Porters’ Clothing Bank Kathmandu Environmental Education Project “We are like dwarfs on the shoulders of giants, so that we can see more than they, and things at a

greater distance, not by virtue of any sharpness of sight on our part, or any physical distinction, but

because we are carried high and raised up by their giant size” -KEEP

Progress Report 2014/15

Thousands of individual porters as well as porters from the different trekking companies are getting privileged,

after the establishment of the KEEP’s Porters’ Clothing Bank in September 2009. Indeed they are outfitted and

protected from cold and frostbite in the high Himalayas during the trekking period. It has been running since 6

years now, and we have grown to accommodate more numbers in the coming future. It is a great pleasure to report

the progress, challenges and sustainability of Clothing Bank in 2013/14. I would like to thank all the national and

international donors, member agencies and individuals for supporting KEEP’s PCB in so many ways. I would also

like to invite other more trekking companies and individual porters who have not yet used our clothing bank, to

come and visit it at KEEP office during office hours and get benefited from the services we provide. KEEP’s

Executive committee, Director and all the team are very excited to work to ensure the sustainability of the Porters’

Clothing Bank in the future, which will stand for quality Porters Clothing Bank. Infact, we always strive for your

sincere comments and feedback, for the betterment of KEEP’s Porters Clothing Bank. At the end, I would also like

to thank the entire KEEP family for their diligent work in achieving the goals of KEEP’s PCB at this height.

Sagar Pandey

Since its establishment in September, 2009.The Kathmandu Environmental Education Project (KEEP) has

been overseeing the operation of the Porters’ Clothing Bank Despite having many obstacles to overcome;

KEEP PCB has been able to reach its current state of success because of the overwhelming support of our

Partners and Supporters. I personally extend my sincere appreciation and gratitude to each of them. With

their support, KEEP has been able to run the PCB project smoothly for six long years. Lastly, as Director, I

want to recognize the important contribution of our staff for their understanding and teamwork. Thank you

all!!!

D.B Gurung

SPECIAL GRATITUDE

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the supporters of the Porters’ Clothing

Bank Project. With your continuous support, KEEP has been able to run this PCB project

smoothly and successfully. We express our sincere appreciation to the following

organizations.

International Mountain Explorer Connection (IMEC)

International Porters Protection Group (IPPG)

Porter’s Progress UK

The Intrepid Foundation

GloboTrek

SST Foundation

Porteurs d'Avenir

Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN)

Dr. Jim Duff

Else James

Dr. Nick Mason

Dr. Louise Cook

Ian Wall

Karen Valenti

BACKGROUND

In the last fifty years, tourism has been one of the activities with the highest expansion

potentials in the world. It plays an important role as a local development strategy due to its

potential for growth and for being a product that can only be consumed in “loco”. The spatial

expansion of tourism and the growing diversification of this activity in the world create

opportunities for countries, regions and communities to seek to bring about their

development.

We all know that tourism porters play an imperative role enabling tourists all around the

world to visit Nepal’s most pretty and difficult terrain as well. In consequence, every year

many porters suffer from illness caused by the cold and high altitude sickness: and some even

die there in the up Himalayas.

To reduce this number and provide some relief to those porters’, KEEP’s Porters Clothing

Bank (PCB) provides an independent trekkers and small trekking companies with an

inexpensive means of equipping porters for a mountain.

Just for a while imagine yourself carrying 80 lb (30 to 40 kgs) load over a snow covered pass

in the harsh climate and environment of the high mountains, wearing only rubber sandals,

cotton trousers and a thin jacket. It sounds painful and yet it is a reality. It sadly well depicts

the working and living conditions of the Himalayan trekking porters. With these ill conditions

in mind, KEEP set up a Porters’ Clothing Bank in September 2009, aiming “to provide

poorly equipped porters with better clothing, suitable for their treks in a mountain

environment”.

Since its establishment, KEEP PCB has been consistently equipping porters to get vigorous

into the challenging Himalayan environment by minimizing and preventing the occurrence of

illnesses and fatalities among them. Besides this, KEEP strives to educate Tourists, Trekking

agencies and Porters alike on both the need of more acceptable treatment’s standards for

porters and the need of direct access to appropriate clothing and equipment. Over the last few

years, PCB has been lending individual trekkers and trekking agencies full sets of clothing

and equipment at a small refundable deposit. This project has proved to be highly successful

in improving the treatment and working conditions for porters of Nepal.

SUCCESS STORY OF THE PCB

Ever since KEEP is working in partnership with IPPG (International Porter Protection

Group), CAN (Community Action Nepal), Mountain Kingdoms (UK), World Expeditions

UK, Porter’s Progress (UK) and IMEC (International Mountain Explorers Connections) for

equipping the porters. The PCB currently stocks over a eight hundred sets of new clothing

items, including pants, jackets, trekking boots, sunglasses, gloves, sleeping bags, socks and

caps donated through organizations such as International Mountain Explorer Connection, The

Mountain Fund, and Himalayan Mountain Guides. Then after, with their assistance and

precious support, the PCB has been able to reach its current well-stocked state.

KEEP has been lending clothing items to various trekking agencies for their porters as well as

to individual porters since its establishment. So far, nearly 2000 porters, from different

trekking companies and individual porters also have been benefited from the KEEP PCB.

Porters’ Awareness Workshop: Trekking Porters have always been the backbone in making

a successful trekking operation in this tourism industry worldwide. However, still they have

been highly disregarded tourism professionals from universal perspective, who in fact, need

an attention with an ethical ways and act with a humanitarian approaches.

In order to bring awareness among porters and tourism stakeholders, KEEP successfully

conducted Porters’ Awareness Workshop-2014 in Beshisahar, Annapurna Region, Nepal on

the date from 22-23 May, 2014. The mission of this workshop was to bring awareness among

porters by improving the working conditions through education of porters.

PCB: CURRENT ACTIVITY

Similarly, the harsh mountain environment causes

clothing to wear-out rather quickly. Besides, over

the past few years, some items have been damaged

or lost by the Companies or individuals who have

borrowed them. Considering the volume of clothing

that we have loaned, though, actual lost articles have

been minimal. However, there is indisputably a

continuing need for support to the project, in order

to replace worn or damaged clothing items and keep

a good stock.

Table 1: Detailed PCB current stock

S.N Clothing

Items

Brought

by KEEP

Donation Previous

Stock

Damaged

Items

Current

Stock

Condition

1 Jackets - 20 537 347 170 Used

2 Pants 50 75 403 378 150 Used

3 Shoes 200 20 206 323 103 Used

4 Sunglasses 200 55 267 317 205 Used

5 Gloves - 35 62 32 65 Used

6 Sleeping

Bags

- 8 30 - 38 Used

7 Socks - 18 17 3 32 Used

8 Caps - 60 - 20 40 Used

Total Items 450 291 1522 1420 803

Figure 1: PCB-current stock of clothing set

170

150

103

205

65

38 32 40

Jackets Pants Shoes Sunglasses Gloves Sleeping Bags

Socks Caps

Altogether, 450 clothing set was brought by KEEP in the year 2013/14 which includes pants,

shoes and sunglasses. Similarly, different supporting agencies donated 291 set of items.

Among all, 1420 got damaged and now current stock of clothing items is 803 set. In which all

of the items were found to be in used conditions.

To add it more, KEEP PCB not only helps porters by

lending clothing items but also conducts programs for

porter’s welfare in creating awareness among them. Aware

of the need of education and research on porters’ rights and

aiming to make their voices finally heard, KEEP has been

annually organizing Workshops on the subject of porters’

welfare.

The course programs are basically designed to focus on the porters’ rights, mountain

environment, safety issues, PCB services available and procurement, as well as interaction

with trekking companies.

In addition to the porters’ awareness programs, KEEP PCB also aims to educate independent

Trekkers especially regarding their personal responsibility for the porters they hire. Also

towards the sake of creating awareness among the Trekkers, KEEP shows the documentary

“Carrying the Burden” on a daily basis and upon special request by visitors to KEEP.

WAY FORWARD

We always appreciate any contribution you can make to the Porters’ Clothing Bank. If a

volunteer courier is willing to cover shipping costs from the storehouse in Britain or America,

to their home in that country, a tax exemption receipt is available for the expenses incurred.

Please contact us at least one month prior to your departure for Nepal at keep@info.com.np if

you are able to assist us.

Financial donations are greatly appreciated, and are preferred to donations of clothing as

KEEP is then able to purchase new clothing in Nepal and covers costs of repair and

replacement of items. Usually donations of used jackets and pants from Westerners do not fit

Nepali porters who tend to be smaller. However, donations of other clothing items such as

hats, socks, sunglasses, warm gloves and sleeping bags are always welcome. If you are able

to contribute financially to the KEEP Porters’ Clothing Bank, kindly use the following

contact details as mentioned in the wire transfer information.

KEEP strives to ensure Porters a more sustainable growth, safer and ethical working

conditions as well as respect for their rights. We are confident that this will be possible with

your support and the continuous and precious supports of all KEEP’s partners.

KEEP’s Porter Code

Pick up a load yourself! Have a

go by picking up a load and it won’t

take long for you to realize what a

tremendous job your porter is doing.

Don’t overload your porter.

Maximum load is 30-35 kg

Hire a porter in Nepal. Hiring a

porter is a good way to directly help

rural communities. A porter’s salary

from one trek can sustain their

families and benefit their local

community for several months.

What does a porter do? A

porter is someone who carries

your equipment for a trek. Some

porters do minimal guiding. It is

culturally accepted in Nepal to

hire a porter and it is a normal

business relationship.

Select strong and experienced

porters for high, remote treks.

Make sure your porter is also

provided sufficient food, clothing,

equipment, a sleeping mat and a tent

during your trekking period.

Pay a fair salary. Salaries

vary according to the location

you are trekking in-check with

KEEP’s Porters’ Clothing Bank for

current porter wages. A

porter/guide who speaks English

typically earns more. Don’t

bargain too hard-remember that

a little extra money goes a long

way.

Treat porters to tea or

meals. Offering meals and

snacks is a nice gesture. Ensure

your porter gets proper food and

water throughout the trek

because you depend on them.

Spend time with your porter.

There is much to be learned from

these physically hard working men

and women. Spending time in direct

contact with them encourages good

performances on their part and

enhances your own experience of

the trail.

Tip your porter well if they

have done a good job. Tips can

vary, check with your trekking

company or KEEP’s Porters’

Clothing Bank for

recommendations. Tips are

normally paid at the end of the

trek. Give the tip directly to

your porter and make sure they

know it is because they did a

good job. If you have any spare

equipment at the end of your

trek, it can make a real

difference to your porter’s

standard of living if you give it to

them.

Make sure that your porter

has insurance. Trekking

companies should have a blanket

policy covering all staff but not

all do-make sure you check.

Independent trekkers can get

insurance for their porter-find

out more from KEEP’s Porter’s

Clothing Bank.

Take care of sick porters.

Your porter deserves the same

standard of treatment, care and

rescue that you expect for

yourself. Make sure that sick

porters are sent down the

mountains with someone who

speaks their language and who

understands the problem.

Porters should never be sent

down alone.

Have a meal before you go.

Take your porter/guide for a

meal or tea before you start

your trek. Find out about

him/her and get an idea about

whether you will get along.

Remember you will be spending

the next few weeks together.

Use a trekking agency. Talk to

KEEP for a list of recommended

trekking agencies.

Please donate. Any spare

clothes or shoes at the end of

your trek to KEEP’s Porters’

Clothing Bank. It can make a real

difference to your porter’s

standard of living.

Report all instances of neglect or abuse to KEEP’s

Porters’ Clothing Bank.

Sharing the Responsibility…My porter’s experience

When I first came in Nepal in 2003, I traveled in

Ganesh Himal. There I became aware of the poor

working conditions the porters work in : they sleep in

the cooking tent, wrapped in a blanket right on the

ground even at high altitude when it's freezing. They

earn just a few dollars a day (2 euros per day) to cover

their food and accomodation and have to bear, besides

the heavy 35kg package, their own firewood, potatoes

and tea to get their only meal … Yet, the trekking

agency I traveled with was among the most influent

ones in Nepal … So I wanted to get deeper in that

system to better understand it.

I met many mountain guides and porters willing to share their own experience with me. It

was time for me to get in touch with local NGOs, fighting to enforce agencies to provide

coolies with better working conditions and dignity. Back in France, I started to write my

thesis entitled « Porters life conditions in Nepal from the begining of tourism in the 50's ».

Each year, I bring clothings gathered from mountainers in France and I organize french

classes for porters in a small NGO. Speaking french give them the opportunity to get a better

income as a porter and a better « chance » to become a mountain guide.

I found the organisation Porteurs d'Avenir in 2010 to get more means in my commitment and

to help the nepalese NGO KEEP. Each year, we bring to the porter many technical clothings

and sunglasses. Along the trekking tracks, more and more porters are equipped by

organisations like KEEP or by the agencies. That help to prevent porters from high altitude

sickness, snow ophtalmy.

Then in 2011/2012, I carried out « Une Vie de porteur » (« A porter's life »), a documentary

screened in KEEP and other agencies in Nepal. In France, I organized conferences and

participated in festivals to present the documentary, in order to bring into focus porter's life

for all people .Nowadays, many young men leave Nepal to get to the Emirates that need

workers in the building industry. As a consequence, there are less and less porters in Nepal

and in some regions like Dolpo and Mustang trekkings are organized with donkeys to offset

the lack of skilled porters. For instance, around the Annapurna base camp, more and more

women work as porters. Therefore the local life is reshaped even if without the women,

families and villages find their new lifestyle as time goes by.

PAULINE PRETET

( president of porteurs d’Avenir, France)

Porters’ Story

Porter Bikram Kumar Thapa Magar

Where should i start this pathetic Porter's take

from?

Who will understand a Porter's pain?

Neither does he get good salary, nor does he get

lighter load.

The salary hardly brings him two meals a day.

Please, support the porters together.

We always need them in trekking.

Give good salary and provide a good from office,

And arrange things like shoes and clothing from

office.

Trekking begins joyous when everything is

available.

Only then we porters would be respected

We, v porters, must be united.

All involves in telling must know about it.

We must always get a loaf of 30 kilos.

Let's make sure the list won't with more than 30

kilos

All the porters must progress.

I wish all potters would move forward all the time.

Nepali Porters Tilak Bahadur Dhakal

Her Nepali porter brothers, guests are waiting for

you.

Don't worry, note there is peace.

The scholars from all over the world ate quite

compassionate.

They link their life with that of porters.

Porters get lost when they fail to get load.

Their family members cry in hunger.

Forget education, three go away looking for load

And needing glad when they get loads to carry.

The sun is shining high in the sky.

So is the moon.

Yet the guests have stopped visiting Nepal.

The friends from all over the world must visit

Nepal.

We, Nepalese, will restore peace in Nepal at any

cost.

We will serve guests from the friendly countries

with our best.

More and more guests must visit Nepal

And the Porter's life must be considered.

Porter Laxman Tamang

I am a Porter, a small man.

I carry luggage of the rich

And the foreigners

I eat worse food than they do,

Wear tattered clothes,

Get a meager salary

Walk faster than them.

What can i do?

Such is my fate.

I pass my days in this way.

I forget my agonies in this way.

A Letter from Base Camp Bishnu Shyakhu

Dear, I am writing from base camp.

A have load is on my back.

I am only half standing.

I am shivering continuously with cold.

Dear, I am looking at your picture even though half

-asleep

Dear, I am carrying the lots with your memory.

I am surrounded by the ice.

The stream doesn't flow today.

The blood is frozen,

Fingers are failing, I am writing with frozen hands.

The friends are continuing up and up.

I am standing but keeping my head in my hand.

I am blocking death with a palm, dear.

My fingers are failing and I am writing with frozen

hands.

Seeing the load aside, I am thinking about you.

I am encountering destiny now.

Dear, I am writing from bar camp.

A heavy load is in my back.

I am half-standing.

Unforgettable Moment Kaji Tamang

Our dreams are big; and go with me as I go up.

The path is difficult with mud and dust.

We are cheated with half the wage promised

I'd we don't finish the trek

The Porter must return without their wage.

A labor's life goes on how and swears.

When we are not skilled we go to work.

As porters progress so does Nepal.

Only the thorns never the flower smells here.

We will only progress in society when literate.

Human beings are great by their hearts -

Not by their cast.

There are limited people who are helpful.

Some people help with money and some with

words.

Not all trekkers crush our dreams.

Some give porters a lot of support.

PORTERS CLOTHING BANK

Your willingness to support the KEEP Porters’ Clothing Bank is greatly appreciated.

Wire Transfer

KEEP Nepal

A/C 01-0140872-51

Standard Chartered Bank Nepal Limited

Lazimpat, Kathmandu, Nepal

SWIFT CODE: SCBLNPKA

KEEP has recently moved to a new location. Please see the map below for detailed information

Editorial & layout team: Mr. Arjun Kumar Limbu, MS. Rakshya Neupane, MS. Laura

Vismara and Mr. Pemba Dorje Lopchan

P.O Box 9178, Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal

Tel: 977-1-4410952, 4410935

Fax: 977-1-4410292

E-mail: info@keepnepal.org

URL: www.keepnepal.org