Q&A
Valerie Parkinson: A View from the Mountains The Himalayan region is a place close to our hearts; it’s where Exodus Travels’ journey began. Our long-standing networks there and in-depth knowledge of the region means that we can support isolated mountain communities that large aid organisations often can’t reach. This work is expertly led by Valerie Parkinson, long-standing Exodus Himalayan Tour Leader, who has been travelling amongst these communities for well over 30 years. VALERIE, WHAT DIFFICULTIES HAVE HIMALAYAN COMMUNITIES FACED SINCE COVID HIT? Many Himalayan communities survive on money earnt from working in the tourism industry. Many of our local partners and staff (local agents, leaders, guides, assistants, drivers, cooks, pony men, porters etc.) are freelance workers and come from small villages. As well as this on many of our treks we camp or stay in small locally run lodges and guest houses. Money earnt from tourism has allowed many of them to educate their children, pay for any extras or essential services such as medical help, run small businesses, and help their own communities. Since the pandemic hit, income from tourism has disappeared. There has been no government help in the Himalayan communities for those on daily wages, the most vulnerable and those with small family businesses. GIVEN THESE CHALLENGES, WHAT INITIATIVES HAVE YOU BEEN MOST PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS YEAR? There have been huge challenges all over the world in this difficult time, but I am pleased to say we have been able to help in several ways in different parts of the Himalaya. The Himalayan Community Projects have always been small grass roots projects where - through our close contacts with people on the ground - we have been able to provide help where needed. During the pandemic I have kept in close contact with our partners in the Himalaya and have been able to find out how we can help.
12
A VIEW FROM THE MOUNTAINS
One such project has been Karma’s Food Packages initiative. As there has been no trekking in Nepal since January 2020, our local agent, Karma Lama, began baking bread to sell in Kathmandu. Any left at the end of the day he gave to homeless people who were begging for food or the rubbish collectors who were out collecting rubbish even in lockdown. With the support of the kind donations of our customers, Karma and three of our local leaders – Bikash, Sukman and Kumar - have distributed 2,500 food parcels to the needy in Kathmandu. Another project we’ve been able to launch in 2020 is our Fruit Tree Project in Ladakh. We have funded the planting of 4,250 fruit trees to provide alternative sources of income for local communities.
