SANTA BARBARA DE PINTO, Colombia -- AmaWaterways plans to launch a 501c3 organization as early as July that will benefit the local communities that the company visits on its river cruises.
Kristin Karst, chief brand ambassador and cofounder of the river cruise line, shared the news in Colombia while visiting a school along the Magdalena River, where the company sails two ships.
The line has not made a formal announcement, but additional details are expected soon. The nonprofit will be called AmaWaterways River Borne Foundation.
AmaWaterways is typically quiet about its charitable relationships with schools in Africa, Vietnam and Cambodia, but will formalize its contributions through the 501c3.
While visiting the school in Colombia, students danced, sang and played musical instruments to perform for the media cohort that was brought to the town to see how AmaWaterways' tourism benefits the local community.
Luis Larios Payares, the school's principal; Hegel Garizao, mayor of Santa Barbara de Pinto; and Gabriela Cardenas, project lead of the nonprofit Craftedways Foundation; accompanied Karst during the announcement. The four leaders signed a memorandum of commitment to symbolize "it's not just about simple words or small actions," but "something more meaningful," Cardenas said.
Karst emphasized that this is "truly a project in the making," but said she and AmaWaterways have big dreams for the foundation's reach and impact, including potentially on the Lower Danube.
Cardenas shared programs that will be launched through the foundation for school children: Horizons Onboard, which will bring local children onto the ship to meet staff and crew and learn about careers in the river cruise industry, and Pinto Talent, which will allow children to better develop creativity through art and music; AmaWaterways donated instruments to the school, since it did not have its own.
"They don't come here to crush, but to give nutrients to, our culture," the principal said.
Correction: The name of AmaWaterways' new nonprofit is AmaWaterways River Borne Foundation. The name was incorrect in an earlier version of this report.