donated to DIF. I loved seeing how
involved our sister company, Student City, was over time and how
they had brought together forces in the community to support the
shelter,” said Amber Moyle, Sustainable Development Champion
for Travcoa. “It was inspiring to hear that they will eventually be
able to support children who turn into adulthood by giving them
jobs at their company to truly assist them in having a better life
and empowering them to better their community.”
After shopping for and purchasing the gifts for the children
in DIF’s care, the conference attendees spent the afternoon
enjoying a pizza lunch and breaking in some of the new toys with
the kids.
“Some of my highlights were when this young boy latched
onto me and called me mama, getting a handful of girls together
for an impromptu dance party, and holding the babies, many of
whom were children of the older children there,” remembered
Moyle. “This issue is close to my heart; I mentor and am a court
advocate for a Mexican 16-year-old girl in Orange County who is
in the foster system after having been sexually abused and is now
a mother of a 2 year old daughter.”
“The kids were simply amazing,” smiled Zeile. “There’s just
no better way to describe them. They absolutely loved everything
that we brought, and made their gratitude easily apparent. But,
more importantly, the kids loved interacting and connecting with
us while we visited. It was definitely the highlight of our trip to
Cancun, and an unforgettable chance to make a difference for
these kids.”