The Inca Trail is one of the world's great treks finishing at the
dramatic 'lost ' Inca city of Machu Picchu, but there's an ugly side
to it as well.
The locals employed as porters on the trail endure low pay and
work in arduous conditions. Often they have no waterproof clothing or
emergency equipment, heavy loads are carried simply roped onto their
backs which cuts off the bloody supply and many working for organised
tour groups, don't get enough food to sustain them.
When we trekked the Trail six years ago, we saw young porters
wearing sandals made from old car tyres, struggling with huge loads
using primitive carrying systems and things haven't improved.
The Inka Porter Project - Porteadores Inka Ñan - is a new
initiative aimed at improving the lot of Peruvian porters on the Inca
Trail. Set up by Alison Crowther, who travelled to Peru in 2002 after
raising £500 to give directly to a charity working with porters,
the organisation is still in its formative stages and is desperate
for help, particularly in terms of equipment.
They need mattresses, sleeping bags, 3-person tents, durable
waterproof ponchos and head lamps that can take rechargeable
batteries as well as longterm, Spanish-speaking volunteers.
There are full details of PIN together with contact information on
the project's
web site and we're also looking into ways that OM may be able to
help directly.
