The Tanzania Porter Education Project – by Jae (and others)

One of the charities you are helping us fundraise for through the 3GKiliClimb project is the Tanzania Porter Education Project (which is funded via Friends of Conservation). Of all the funds raised 25% will go to this project, and if we reach our target, and that gets doubled by our kind match-funder, we will have enough money to support the project for a whole year!

Generally the traditional rural incomes in this area are complemented with seasonal employment as porters and guides. However, outside of these seasons, during the long (April-June) and short rains (November), employment opportunities are limited. The TPEP teaches English to the porters during these times.  Better language skills, environmental awareness and service levels, not only increase their employment opportunities; they help deliver a better experience for trekkers, who in turn may encourage others to come in future years.

Since its set up in conjunction with Exodus Travels in 2004, over 800 porters have been through the programme, and nine porters have also been sponsored to become qualified guides. TPEP accepts women as well as men at the school – allowing both to make good money safely from their mountain.

As we are now coming to the end of the long rains, we have just received an update from one of the tutors:

I am pleased to report that the English language training sponsored by Exodus has recently finished. The training was based in Arusha and lasted for 5 weeks with 2 classes; one of ‘beginners’ and the other ‘intermediate’ for those porters with some experience in English already. There were English language classes 5 days a week through this period.

The Project had 10 ‘beginners’ and 12 ‘intermediate’ students, and they finished with the 13 most improved students being selected to work as porters on an Exodus departure. These students benefited both from this extra work during the rainy season when there are very few climbs and also they were given the chance to practise their English with these Exodus clients. On summit day a couple of the intermediate students also went along with the clients and guides to the summit gaining further experience useful for their future.

Many thanks for funding this course.

We also received the following from Said Swalehe – a porter who attended the 2015 English course:

I was born in Babati in November 1983 and after completing primary education I was not selected for secondary education so I started to do various odd jobs to make some money. In 2002 I moved to Arusha and a year later went for the first time as a porter on Kilimanjaro. Later I joined African Walking Company as a porter. In 2013 I attend the free English course during the long rains. This helps me to improve my English and in 2014 I get a chance to attend the company’s first aid training. Since then I have been 15 times to the summit of Kilimanjaro as a summit porter. On these trips I have got lots of experience and I know the chance came only because of improving myself on the Exodus English Course. Again this year I get the chance to attend the course and further improve my English. I thank Exodus to help porters to reach our goal.

It’s lovely to be able to support a project which so clearly provides opportunities and skills to individuals, as well as bringing safe, responsible tourism to a community that benefits from it. And we know that porters on our trip in August will have been through TPEP, so it feels very personal. If you haven’t yet donated here’s the link, and if you have: thank you so much for helping to ensure this project’s continued success!