Our Charity
Partnerships
Las Iguanas have partnered with charity The LATA Foundation to support grass-roots projects throughout Latin America for almost 10 years.
LATA Foundation
In 2007 the Latin American Travel Association (LATA) brought together a group of competing tour operators and hoteliers to support the region they love. From five star hotels on Copacabana beach to Inca Trail trekkers, the industry united to fund grass roots projects across Latin America. The LATA Foundation is a completely volunteer led organisation and every penny goes direct to their projects.
Their aim is to give back to the continent we love through social and environmental projects that truly make a difference to the lives of Latin American people.
PrOjetO Vidançar
We primarily support Projeto Vidançar; a community project which offers kids the opportunity to learn ballet, hip hop dance, English and more. The wider families are also supported, keeping the kids in education and away from gang violence and drugs.
When we first visited in 2013 and met founder Ellen Serra, the project was based in a tiny room deep in the Alemão Complex, one of Rio’s many favelas. With support from LATA, Las Iguanas and some local funding, the project has been able to improve facilities and expand to provide teaching and pastoral care for hundreds of children in Rio and more recently in Bahia, Northeast Brazil, continuing to teach online throughout the pandemic. As a result, talented students have gained life-changing scholarships to the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet School in Brazil and the Municipal Theatre of Rio de Janeiro.
Other Partnerships
We have previously also worked with a number of charities at home including End Youth Homelessness, Women’s Aid, Orchid Male Cancer and A World With Friends.