India challenge

GATEWAY TO THE INDIAN

TREK

25 MARCH - 5 APRIL 2013

Thank you for your interest in supporting Concern Worldwide.

It’s through your dedication that we are able to help some of the poorest and most vulnerable people on earth to fight hunger and move towards a future free from poverty. With your commitment, we can make a real and direct impact.

About Concern Concern Worldwide works with the world’s poorest people to transform their lives.

• We are an international humanitarian organisation dedicated to tackling poverty and suffering in the world’s poorest countries.

• We work in partnership with the very poorest people in these countries, directly enabling them to improve their lives, as well as using our knowledge and experience to influence decisions made at a local, national and international level that can significantly reduce extreme poverty.

By taking part in this challenge you will be supporting our work in Pakistan.

Pakistan is a developing country and Concern has worked there since 2001 in response to the Afghanistan refugee emergency which has since moved into long-term development programming. After the 2005 earthquake a series of emergency response, post-emergency early recovery and rehabilitation programmes have been implemented. In 2010, Concern’s work spread providing emergency response and early recovery support to almost 2.5 million people affected by the extraordinary floods that ravaged the country.

HOW CONCERN’S MONEY IS SPENT:

Relief and development

89.9%

Fundraising

7.6%

Development education and advocacy Governance

2% 0.5%

“When I am working on the dump I see all the other children going to school.

I hope that I too will go one day but now I have to work to help my family”

YOUR SUPPORT WILL HELP CHILDREN LIKE MEHMOOD. Mehmood’s family came to Pakistan from Afghanistan as refugees fleeing the war in the eighties and made their way to Quetta city, the capital of Pakistan’s largest yet poorest province, Balochistan.

and participated in the recreational activities.

He started attending the Drop-In-Centre more frequently and soon he was attending on a daily basis, availing of the washing facilities and having breakfast with the other children.

At the age of 5, Mehmood started working to try to support his family. He joined the hundreds of other young children scavenging the city’s rubbish dumps for whatever he could find to sell for a few meagre rupees. He spent 7 hours a day working, often in extremely harsh weather conditions, be it the scorching heat of summer or the bitterly cold winters.

After the classes Mehmood returns to work on the dumps. On a good day, he earns €0.84; most days he earns about €0.70 and he gives all the money he earns to his mother to help cover their daily expenses.

Mehmood heard of Concern’s Drop-In-Centres from his cousin, and one day last year he met with some of the teachers and other children

Mehmood dreams of one day having his own tailoring shop. He recently started a tailoring course in the Drop-In-Centre but said that “to open a business I know I need to go to school, there are many things I need to learn”.

HOW FAR YOUR MONEY WILL GO: €10 is enough to provide protective gloves and shoes for three children working on Quetta’s rubbish dumps. €20 could give a hungry working child a nutritious breakfast every day for a month at one of our Drop-In Centres. €50 could help provide equipment like a sewing machine, so children can learn the skills they need to escape the dumps. €70 could provide the schoolbooks and educational materials that three children need to learn for a whole year Mehmood (5), Pakistan.

WHAT IS YOUR CHALLENGE? This 12 day expedition includes six days of trekking in the Indian Himalayas in warm weather with amazing scenery. Each day offers a new and exciting route as we pass by some beautiful hamlets, flower-filled pastures, mixed forest, waterfalls and streams. The highlight of the trek is reaching the Kuari Pass (3840m) where you are rewarded by an impressive panoramic view. We trek near the source of the Ganges which is one of the world’s most famous rivers with huge religious and cultural significance in India. Meet plenty of friendly locals and learn about the Himalayan culture and way of life. As well as enjoying six fantastic days trekking you will have the opportunity go white water rafting and explore Delhi.

The challenge coincides with the Holi festival, one of the major festivals of India and we will have the pleasure of joining in the fun. Holi festival celebrates the triumph of ‘good’ over ‘bad’. On this day, people hug and wish each other ‘Happy Holi’.

People take extreme delight in spraying colour water on each other, singing Bollywood Holi numbers and dancing to the beat of dholak. Delhi being the capital and the heart of India, celebrates Holi with extreme enthusiasm!

EXPEDITION ITINERARY * n Day 1; Monday 25th March: Dublin to Delhi Depart Dublin at 11:20 on an overnight flight to Delhi. n Day 2; Tuesday 26th March: In Delhi.

Arrive in Delhi at 03:10. You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel where you will have time to catch a few hours sleep before exploring one of Delhi’s best markets. After a relaxed dinner we transfer to the train station for the overnight train to Haridwar departing at 21:30. We will be sleeping on the AC sleeper carriage an amazing experience.

Overnight train. n Day 3; Wednesday 27th March: Haridwar to Ghat (1330m). (Holi) Arrive in Hardiwar at 05:50 and begin the drive northwards following the Ganges to its source.

We stop for breakfast and lunch is en route. The drive takes you into the rugged country of the Garhwal Himalaya along the Alaknanda river. We travel past a number of holy confluences and then finally into the narrow valley of the Mandakini River. Throughout the day we will enjoy the hustle and bustle of the Holi festival celebrations as we pass many villages and small towns. We reach Ghat, the road-head for the trek, in the evening. Overnight camp. n Day 4; Thursday 28th March: Ghat to Ghunni (2550m), 6/7 hrs trekking.

First day trekking. For the first half of the day the trail goes along the river. After lunch it starts to climb up away from the river, some parts being quite steep. We camp just above the fairly large village of Ramni in a nice grassy patch and visit the village in the evening.

n Day 5; Friday 29th March: Ghunni to Sem Kharak (2400m), 5/6 hrs trekking.

The trail starts climbing up to the pass and crosses many small tributary rivers and waterfalls including one which offers a great opportunity for a shower! After a steady climb we arrive at the small Ramni Pass (3060 m) which offers views of the Kuari Pass. We descend gradually to the grazing meadows of Sem Kharak. Overnight camp. n Day 6; Saturday 30th March: Sem Kharak to Pana (2450m), 5/6 hrs trekking.

From Sem kharak we descend to the suspension bridge over the Birthi Ganga and then climb up again to another prosperous village, Pana.

Overnight camp. n Day 7; Sunday 31st March: Pana to Dhakwani (3341m), 6/7 hrs trekking.

A few ascents, descents and traverses bring us close to the foot of the Kuari Pass. The trail comes out above the tree line and goes through grazing grounds into meadow country to reach Dhakwani. Overnight camp. n Day 8; Monday 1st April: Dhakwani to Kuari Pass (3840 m) to Khulara (3180 m): 5 hrs trekking.

The trail is steep up to the Kuari Pass and it takes about two or three hours to get there. Once up on the pass, the views are simply breathtaking, a wide panorama of high Himalayas - the Chaukhamba Range, Nilkantha (6597 m), and Abigamin (7355 m) extend to the Tibetan border.

In the middle foreground, the main Himalayan chain in the vicinity of the Bhyundar and Hemkund Valleys includes Nilgiri Parbat (6474 m) and Rataban (6166 m). Overnight camp. n Day 9; Tuesday 2nd April: Khulara to Pipalkoti (1330m): 5 hrs trekking.

The last day of the trek is all the way down to Tapovan. It's about three hours drive from here to the comforts of the hotel in Pipalkoti. Celebratory meal. n Day 10; Wednesday 3rd April:Pipalkoti to Rishikesh After an early morning breakfast we set out for the long eight hour drive to reach the beautiful river camp on the banks of the Ganges.

Enjoy a hot shower, bed followed by a celebratory meal on banks or the river.

Overnight camp.

n Day 11; Thursday 28th March: Delhi to Rishikesh (330m) Enjoy 26km of rafting with great class III & IV rapids taking us into Rishikesh for lunch. After lunch enjoy exploring and shopping in this wonderful town, which was home to the Beatles in the sixties and consider to be the yoga capital of the World. After a relaxed afternoon we board the evening train to Delhi arrive at 22:45.

Overnight hotel Delhi.

n Day 12; Friday 5th April: Delhi to Dublin.

Depart Delhi on 04:45 flight. Arrive in Dublin at 13:20. Expedition ends. *This is a complicated itinerary and some elements may be subject to change. Earth’s Edge is a trading name of IntoIndia Limited a fully licensed and bonded company (Travel Agents Licence No. T.A. 0711).

When you book an expedition with us you do so safe in the knowledge that your money is protected.

APPLICATION FORM: Full name (as per passport) Address Contact number Email address Date of birth How did you hear about the event?

Payment details Cheques should be made payable to Concern Worldwide, however if you wish to pay by credit card please list your details below: Card type:

Laser

Mastercard

Visa Debit/Delta Electron

Solo

Maestro

Mastercard Debit

Visa

American Express Other

Card number CVV number

3 Digit Security Number

Expiry date Amount

€200 / £200 / Other Amount (€/£)

Signature Date Terms and Conditions 1. Each participant must be at least 18 years of age before the departure date of the event.

2. Your passport must have at least six months to run from the date of return to Ireland or the UK. Payment for your visa, airport tax, inoculations and personal gratuities are not included in the fundraising total.

3. IntoIndia, with the agreement of Concern Worldwide has the right to alter the itinerary, dates, or location, should any changes in climate or any other unforeseen circumstance deem this necessary.

4. All trekkers must be covered by travel insurance appropriate for the itinerary.

Please note that it must include full medical cover as well as cover for a) trekking in remote locations, b) helicopter evacuation in an emergency situation, and c) repatriation to your country of residence.

You must provide IntoIndia with a written guarantee from your insurance provider that you are covered for the conditions specified above, and that IntoIndia will be fully reimbursed for

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any monies paid out on your behalf in the event of an emergency.

Participants must be relatively fit to take part in the expeditions and must complete the medical questionnaire provided. You may be required to have a medical form signed by your doctor. By signing the entry form you are confirming that, to the best of your knowledge, your general state of health is good and that you take full responsibility for yourself.

IntoIndia reserves the right to refuse a participant if, in the opinion of IntoIndia, he/she is medically unfit to take part.

Passport control and in-country authorities will reserve the right to refuse entry.

Participants take part at their own risk, and agree to indemnify IntoIndia and Concern Worldwide against any claims of loss or damage to personal property, personal injury (or death) and any claim arising from their own actions.

Participants are responsible for attending to any inoculations they may require, and must comply with any regulations or circumstances of a destination.

9. Your personal contribution is considered a non-refundable deposit.

10. If you are unable to meet the sponsorship requirements, you will forfeit your place on the Concern Challenge - or you may choose to make up the balance of monies yourself.

11. If you decide to cancel your booking a cancellation charge will be imposed which is calculated as a percentage of the total package price including surcharges.

12. Participants must carry out all methods of fundraising for the Concern Challenges in accordance with the guidelines set out in Concern’s Fundraising Pack

I have read the conditions of entry and agree to be bound by their terms and pledge to raise the minimum sponsorship required.

Signature: _________________________________ Date: ____________________________

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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What is the date of the event?

25 March – 5 April 2013 I want to take part, what do I do?

Please send your €200 / £200 registration fee along with a completed application form to your relevant Concern office. You can also register online at www.concernchallenge.org.

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How much do I have to raise?

Once you pay your non-refundable registration fee of €200 / £200 you will need to reach your minimum fundraising target of €4300/£3500 5 weeks before our departure date. You can choose to fundraise, pay yourself or do a bit of both!

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How will I raise the sponsorship money?

From the time that you sign up you will be expanding your social life by holding various fundraisers to help you meet your target amount. It’s important to break it into smaller, more manageable targets, always remembering that you can’t eat an elephant in one large bite! Fundraising can be both easy and fun.

We will send you out a fundraising pack and our fundraising team are on hand to help and support you all the way. Raising the target is a lot easier than it seems, embrace it for all it’s worth.

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How fit do I need to be?

People of all fitness levels can take part in this event but we recommend that you train as much as you can so that you enjoy the challenge. We will be organising a monthly training day so that you can meet the group and improve your fitness levels.

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Do I need to bring specialised equipment?

The most important thing you will need is a comfortable worn in pair of walking boots!

We will provide you will a full kit list when you register as well as a 15% discount loyalty card from Great Outdoors.

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What is covered by the minimum sponsorship?

• International return flights • Twin accommodation in hotels/lodges/campsites • English speaking local guides • Airport transfers upon arrival and local transfers • Irish Expedition Leader • Irish Doctor • Full board throughout the event

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What is not included in the minimum sponsorship?

• Personal expenses (including extra facilities used in hotels, drinks and so on) • Gratuities for the trek guides • Personal travel insurance and vaccinations • Personal kit • Visa

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Can I stay on?

Yes, we will put you in touch with our tour operator, Earths Edge. To extend the length of your stay you must get in touch with them as soon as possible. Please note that places may be limited so extensions are done on a first come, first served basis. There will be a surcharge for the flight as you will no longer come under the group booking.

You may be an experienced fundraiser, or this might be your first time but don’t worry as we’ll give you as much help and support as possible. Our top tips below will certainly get you off to a good start and remember we are always at the end of the phone if you have any queries or problems - just call!

AIM HIGH – Set a minimum target and aim high – you will be surprised how generous people can be!

ENLIST HELP – Ask friends and family to help you set up a fundraising committee to talk through ideas and contacts that they might have. You could also hand out your sponsorship forms and ask if they will help you get sponsorship.

USE ONLINE FUNDRAISING PAGES – We can provide you with your own page on our challenge website which is a secure online fundraising service that makes fundraising quick and easy. We can create your page, you can personalise it and then you can forward your fundraising page link to everyone you know around the world and sit back and watch the money roll in.

GET YOUR COMPANY TO SUPPORT YOU – Ask your company for support – they may run a matched giving scheme and be prepared to match the money you raise. This is a fantastic way to double your fundraising total!

BE INFORMATIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC – Be prepared to be proactive and tell your potential sponsors what their money will go towards – your enthusiasm is likely to encourage generosity. There is information about Concern enclosed but please contact us if you would like any more.

T STAR !

NOW Want to get in touch?

Concern Worldwide 52 – 55 Lower Camden Street Dublin 2 Tel: 01 417 8028 Charity number: CHY 5745

13 – 14 Calico House

47 Frederick Street

40 St Enoch Square

Clove Hitch Quay

Belfast

Glasgow

London, SW11 3TN

BT1 2LW

G1 4DH

Tel: 0800 032 4000

Tel: 028 9033 1100

Tel: 0141 221 3610

Charity number: 1092236

Charity number: 1092236

Charity number: SC038107

Web address: www.concernchallenge.org Email: info.challenge@concern.net Facebook: www.facebook.com/concernchallenge Twitter: www.twitter.com/concernchalenge