Aqua Expeditions, the leader in luxury small ship cruising, has announced its newest philanthropic adventure - a life-changing charitable giving partnership with successful and internationally-recognised US-based non-profit organisation, Room to Read.

Founded in 2000, Room to Read collaborates with local communities, partner organisations and governments worldwide to ensure primary school children can become independent readers and girls can complete secondary school with skills necessary to negotiate key life decisions.

Aqua Expeditions Founder and CEO, Francesco Galli Zugaro is proud to be involved with Room to Read through his successful Aqua Mekong cruise offering on the Mekong River between Vietnam and Cambodia.

“Since launching Aqua Expeditions on the Peruvian Amazon nearly 10 years ago, I have seen first-hand the vital role of education in community healthcare and protection of the environment,” Mr Galli Zugaro said.

“On the Amazon River our professional guides play an active role as educators in community healthcare, promoting clean water projects and in our cruise ships' eco-system management. Our guests are vital to this success through their ongoing donations to our philanthropic programs.

“When we set out to launch Aqua Mekong, I began looking at how we could engage with the Mekong River communities in philanthropic and significant ways in Vietnam and Cambodia. I personally vetted several non-governmental organisations to find the right match.”

Room to Read has provided Aqua Expeditions with copies of Khmer and Vietnamese children's books published by their team. Aqua Mekong guests will be invited at no cost to bring a book with them to donate to a child in need when the Aqua Mekong guides take them into local communities.

Room to Read Founder, John Wood said his organisation “is very excited to be partnering with Aqua Expeditions to bring the lifelong gift of education and literacy to tens of thousands of children across Cambodia and Vietnam”.

“We are hopeful that Aqua Expeditions customers will enjoy their experience giving books out to kids, but also possibly get involved with Room to Read so we can reach more children,” Mr Wood said.

To learn more about this partnership, view a message from John Wood here. To see how Room to Read is helping local communities, view the story of Tay Thi here.

Aqua Mekong cruises are priced from USD3660 in a First Deck Suite for a 3-night Discovery Cruise. Guests can also book for a 4-night Explorer Cruise, 7-night Expedition Cruise and family offer in which children between the age of 7 and 12 years old will stay on board Aqua Mekong for free when sharing with both parents in a triple cabin or accompanied by a single parent on selected departures. For further information and reservations, call 1800 243 152 (Toll Free) or visit Aqua Expeditions' booking facility at www.aquaexpeditions.com

About Aqua Expeditions
Aqua Expeditions was the first adventure travel company to introduce five-star luxury cruises on the Amazon River in Peru and Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia.  CEO, Francesco Galli Zugaro, founded Aqua Expeditions to cater to discerning, adventure travellers seeking to explore remote and culturally-important destinations for luxury voyages on the world's greatest rivers. Aqua Expeditions' flagship vessel, Aqua Amazon launched in 2008 with 12 luxurious suites and was joined in 2011 by the 16-suite Aria Amazon, both creations of Peruvian designer, Jordi Puig and featuring floor to ceiling windows, jacuzzi, gym, sundeck and haute Peruvian cuisine of Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino. In October 2014, Aqua Expeditions expanded to Indochina with the launch of the 20-suite Aqua Mekong, sailing the Mekong River between Cambodia and Vietnam. www.aquaexpeditions.com

About Room to Read

Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read's innovative model focuses on deep, systemic transformation within schools in low-income countries during two time periods which are most critical in a child's schooling: early primary school for literacy acquisition and secondary school for girls' education. We work in collaboration with local communities, partner organisations and governments to develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children and ensure girls can complete secondary school with the skills necessary to negotiate key life decisions. Room to Read has benefited 10 million children across 17,500 communities in Asia and Africa and aims to reach 15 million children by 2020. www.roomtoread.org.