• Social Impact Nomads & The 22STARS Foundation

    Together we make a difference!

     

    Social Impact Nomads is an initiative from Stella, the founder and program manager of 22STARS. Stella, Aidah and Susan are the founders of the 22STARS charity and CBOS in Uganda. In order to promote the work they do and show the beautiful tourism side of Uganda, they have been organising 17 group tours to Uganda since 2017. More than 80 people discovered this beautiful country and became part of the 22STARS Family. Stefanie Oeffner has been one of them, who joined a trip in 2018 and fell in love with the people, the food, the nature and the African music. Since then Stefanie came back many times to Uganda to co-host Social Impact Trips for the German speaking community.

     

     

  • Why do a Social Impact Trip With us ?

    Stella started the Social Impact Retreats (initally called Workations) end of 2016 with co-hosts Susan and Aidah, as she spent several months a year in Uganda and was missing a group of friends to share her experiences with. As Stella has many friends in the Digital Nomad Scene, she started wondering why not more people came to Uganda to work from there. She found out that many people knew just a little about Uganda. And not just that, without having a translator and someone that can show you around and introduce you to local communities, you will pretty much end up on a standard safari tour holiday. So Stella started organizing the first impact Workations as she knew best what her western friends were looking for on a trip to Uganda, and Susan and Aidah knoe best what would benefit the local communities they work and live in most. As with every workation/trip we raised so much additional money for the 22STARS Foundation and they were a lot of fun doing, we decided to host at least 2 trips a year.

  • The 22STARS Foundation

    Join us empowering families in Uganda!

     

    Our mission is to empower families in Uganda to rise above poverty. We use an integrated approach and focus on the development of economic, social, natural, human, and cultural capital. 22STARS collaborates with communities in Acholi Quarter in the capital Kampala and Danida in Jinja, who live in extreme poverty after having fled conflict zones in Northern Uganda and neighbouring countries.

     

    The 22STARS Foundation is run by Susan Laker, Aidah Wafula (Ugandan) and Stella Airoldi (Dutch/German). The trio first met in Uganda in 2009. Years of witnessing how entrepreneurship and education impacted Susan’s life, was the inspiration and motivation for the three to align their powers and start 22STARS. First they founded the 22STARS jewellery business in 2013; that sells beautiful products handmade from recycled paper by the women in Uganda. Then in 2017, the 22STARS foundation was registered in the Netherlands as an ANBI (Public Benefit Organization), and in Uganda as a Grassroot/Community Based Organization.

  • Follow 22STARS Foundation on Instagram

    We post almost daily Instagram stories to keep you updated about what we do!

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    Terms & Conditions
    1.	General Conditions
    All Workation bookings are made with 22STARS. We are registered in The Netherlands and through our third-party tour operators maintain appropriate licenses and permits to operate commercially in the areas visited in Uganda. By booking a Workation with us and/or by using our website, you (also called the “Participant”) are agreeing to these Booking Terms and Conditions, which you acknowledge that you have read and understood and that you agree to be bound by these Booking Terms & Conditions. 
    
    2.	Minimum Age and Health Condition 
    The minimum age of all Workation Participants must be 18 years, unless they are accompanied by an adult.  It is your responsibility to advise 22STARS of any pre-existing medical condition and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of you requiring medical attention. 
    
    3.	Insurance Requirements
    All of 22STARS Workation Participants are required to provide proof of current and adequate travel insurance before the beginning of any Workation booked with us.  You acknowledge that trip cancellation insurance may be the only means of receiving reimbursement for flights and other non-refundable expenses should you cancel your 22STARS Workation for any reason, whether voluntarily on your part or as a result of 22STARS’s actions.  At a minimum, your travel insurance must cover accidents, injury, illness and death medical expenses, including any related to pre-existing medical conditions. Your coverage should also include emergency repatriation (including helicopter rescue and air ambulance where applicable) and personal liability. You must carry proof of insurance with you and produce it if reasonably requested by 22STARS staff. 
    
    4.	Payments
    22STARS accepts PayPal payments and direct bank transfers as acceptable methods of payment. You will be required to pay a deposit in order to confirm your place in the Workation. You will also be required to pay the full price in order to participate in the Workation. 
    
    5.	Discounts and Promotions
    All discounts and reduced pricing are applied at 22STARS’s discretion. 
    
    6.	 Cancellations
    •	60 - 30 days prior to start of the Workation – 50% cancellation charges apply. 
    •	30 - 14 days prior to start of the Workation – 75% cancellation charges apply. 
    •	14 days - start of the Workation – 100% cancellation charges apply.
    Cancellations made on your behalf 14 days prior to the start of the Workation will result in the loss of all money collected. For this reason, we strongly recommend you have comprehensive travel insurance that includes cancelation coverage so that you are protected financially in case anything comes up that prevents you from joining your trip.
    
    If 22STARS is forced to significantly alter or cancel your Workation (not due to any factors outside of 22STARS control, such as weather, natural disaster, or Partner actions), we will let you know as soon as possible. In these circumstances, you can accept 22STARS offer of a comparable replacement Workation, or receive a refund of all monies paid.
    
    7.	Passport and Visas
    Valid passports are required to travel to Uganda, including a valid tourist visa for Uganda. Please check with the appropriate consulate or embassy for the latest visa requirements. You assume complete and full responsibility for, and hereby release 22STARS from any duty or responsibility for, checking and verifying any and all passport, visa, vaccination, or other entry requirements of Uganda, and all safety or security conditions at the destination.  It is your responsibility to ensure the veracity and adequacy of information provided to 22STARS.
    
    8.	  Limits on Responsibility
    22STARS is not responsible for delays, changes, or cancellation costs due to incorrect, incomplete or expired Participant’s documents. In the event that you must cancel, delay or reschedule your trip due to expired or missing travel documentation, you are responsible for all associated costs to rectify the situation. If you are unable to join your Workation, you will not be reimbursed or refunded any amounts as per the cancelation terms listed in this document. At no point, and under no circumstances, is 22STARS responsible for payments or costs relating to external services such as flights, accommodations, services, car service, or any other part of travel that was booked and paid for externally to 22STARS. 22STARS is not obligated to alter any trip itinerary or suspend a trip’s commencement for any reason outside of our control that prevents you from joining a trip as planned. 22STARS reserves the right to make alterations to our Workation, itineraries, inclusions, and activities at any time with reasonable notice to Participant. 22STARS may also replace the accommodation, vehicles, or included activities without notice so long as these adjustments do not materially alter the trip or jeopardize the safety of its Participants.
    
    9.	Risk Assumptions and Travel Advisories 
    While 22STARS continuously monitors the areas, we visit, it is your responsibility to become informed about the areas where you are about to travel to including any travel advisories and warnings issued by your government. You are responsible for protecting your own well-being and personal property before, during, and after your 22STARS Workation. This includes ensuring any and all vaccinations, inoculations, or prescribed medications are taken as directed by your local doctor and/or travel clinic for the areas visited.  
    In Uganda standards of accommodation, transport, safety, hygiene, medical facilities and other services and infrastructure are often lower than comparable standards than what the Participant may reasonably expect in their home country or region. 
    By joining a 22STARS Workation in Uganda you acknowledge that participating involves inherent risks. These risks include, without limitation, the possibility of injury or death, psychological trauma, disease, loss or damage to property, inconvenience and discomfort, disability or death.  The Participant hereby assumes all such risk and does hereby release 22STARS from all claims and causes of action arising from any losses, damages or injuries or death resulting from these risks inherent in travel, visiting foreign destinations, and participating in adventurous activities. 
    
    10.	 Force Majeure
    22STARS reserves the right to cancel a Workation due to Force Majeure and will advise you of such cancellations as many days as possible prior to the Workation start date. An event of force majeure shall include but not be limited to; acts of any governmental authority, war, armed conflict, hostile attack, insurrections, riot, sabotage, blockage, embargo, fire, flood, earthquake, typhoon, epidemic or other natural calamity and acts of government. Force majeure will apply if at any time the Workation is so badly damaged or affected by something beyond either Party’s reasonable control to the extent that the Workation can no longer be held or that either Party can no longer perform its obligations under this Agreement. Neither Party shall be liable to the other for any expenses or losses, directly or indirectly incurred by the other Party as a consequence of any such termination and each Party shall bear all costs incurred by them to date and shall have no claim against the other Party. 
    
    11.	Third Party Suppliers
    22STARS makes arrangements with accommodation providers, tour operators, destination management companies, activity providers, coach companies, transfer operators, local guides, and other independent parties (“Third Party Suppliers”) to provide you with these services. Although 22STARS takes all reasonable care in selecting Third Party Suppliers, it is not liable for Third Party suppliers and does not warrant that any Third Party Supplier is in compliance with the laws of the Participants country of residence, or any other jurisdiction. 
    
    12.	Optional Activities
    During any 22STARS Workation, there may be opportunities to participate in activities or local events which are not included in 22STARS’s packaged Workation. 22STARS DISCLAIMS ALL RESPONSIBILITY AND MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THE SAFETY OR QUALITY OF THESE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS, OR THE STANDARDS OF THE INDEPENDENT OPERATOR RUNNING IT. Activity examples may include, but are not limited to, kayaking, mountain biking, boating, wild water rafting and bungee jumping. Events may include, but are not limited to, local festivals, concerts, and organized events. It is understood and acknowledged by the Participant that any assistance given by 22STARS’s Workation leader to help arrange these optional activities does not constitute a waiver of this disclaimer or create representations and warranties on the part of 22STARS. 22STARS does not sponsor or endorse these activities or events, nor can 22STARS be held liable for any injury or illness or any consequence whatsoever resulting from your participation. If you decide to participate in these events, you do so voluntarily and are responsible for taking appropriate precautions to ensure your own safety.
     
    13.	Baggage and Liability
    We recommend you to bring a weekend bag/backpack and a suitcase of not more than 20 kg. However, most flight companies allow you to check in two suitcases of at least 20 kg, so you could also bring another suitcase with gifts for the 22STARS families which you would leave behind in Uganda. 22STARS is not responsible for securing or protecting your baggage or belongings at any time during the Workation. 22STARS shall not be liable for any theft, loss or damage of property belonging to the Participant. Participants should not leave personal belongings unattended in any public areas, on board any mode of transportation, or elsewhere, and are responsible at all times for their own effects and belongings. 22STARS cannot accept responsibility for and in no event, shall be liable for loss or damage of valuables or other articles left in or on facilities used by 22STARS.
    
    14.	Prices and Validity
    Advertised prices are based on current rates of exchange, tariffs and taxes in Uganda and The Netherlands. 22STARS reserves the right to increase its trip prices to cover increased costs, tariffs and taxes. Any changes in price will be explained clearly to you as soon as they are made. International airfares, passport and visa fees, travel insurance, excess baggage charges, airport taxes, gratuities to staff, extra meals, laundry, extra & alcoholic drinks, medical expenses, optional activities and trips, and other items of a personal nature are not included in your Workation price.
    
    15.	Trip and Itinerary Changes
    22STARS reserves the right with reasonable notice to the Participant to withdraw any trip or part therein (including; change of accommodation, venues and activities) and to alter the itinerary or trip inclusions, as it deems necessary or appropriate under the circumstances.  In the event that events that are either unforeseen or uncontrollable result in trip cancellation, delays, itinerary changes, or other adjustments, 22STARS will use reasonable commercial efforts to provide comparable alternatives.  
    
    16.	Marketing and Publicity
    22STARS reserves the right to take photographs and videos during the Workation and to use them for promotional purposes. By booking a reservation with 22STARS, you agree to allow your images to be used in such photographs and videos, without recourse to you and without compensation to you. These images will NOT be sold for editorial, trade, advertising, or for any other purpose or in any other manner and/or medium without your inspection or approval. You hereby release 22STARS and his/her legal representatives and assigns from all current and/or future claims and liability relating to said photographs and videos. You acknowledge that the photographer on this trip may own the rights to the photos and be allowed to use them for personal use and promotional uses only. You acknowledge that because 22STARS or the photographer will own the rights to the photos, you agree not to sell any photos or make a commercial profit on them but to only use them for personal use.  You acknowledge that any other use may expose you to legal liability. Should you have specific photography concerns, you are responsible for raising them prior to booking or with the photographer on your Workation PRIOR to the taking of any photographs and videos on that trip. 22STARS’s name and logo are registered trademarks of the Company, and may not be copied, imitated or used, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of 22STARS.  
    
    17.	Complaints, Claims and Refunds
    Refunds are not issued for any included activity or trip location that is missed or altered due to circumstances beyond 22STARS’s reasonable control, including but not limited to war, strikes or labour disputes, significant weather event, government orders or any other force majeure event. Anyone looking to make a claim, submit a complaint, or request compensation for any reason must do so in writing or email within 30 days after the Workations cancellation or completion. Any and all supporting documentation to the claim or complaint must accompany the written letter or email. Any claim or complaint received by 22STARS after this deadline will not be accepted or reviewed. 22STARS reserves the right to honour or resolve these claims at its exclusive discretion.
    
    18.	Local Payments
    At times throughout your Workation, it is likely that you will have the opportunity to participate in activities and/or events that are not included in the trip itinerary. These opportunities allow you to customize your experience and level of adventure on the trip, but keep in mind that 22STARS does not endorse or sponsor these services as mentioned in the Optional Activities section above. All optional activities are paid for locally and directly to the supplier of the activity, event, or service. The local currency of Uganda is the Ugandan Shilling. It is adviced to pay in the local currency and not in dollars. You can withdraw money at several ATM’s in Kampala and Jinja. 
    
    19.	 Cultural Differences and Drug Policy
    It is acknowledged and understood that traveling to international destinations like Uganda will expose the Participant to unique situations and experiences that may be different than those you are familiar with in your home country. These differences enhance the experience and adventure of your trip, and typically involve cultural and social aspects of the region such as food, drink, attire, and local laws. Please be aware that in Uganda legally speaking homosexuality is not allowed. In addition, it is recommended for women to not wear short skirts. 22STARS will discuss these differences during your trip, but you also have a responsibility to perform your own research and act responsibly while traveling. 22STARS does not endorse drug use of any kind during the Workation and strongly encourages responsible alcohol consumption. This policy is in place for your safety and those traveling with you. 
    
    20.	Gofundme Campaign
    By setting up a GOFUNDME campaign for the 22STARS Workation and using pictures and text of 22STARS, you must use the raised money for the purpose of the 22STARS Workation in agreement with 22STARS.  If the Participant received approval from 22STARS to use the raised money for their own travel expenses and cost of the Workation they are allowed to use it for these purposes. All other raised money must be spent on inter alia micro financing small businesses, buying food, clothes, school supplies, medicine and so forth for the 22STARS projects. 
    
    21.	Communication 
    If you book via our website or have opted in other circumstances for us to contact you via e-mail, we will communicate with you using the e-mail address you have provided. We will assume that your e-mail address is correct and that you understand the risks associated with using this form of communication. 
    
    22.	 Privacy 
    Your privacy is very important to us. In order to be able to provide a service to you, 22STARS. may need to collect certain information from you, some of which may be of a personal nature. The information may be disclosed to, or collected on our behalf by our service providers to enable the services to be provided, but will not be used by them for any other purpose. 
    
    23.	 Applicable Law
    Dutch law governs these Terms and Conditions to the fullest extent allowable. Any disputes in connection with a 22STARS Workation or these Terms and Conditions will be initiated in the Courts of Breda where exclusive jurisdiction and venue reside. If a court or any other appropriate authority finds any portion of this document to be invalid, the remainder will remain in full force and effect. 
     
    From time to time, 22STARS may need to change its Terms and Conditions because of changes in its business, or in its attempts to serve your needs better. 22STARS will always publish the current terms on our website and notify you of this.
    
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    Privacy Policy
    This Privacy Policy describes how and when the 22STARS FOUNDATION collects, uses, and shares information when you make a donation, contact us, or otherwise use our services through foundation22stars.org or its related sites and services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to the practices of third parties that we do not own or control. 
    
    You are able to enjoy our blog posts, and visit many areas of our websites without providing us with any personal information. However, we do collect personal information when you sign up to become a long-term sponsor of one of our 22STARS kids, a monthly sponsor of our causes or subscribe to receive email alerts. By making a donation to our cause and/or by using our website, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions, which you acknowledge that you have read and understood and that you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. 
    
    1. Personal information 22STARS FOUNDATION collects
    
    Information We Collect
    
    
    To sponsor a specific child long-term, you must provide us with certain information, such as your name, email address, payment information, and the name of the child that you like to sponsor. This is necessary as we will send you regular updates with regards to the child that you sponsor and or our ongoing project. You may also choose to provide us with additional personal information if you contact us directly. 
    
    We treat your information very confidential. If you like to be an anonymous sponsor of a child, or make an anonymous donation to one of our causes, we will not publish your name related to the cause or specific child anywhere. 
    
    If you like to sponsor a child publicly we will put your name on our website and social media in relation to the specific child you sponsor or cause you made a donation to. We don’t publish any other details of you and don’t give your contact details to anyone outside of our organization, neither the child that you sponsor will receive your contact details.  
    
    To make a general donation, you do not have to provide us with any data and hence can send us money which we treat as an absolute anonymous donation. 
    
    2. The legal bases we rely on to collect, use, and share personal information
    
    Why We Need Your Information and How We Use It
    
    We rely on a number of legal bases to collect, use, and share your information, including:
    •	as needed to provide our services, such as when we use your information to send you emails and updates with regard to the child that you sponsor, to settle disputes, or to provide support;
    •	when you have provided your affirmative consent, which you may revoke at any time, such as by signing up for my mailing list;
    •	if necessary to comply with a legal obligation or court order or in connection with a legal claim, such as retaining information about your donation if required by tax law; and
    •	as necessary for the purpose of our legitimate interests, if those legitimate interests are not overridden by your rights or interests, such as providing and improving our services. We use your information to provide the services you requested and in our legitimate interest to improve our services. 
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    3. The third parties with whom we share personal information
    
    Information Sharing and Disclosure
    
    Information about our sponsors is important to our foundation in order to send regularly reports about the sponsored children and in order to send out the new payment for future school terms. We share your personal information for very limited reasons and in limited circumstances, as follows:
    •	Service providers. We engage certain trusted third parties to perform functions and provide services to our website. We will share your personal information with these third parties, but only to the extent necessary to perform these services.
    •	Foundation transfers. If we stop or merge our foundation, we may disclose your information as part of that transaction, only to the extent permitted by law. 
    •	Compliance with laws. We may collect, use, retain, and share your information if we have a good faith belief that it is reasonably necessary to: (a) respond to legal process or to government requests; (b) enforce our agreements, terms and policies; (c) prevent, investigate, and address fraud and other illegal activity, security, or technical issues; or (d) protect the rights, property, and safety of our customers, or others.
    
    4. The length of time we keep personal information
    
    Data Retention
    We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide you with our services and as described in our Privacy Policy. However, we may also be required to retain this information to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, to resolve disputes, and to enforce our agreements. We generally keep your data for the following time period: 4 years. 
    5. If we transfer personal information outside of Europe, we will handle the transfer as following
    
    Transfers of Personal Information Outside the EU
    
    We may store and process your information through third-party hosting services in the US and other jurisdictions. As a result, we may transfer your personal information to a jurisdiction with different data protection and government surveillance laws than your jurisdiction. If we are deemed to transfer information about you outside of the EU, we rely on Privacy Shield as the legal basis for the transfer, as Google Cloud is Privacy Shield certified.
    6. Our donor’s rights regarding our use of their personal information and our contact details
    
    Your Rights
    
    If you reside in certain territories, including the EU, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal information. While some of these rights apply generally, certain rights apply only in certain limited cases. We describe these rights below:
    •	Access. You may have the right to access and receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you by contacting us using the contact information below. 
    •	Change, restrict, delete. You may also have rights to change, restrict our use of, or delete your personal information. Absent exceptional circumstances (like where we are required to store data for legal reasons) we will generally delete your personal information upon request. 
    •	Object. You can object to (i) our processing of some of your information based on our legitimate interests and (ii) receiving marketing messages from us after providing your express consent to receive them. In such cases, we will delete your personal information unless we have compelling and legitimate grounds to continue using that information or if it is needed for legal reasons. 
    •	Complain. If you reside in the EU and wish to raise a concern about our use of your information (and without prejudice to any other rights you may have), you have the right to do so with your local data protection authority.
    
    7. Our Sponsor Child Privacy
    
    Respecting the privacy of our sponsor children and their families is a key element of our work. 22STARS Foundation extends the same attitude of respect and confidentiality to our sponsor children as given to their sponsors.
    
    
    How to Contact Us
    
    For purposes of EU data protection law, I, Stella Airoldi, founder and project manager of 22STARS FOUNDATION, am the data controller of your personal information. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact me at info@foundation22stars.org. Alternately, you may mail me at:
    Stella Airoldi, Kasteelplein 73, 4811 XC, Breda, Netherlands