UXUA was born of a love of Trancoso; the hotel’s founding mission has been to contribute to the town’s beauty and preservation. Some examples of our commitment:
Wilbert Das to host the Festa São Brás
UXUA creator Wilbert Das has been honored by the Trancoso community by being nominated as festeiro (honorary host) of the town’s oldest and most important religious festival, the festa São Brás, to be held February 3rd 2011.
Cultural preservation: Capoeira
UXUA funds the salary of a Capoeira professor at the academy Capoeira Sul Da Bahia so local children may study free-of-charge this traditional Afro-Brasilian sport.
Environmental preservation: Atlantic mangrove
The hotel finances 100% of costs for a program dedicated to maintaining the delicate ecosystem of Atlantic mangrove running behind Trancoso’s beaches.
Buying locally:
• Organic farms – UXUA has reintroduced traditional organic farming into Trancoso’s town center
• Fisherman’s collective – native fisherman using traditional techniques were aided by UXUA to register as a collective, improving the economic viability of this industry
• Organic soaps and oils – UXUA worked with local native healers and Pataxó indians to create a range of 100% organic soaps, massage oils, and insect repellent.
Staff:
UXUA grants benefits to its 50 staff which are extraordinary for Southern Bahia, including revenue-sharing, healthcare, and education (a school is operated within the hotel in an innovative partnership with the local school system).
Affordable housing:
Using its own unique approach, UXUA will incorporate values of local tradition, beauty, and comfort as it advances planning on affordable housing for staff and low-income Trancoso residents. The initiative, set to launch in 2012, will be supported by a federal government program called Minha Casa Minha Vida (My House My Life).
