How We Care for our Porters
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park is well regulated, compared to some other areas such as the Himalayas, and as such they ensure that Porters carry a maximum weight of 15kg of company trekking gear and between 5kg & 7kg of personal gear.
All Porter packs are weighed before permits are issued at the start of trek on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Other than this, the standard of porter care is essentially left up to the company with many following a basic code of practice on a voluntary basis.
We believe Kilimanjaro climbs would not be possible without porters so we value our porters and have always created fair working conditions with good wages, 3 meals per day, quality waterproof tents for eating and sleeping, education and advancement opportunities through our scholarship program.
All Porter packs are weighed before permits are issued at the start of trek on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Other than this, the standard of porter care is essentially left up to the company with many following a basic code of practice on a voluntary basis.
We believe Kilimanjaro climbs would not be possible without porters so we value our porters and have always created fair working conditions with good wages, 3 meals per day, quality waterproof tents for eating and sleeping, education and advancement opportunities through our scholarship program.
We are an Approved Partner Company with:
We are also an approved Partner company with the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP), and the International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC) Partner for Responsible Travel Program.
We voluntarily participate with KPAP’s monitoring activities and allow KPAP to evaluate the treatment of our porters on all of our climbs. By climbing with us you can be assured that your porters are well taken care of.
KPAP also helps to improve the working conditions of porters by:
We voluntarily participate with KPAP’s monitoring activities and allow KPAP to evaluate the treatment of our porters on all of our climbs. By climbing with us you can be assured that your porters are well taken care of.
KPAP also helps to improve the working conditions of porters by:
- Lending donated clothing at no charge to the mountain crew for use while climbing
- Educating the public on porter working conditions and climbing responsibly
- Providing industry guidelines for proper porter treatment
- Offering educational classes to porters
- Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP)
- Partner for Responsible Travel Program.
Majestic Kilimanjaro Scholarship Program
As a company we always trying to improve conditions in the local community, and so in 2015, as well as running our other community projects, we started our Majestic Kilimanjaro Scholarship Program. This fund enables selected Porters to attend three (3) month English language courses, driving school, wilderness first aid training, nine (9) month guiding school, hospitality school or mechanics training. We also provide a monthly stipend/allowance so these men can continue to look after their families during the training.
Further education of this nature is well out of the reach of most porters. Apart from the cost of the courses, there is also the challenge of being able to continue to support their families while studying. Our scholarship fund, which has been formed from profits from the Kilimanjaro climbs and safaris we run through Majestic Kilimanjaro, looks after all that so that the recipients can just focus on their studies.
Majestic Kilimanjaro Scholarship Program Launch
On 23rd March 2015 we launched the program with James Kahumba, Christian Lomnyaki, Amani Ernest and Silvano Clemence (who has been working with us as a cook for the last two years), starting their three months English course at the YMCA Vocational Training Centre. This was followed by a one month driving course. These 4 men attended class every day for 45mins and then were expected to complete homework. English language skills and a drivers license will allow these men to take up opportunities that weren't open to them before. On their successful completion they will be able to choose whether to attend either a nine months guide, hospitality or mechanics training.
Since 2015, we have trained several porters to be cooks thereby doubling their income and five porters attended guide school, two of whom are now working as assistant guides. We also paid 50% of young porter Nelson's school fees in order to finish his final two years of high school and then 3 years of university tuition and accommodation fees where he studied Hospitality and Tourism Management.
Further education of this nature is well out of the reach of most porters. Apart from the cost of the courses, there is also the challenge of being able to continue to support their families while studying. Our scholarship fund, which has been formed from profits from the Kilimanjaro climbs and safaris we run through Majestic Kilimanjaro, looks after all that so that the recipients can just focus on their studies.
Majestic Kilimanjaro Scholarship Program Launch
On 23rd March 2015 we launched the program with James Kahumba, Christian Lomnyaki, Amani Ernest and Silvano Clemence (who has been working with us as a cook for the last two years), starting their three months English course at the YMCA Vocational Training Centre. This was followed by a one month driving course. These 4 men attended class every day for 45mins and then were expected to complete homework. English language skills and a drivers license will allow these men to take up opportunities that weren't open to them before. On their successful completion they will be able to choose whether to attend either a nine months guide, hospitality or mechanics training.
Since 2015, we have trained several porters to be cooks thereby doubling their income and five porters attended guide school, two of whom are now working as assistant guides. We also paid 50% of young porter Nelson's school fees in order to finish his final two years of high school and then 3 years of university tuition and accommodation fees where he studied Hospitality and Tourism Management.
23/3/2015 1st English class. Left: Teacher Mlay Moshi and Students-James Kahumba, Christian Lamnyaki, Silvano Clemence and Amani Ernest
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Student Nelson Mgalla on a University Field Day
Looking pretty happy after their first class!
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