Andrea Ross with husband, Brandon
Founders: Nikaya Handcrafted.com & Journeys Within Our Community.org

In the seminal book, Your Money or Your Life, authors Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin coined the phrase “making a dying” to differentiate between work that is productive and fulfilling, rather than that which is depleting and life draining. They went on to stress that the key to personal fulfillment is in finding work, or the means to support oneself without sacrificing one’s own values and that sometimes life’s greatest rewards have little to do with money.

Andrea Ross is one of those rare individuals who experienced such an epiphany, gave up corporate work, and took a great risk in establishing her two businesses, Nikaya Handcrafted and Journeys Within Inc. Based in Cambodia, her companies, are devoted to raising awareness of the needs of Southeast Asians and assisting local craftsmen and women by selling their wares to American consumers and returning profits to the artisans and their own communities. Andrea’s efforts have been recognized by Conde Nast Traveler magazine, having been awarded a 2008 World Savers Award for the contributions that her non-profit organization, Journeys Within Our Community has made to alleviate poverty and improve health conditions in Southeast Asia.

Approximately six years ago, Andrea and her husband Brandon sold their cars, put their house on the market and started traveling. Their last stop was Cambodia, where they decided to settle and start a business. Using the money from the sale of their home, they opened Journeys Within Tour Company and Bed and Breakfast. They started working in the community and started to help guests do the same.

Andrea roasts a duck for dinner and practices her weaving

After running the tour company for about a year, Andrea and Brandon formally established Journeys Within Our Community.org, a nonprofit group based in Cambodia, designed to give travelers the opportunity to give back to local people as they travel. Guests were given the option of donating time, such as working in a free school program in Laos or Cambodia, or donating money through a Give As You Go, where a traveler could donate money to a local cause, and have that cause or project worked into his or her travel itinerary. For instance if you donate money for a student to go to university you can meet that student and get a morning tour of their home and school and talk to them about their plans and goals. It's a great way to get to know the people in the communities you're visiting and to have a more intimate experience while getting to know, and help, the places you are seeing.

In 2008, Andrea and Brandon started Nikaya Handcrafted , a program designed to empower local craftsmen and women, which has been a great success. By accessing the website, a consumer can purchase Asian accessories and home décor items, and provide a donation to the artisans’ communities. A 10% profit of items sold goes back to the community. Nikaya also offers special Giving Back products where 100% of profits go back to the community. Nikaya is a great source of gifts, as Andrea attests. One can purchase a beautiful brass necklace, pair it with a monetary donation to a local school, and feel satisfied that everyone benefits.

Establishing Journeys Within and Nikaya Handcrafted has been an adventure for Andrea and her family. Taking great chances, liquidating assets and leaving the United States for Asia offered considerable challenges, which have paid off. As a woman running a business, Andrea has learned a great deal about business and social etiquette that has differed from her experiences in America. As a mother, she has been able to introduce her children, both born in Bangkok, to a different culture and expose them to a new language and customs.

Andrea and her family wish to share the treasures that they have discovered with travelers who are looking for a more philanthropic travel experience. Their website can be accessed at www.journeys-within.com. Journeys Within books custom, private trips throughout Southeast Asia. For travelers interested in traveling to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, or Vietnam, Andrea can design a trip which includes an element of giving. For those who lack the time to volunteer, Andrea notes that even as little as a $100 donation can provide a micro loan to a local family.

Andrea emphasizes that running Journeys Within and Nikaya Handcrafted has been a great adventure. She notes that socially conscious travel does not have to be a scary thing. “It just means you find a way to give back within the scope of what you’re already doing,” she says. At Journeys Within Our Community.org, interested parties can see how Andrea is giving back to her community, and join her in those efforts.