Uganda tri-adventure challenge by Concern Worldwide

Tri-Adventure Challenge

UGANDA 9 - 19 NOVEMBER 2012 Photo: Evan Buechley

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 Uganda. Since starting in Uganda in 1980, Concern Worldwide has completed several projects to improve health, increase access to clean and safe water and sanitation, enhance food security and increase economic opportunities as well as meet emergency needs of communities during and after disasters. Concern Worldwide envisages a Uganda where absolute poverty is eliminated and social equity exists. Our mission is to improve the living standards of people who cannot meet their basic needs by strengthening capacity to meet those needs and responding to emergency situations.

HOW CONCERN’S MONEY IS SPENT:

Relief and development

89.9%

Fundraising

7.6%

Development education and advocacy Governance

2% 0.5%

HELLO MZUNGU! Winston Churchill called Uganda the ‘Pearl of Africa’ when he visited in 1907 and it's easy to see why. This African country boasts the highest mountain range in Africa, the source of the mighty Nile and the highest concentration of primates on earth. And it remains untouched by mass tourism, especially when compared with neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania. Tourists and adventurers can visit safely and are welcomed with open arms, a smile and a warm-hearted "Hello Mzungu!". Don’t miss out on your chance to visit this stunning country on this unique adventure challenge.

WHAT IS YOUR

CHALLENGE? • • • •

220km of rough and ready cycling 14,178 feet of calf-crunching climbing to reach the summit of Mt Elgon 20km of shoulder-taxing kayaking on the White Nile And a whole lot more!

In a nutshell, the Uganda Tri-Adventure expedition could be the adventure of your lifetime. Sure, it will be tough as you push yourself to cover almost 300km over seven days but the rewards will match the challenge of scaling Uganda’s second highest peak, pedalling through the stunning Ugandan countryside and paddling the waters of the mighty Nile. And you’ll be encouraged along the way by local people who are always willing to share a smile or lend a helping hand This challenge is the stuff that lifetime memories are made of.

Itinerary * n Day 1: Depart Dublin Depart Dublin in the mid morning on an overnight flight to Entebbe, Uganda. n Day 2: Budadiri - 1250m Arrive in Entebbe in the early morning and transfer to nearby lodge for a sleep. After breakfast we drive through Kampala, Uganda’s capital and then on to Jinja for lunch. After lunch we continue further east to reach Budadiri in the foothills of Mt Elgon. n Day 3: Mude camp – 3500m – 10hrs Trekking After a hearty breakfast we take the short drive up to Bumasola (1770m) and start trekking along old smugglers’ trails. These take us through some beautiful farmland to reach the boundary of the national park. There are buffalo and elephant in the park so if you’re very lucky you might just spy some. From there we ascend the Mudange cliffs stopping to take in the views at the top before walking for another three hours to reach Sasa river camp for lunch. From Sasa it’s a further four hours trek through beautiful forest to reach Mude camp where you sleep under canvas. n Day 4: Mude camp – 4321m – 8hrs Trekking It’s summit day! Expect a chilly but stunning morning as we make an early start to reach the top of Mt Elgon, also known as Wagagai (4321m). Our route traverses jungle and then open moorland as we travel across the collapsed cone of the extinct volcano. We’ll rest at Jackson pool, a small lake, before hiking for a further three hours to reach the top of Uganda’s second highest mountain. Lunch on the summit is an opportunity to soak up views of both Uganda and Kenya before descending for three hours to reach Mude camp for another night under the African stars. n Day 5: Budadiri – 6hrs Trekking & 1hr Biking It may be all downhill terrain today but we expect your spirits to soar as you enjoy the speed and adrenalin of descending 500m in 7km on your bike to reach the lodge in Budadiri. That’s of course after six hours of hiking back through Sasa camp and on to Bumasola where your two wheels will be ready for you. A hot shower and a bed at the end of the day will be just the ticket after the previous two night’s camping. n Day 6: Dube Rock – 5hrs biking (55km) This is your most challenging day on the bike with 55km of pushing up hills only to be rewarded with fast downhill sections. After cycling around Mbale we leave the mountains behind to reach the traditional flood

plains of the Nile. But there’s more to the day than pedalling. You also have lunch at Namayonyi vocational school where you can chat to the students and see their work before continuing to Dube Rock primary school to set up camp. n Day 7: Nabweyo – 8hrs Biking (82km) Today’s route is much flatter so you’ll be able to relax and soak up the fantastic scenery. We pass a number of villages and markets today and get a great insight into rural Uganda too. The land in this area is some of the best in the world and there is an abundance of avocado, mango, banana, passion fruit, jack fruit and much more. We stop on a quiet side road for lunch and then continue to Nabweyo primary school. n Day 8: Nile – 8hrs Biking (83km) Today you can imagine that you are following in the footsteps of the great British explorers like Livingstone, Speke and Burton as they sought to find the elusive source of the Nile. You’ll reach the river just 40km from its source, Lake Victoria, one of the most significant regions of Africa’s colonial history. You’ll get to see talented kayakers negotiating the huge rapids and we’ll take a private boat to a remote camp on one of the many river islands where you can enjoy a well-earned hot shower after three tough days on the bikes. n Day 9: Nile kayaking – 6hrs Kayaking Some sections of the mighty River Nile were only first navigated by kayakers in this century and as you take to the water in your tandem kayak, no doubt you’ll be creating your own little bit of personal history. Keep your eyes peeled on the enormous Nile perch and fish eagles diving for prey. Sadly this is the last leg of our challenge but with such epic scenery and wildlife it will be highly memorable. After six hours on the river we return to the river camp in the evening, no doubt in time for one last stunning African sunset. n Day 10: Concern office visit After a relaxed breakfast we drive to the Concern Worldwide office in Munyonyo on the edge of Lake Victoria. Here we meet the staff and learn about Concern’s fantastic projects in Uganda. From there we drive to Entebbe for a celebratory meal and then transfer to the airport in the evening for our flight home. n Day 11: Flight home Arrive back in Dublin mid morning. Time to say farewell to your new friends, but not for long; we will be able to look back at this amazing challenge at the reunion!

*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.

In 2011, Concern’s work with Uganda Land Alliance in Pader helped nearly 7,500 people to address issues around land, taking on over 250 land dispute cases.

HOPE FOR WOMEN IN

UGANDA HOW A WIDOW WON BACK HER LAND

Agnes Alango is 60 years old. She is a widow taking care of three grandchildren in Agora Village, Pader, Northern Uganda. Her husband and children were killed during the war with the Lord’s Resistance Army which ravaged Northern Uganda for over 20 years. During the war, Agnes was forced to flee her home and live in camp for displaced people. In 2010, after the fighting stopped, she returned home to the land which had been owned by her late husband. It was supposed to be the start of a new life, growing crops and providing for her grandchildren after years in the camp. But shortly after her return, her brother in-law attempted to chase her from the land. One Saturday things changed for Agnes. She was working at home and listening to a local radio station when she heard a discussion on land succession and inheritance. It left her with a burning question: “how can a widow gain the right of ownership of her late husband’s land?”. This spurred her to attend a community meeting, which had been organized by Concern and their partner,

the Uganda Land Alliance (ULA), to raise awareness on land ownership in Agnes’s village. She learned that she had two options: either to call upon the elders of her village to settle the case, or take a legal action through the Local Council courts. With the aid of paralegals trained by Concern and ULA she chose to call the meeting of elders. In the meeting, facilitated by ULA, her brother-in-law accepted to leave the land and never attempt to take the land again. Indeed since then, he has never disturbed her. In 2011, Concern’s work with the ULA in Pader helped nearly 7,500 people to address issues around land, taking on over 250 land dispute cases. With a particular focus on women’s rights, the programme conducts drama performances, provides training to women community leaders and paralegals, and organizes radio talk shows and community meetings to raise awareness on land issues. This work ensures that people understand their rights better and, like Agnes, are able to take practical action to claim their land.

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. 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. 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. All trekkers, cyclists and paddlers 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, cycling and rafting in remote locations, b) helicopter evacuation in an emergency situation, and c) repatriation to your country of residence. IntoIndia can arrange insurance for this trip, if you want to arrange insurance travel through Into India please contact them directly. If you decide to purchase your own travel insurance then 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 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.

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. These are cancellation charges are shown below: 55-42 days before departure – €719 41-28 days before departure – €1439.40 27-14 days before departure – €2159.10 Less than 14 days before departure – €2399 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? 9 – 19 November 2012 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.

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 €5000/£4400 5 weeks before our departure date. You can choose to fundraise, pay yourself or do a bit of both!

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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 Clove Hitch Quay London, SW11 3TN Tel: 0800 032 4000 Charity number: 1092236 (in Scotland no. SC038107)

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

47 Frederick Street Belfast BT1 2LW Tel: 028 9033 1100 Charity number: 1092236