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“WHEN THE MAN (sic) WHO FEEDS THE WORLD BY TOILING IN THE FIELDS IS HIMSELF DEPRIVED OF THE BASIC RIGHTS OF FEEDING, SHELTERING AND CARING FOR HIS OWN FAMILIES, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY OF MAN IS SICK”
 

Community Action Treks Ltd was born out of concern of the above statement. Doug Scott was the first British climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest and is one of the world’s best known and most successful Himalayan mountaineers. He could not have achieved this success without the help, support and expertise of the Nepalese porters and the high altitude Sherpa guides. He wanted to give something back to the Nepalese people that would involve developing self-determination and improve the quality of life for these mountain village communities.

 As a result the Community Development projects we support via our charity ‘Community Action Nepal’ are mainly in Health and Education. We have to be sure to strike a fine balance between preserving the positive aspects of these ancient cultures at the same time as encouraging development but at a pace and direction that would not adversely affect the stability and harmony of fragile village life. Once a project is completed to mutually agreed standards it is then handed over to the village communities to create a sense of ownership and commitment to ensure its continuation and success.
 

Equally important to us is the conditions and wages of the Sherpas and porters. We are involved actively in the International Porter Protection Group and guarantee that we implement their recommendations to ensure our staff enjoy decent, adequate wages and first class conditions. We also go a stage further to secure loyalty of our staff, as we believe this enhances and achieves a quality service to our climbing and trekking customers. We operate a service that is cost effective and has a sound ethical and operational base by:

1. Ensuring our Nepalese staff are paid an agreed and decent living wage.

2. Providing our guides, porters and field staff with adequate and appropriate clothing and footwear for the terrain and climatic conditions.

3. Insuring all our Nepalese staff against illness and injury.

4. Training all staff in regular health and hygiene practices.

5. Ensuring that all loads carried by porters is less than the recommendations laid down by the International Porter Protection Group.

6. Implementing good Environmental practices that have no negative impact and
   effect on the surrounding landscape and village life.

7. Providing regular employment opportunities for local people.

8. Community Action Treks Ltd will use Nepalese goods and services as much as possible, in particular by using local hotels, locally produced food and local resources and equipment.

9. Setting up and running an emergency welfare fund for staff and their immediate families.

Our company is technically a trading arm of our charity ‘Community Action Nepal’ where all profits are directed to the charity to help sustain health, education and community strengthening projects in the impoverished middle hill region of the Himalayas.

This means that all trekkers, climbers and other groups who decide to come with our company will know that what they leave behind is as important as what they take home. That’s why when we show you some of the most awe inspiring scenery and places in the world, the local people also get something life-changing as well; schools, health posts, clean water systems, and other community strengthening initiatives.

We have years of experience so why not let us organise a School Group or Duke of Edinburgh Award Challenge for you. These can be arranged to your own specific requirements. From our Feedback Questionnaires these treks have been a life changing experience, meeting some of the materially poorest people on earth yet they received so much in the way of natural warmth, care, spontaneity and good humour.

Get in touch with us on:

Telephone: 01228 564488
Web: www.catreks.com
E-mail: info@catreks.com

www.catreks.com