Explore the Innovations of Two Women Leaders in Sustainable Building and Ocean Access

These Global Vision Awards honorees are making strides in sustainable architecture and environmental equity.

The iBestTravel Global Vision Awards aim to identify and honor companies, individuals, destinations, and organizations that are taking strides to develop more sustainable and responsible travel products, practices, and experiences. Not only are they demonstrating thought leadership and creative problem-solving; they are taking actionable, quantifiable steps to protect communities and environments around the world. What’s more, they are inspiring their industry colleagues and travelers to do their part.

Big ideas don’t always yield big impacts; however, these forward-thinking leaders demonstrate just how much can be accomplished when clarity, conviction, and passion are applied to solving a problem. The two honorees in this category both focus their attention on issues that directly impact the destinations closest to their hearts. For Elora Hardy, it’s designing and developing buildings in Indonesia made from environmentally friendly bamboo. Zandile Nhdlovu’s mission is to instill a passion for and, importantly, provide equitable access to the ocean for fellow Black South Africans. Initially, their purposes may seem narrow and singular in scope; nevertheless, the frameworks developed by each woman have the potential to be applied to similar problems in other areas of the world. — iBestTravel Editors

Elora Hardy, Ibuku

When Elora Hardy pivoted from a successful career as a graphic designer in New York City, she reflected on her childhood home of Bali, where her father, John Hardy, had begun his jewelry business in 1975. She relocated to Bali with a renewed focus: bamboo.

Bamboo, one of the most abundant and sustainable materials in Indonesia, is ideal for eco-friendly construction. This remarkable plant reaches maturity in about seven years, possesses the tensile strength of steel, and effectively absorbs and stores more carbon than softwood trees.

In 2010, Hardy established Ibuku, a design firm in Bali that has successfully planned more than 200 bamboo structures, including one of the island’s tallest bamboo buildings, a six-story private home known as Sharma Springs. In 2019, she proudly received an honorary Royal Designer for Industry award from the United Kingdom’s Royal Society of Arts.

While much of Ibuku’s work occurs in Bali, in 2015 Hardy initiated a project on another Indonesian island, Sumba: a primarily bamboo school for the Sumba Hospitality Foundation. This institution provides vocational training, including internships at resorts, as well as classes in permaculture and other responsible farming practices. Additionally, the hotel Maringi Sumba offers students hands-on experience in both guest services and eco-friendly development. — Tom Vanderbilt

Zandile Ndhlovu, The Black Mermaid Foundation

Zandile Ndhlovu first encountered the ocean at the age of 12. She vividly remembers being mesmerized by the massive, crashing waves. Raised away from the coast in Soweto, South Africa, Ndhlovu emerged as the country’s first Black African PADI-certified free-diving instructor more than two decades later.

In 2020, Ndhlovu founded the Black Mermaid Foundation, an organization dedicated to enhancing diversity and inclusion in oceanography by teaching diving to adults and snorkeling to children. Their programs offer a comprehensive framework, including an introductory confined-water class, a two-day PADI-certified course, and an exploration trip for snorkeling and diving. Furthermore, she is broadening her offerings to include swim lessons, ensuring that children of all ages and abilities can feel confident in the ocean.

By increasing accessibility to the water, Ndhlovu envisions a future where diversity flourishes: “We could see more marine biologists of color, more oceanographers, and more underwater wildlife filmmakers venturing into the ocean space.” — Hannah Selinger