Saturday, December 21, 2013

MOUNT KILIMANJARO PORTERS SOCIETY 2013 ANNUAL REPORT.


Mount Kilimanjaro porters society is a non – government organization aims at supporting porters who climb Mount Kilimanjaro and Meru due to the fact that most of the porters are low income earners and have low or no education at all, The organization was established in 2004 with the purpose of improving porter’s welfare.

MISSION
· To improve living and working condition for porters who climbs MT. Kilimanjaro and Meru.
· To establish various projects which will help to improve living and working condition for porters.
·         To raise porters awareness especially by educating them through training, Seminars and workshops.

  MKPS Sponsor discussing something with member.
OBJECTIVES.
  • To improve working conditions to members and provide working equipment such as tents, Jackets, rain trousers, socks, gloves. etc
  • To facilitate Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Tourism Development.
  • To support their living conditions and their families as well as their surrounding communities.




CURRENT PROJECTS LOOKING FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT
  • CAR WASH PROJECT; the aim of the project is to ensure members get something to do all the year round, having the fact that Tourism is seasonal job, which with low season the project will help support their life, instead of suffering the economic hardships, while waiting for the new season.
  • PLANTING TREES PROJECT; the project is carried on MKPS plot near Spring land hotel, where by clients have opportunity to visit the plot and plant some trees and by so doing they contribute and donate some materials including money to help support the project and ensure Environmental sustainability.
MKPS HAS DONE THE FOLLOWING TO SUPPORT ITS MEMBERS AND SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT.
·Workshop and free Training during the low season, such as health training e.g. MALARIA, HIV/AIDS, and other Diseases, financial management and Investment skills, mountain sickness training skills, environmental conservation education and English Course. 
· Assist opening a Bank accounts for almost 90% of our members so as to ensure that all porters have their own bank account and card, which will help them handle their money Safe and better, It is through this account we use to pay their salaries and other financial supports when they got problems like sickness, sympathy, etc. This helps some of the porters pursue their own businesses, afford build their own houses, pay their bills and taking care of their families and affords basic needs such as food, shelter, clothes, education needs, since with the accounts they also had the opportunity for Micro-credits from the company and other financial institutions. 
·Our environmental Concern and Conservation initiatives made us, start several tree planting projects around Moshi and Karatu (The High view Hotel) in order to raise awareness on environmental problems and this give employment opportunities to porters during the low season and help support their life.
·  We have established tipping sheets in ensuring that porters get their tips fairly as provided by clients, which this sheet should be signed by clients when pay tip, also be signed by porters when receive their tips and monitored by the office, this help to bring transparency and fairness in tipping issues.
·MKPS through their sponsors Zara Tanzania adventures and colleague have work to ensure that porters are paid well, and with this Zara and colleague has increased their salary to be much higher than what has been proposed by KINAPA and TANAPA.
· Each MKPS member has been given one bicycle donated by our sponsor Zainab. A. Ansell and Roger Ansell ZARA Tours directors.
·We have made identity cards for members, to help monitor and assist them for jobs and other requirements, Example we provide Member with hiking equipment such as sleeping bags, tents, rain coats, rain trouser, jackets socks, gloves shoes and the ID help a lot with this.
· To ensure that porters carry loads respond to set standards of 20kg per person, we have Established a measuring unit before take them to KINAPA gate for climb.


Friday, December 20, 2013


Mount Kilimanjaro porters society is a non– government organization aims at supporting porters who climb Mount Kilimanjaro and Meru due to the fact that most of the porters are low income earners and they have low or no education at all, so the organization aims at improving living and working conditions of porters.
The organization was established in 2004 with the purpose of improving porter’s welfare.

MISSION
· To improve living and working condition for porters who climbs MT. Kilimanjaro and Meru.
· To establish various projects which will help to improve living and working condition for porters
·         To raise porters awareness especially by educating them through training, Seminars and workshops.



OBJECTIVES
  • To improve working conditions to members and provide working equipment such as tents, Jackets, rain trousers, socks, gloves. etc
  • To facilitate Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Tourism Development.
  • To support their living conditions and their families as well as their surrounding communities.

CURRENT PROJECTS IN NEED OF FUND
  •  CAR WASH PROJECT; the aim of the project is to ensure members get something to do all the year round, having the fact that Tourism is seasonal job, which with low season the project will help support their life, instead of suffering the economic hardships, while waiting for the new season.
  • PLANTING TREES PROJECT; the project is carried on MKPS plot near Spring land hotel, where by clients have opportunity to visit the plot and plant some trees and by so doing they contribute and donate some materials including money to help support the project and ensure Environmental sustainability.









MKPS HAS DONE THE FOLLOWING TO SUPPORT ITS MEMBERS AND SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT.
· Workshop and free Training during the low season, such as health training e.g. MALARIA, HIV/AIDS, and other Diseases, financial management and Investment skills, mountain sickness training skills, environmental conservation education and English Course. 
· Assist opening a Bank accounts for almost 90% of our members so as to ensure that all porters have their own bank account and card, which will help them handle their money Safe and better, It is through this account we use to pay their salaries, financial supports when they got problems like sickness, sympathy, etc This helps some of the porters pursue their own businesses, afford build their own houses, pay their bills and taking care of their families and affords basic needs such as food, shelter, clothes, education needs, since with the accounts they also had the opportunity for Micro-credits from the company and other financial institutions. 
·  Our environmental Concern and Conservation initiatives made us, start several tree planting projects around Moshi and Karatu (The High view Hotel) in order to raise awareness on environmental problems and this give employment opportunities to porters during the low season and help support their life.
·         We have established tipping sheets in ensuring that porters get their tips fairly as provided by clients, with this sheet should be signed by clients when pay tip, also be signed by porters when receive their tips and monitored by the office, this help to bring transparency and fairness in tipping issues.
· MKPS through their sponsors Zara Tanzania adventures and colleague have work to ensure that porters are paid well. and with this Zara and colleague has increased their salary to be much higher than what has been proposed by KINAPA and TANAPA.
· Each MKPS member has been given one bicycle donated by our sponsor Zainab. A. Ansell and Roger Ansell ZARA Tours directors.
· We have made identity cards for members, to help monitoring and assist them for jobs and other requirements, Example we provide Member with hiking equipment such as sleeping bags, tents, rain coats, rain trouser, jackets socks, gloves shoes and the ID help a lot with this.
· To ensure that porters carry loads respond to set standards of 20kg per person, we have Established a measuring unit before take them to the KINAPA gate for climb.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Story of her life.,.

She is a porter at The Zara tours company..My name is Angel Tegemea Mafuwe, I was born at machame uduru in 21/12/1992, we are five children in our family I have two sisters and two brothers. I completed  my primary education at uduru primary school at machame in 2006,I was selected to join secondary education in 2007 at machame uduru secondary school complete my secondary education in 2010, I was not able to proceed with advance education because of low pass mark I got division iv 32,  My mother passed away in 2007 and no one was there to support me in my education and my father has no job so I didn’t go back to school. When my mother passed away we were left with our father and he doesn’t have a permanent job, he deals with small business to support   our family, in our family I’m the only child who was able to reach secondary school, my brother my sister and my twin sister they also deals with small business.  Due to the low living standard of our family I decide to find a job at green beans company which is located at mkufi area opposite machine tools in 2011,I did the job for two month, later on I quite the job because the salary was not enough to satisfy me and my family needs.  When I was home after quitting the job I was thinking of which job should I do to earn money in order to satisfy my needs and my family needs? I heard from my friends that there is a   porter job that is offered by some tours companies, I applied for the job in 2011 and I was able to work with some tour companies in Moshi but failed to continue working with them because of low salary which didn’t satisfy my needs.  I decided to look for another job at ZARA tours in 14/1/2011, and I was hired,  My guide was Yohana he cooperated with me, and my first route with him was mount meru, and I proceed well  doing other job with him.  I am thankful to ZARA tours director ZAINAB .A. ANSELL for supporting me  especially by giving  me  job which helps me to  be able to stand as a woman and I’m able to assist my family and to fulfill  my personal needs and my family needs  such as food, shelter, hospital bills e.t.c. WITH THANKS, YOURS SINCERLY, ANGEL TEGEMEA MAFUWE.



Saturday, October 26, 2013

Sponsor of MKPS

Mrs Zainab Ansell taking comments from the porters and understanding their daily issues.

Kilimanjaro porters Happy Moments

our porters on their last day at Mweka hut all happy after all their clients made it to Uhuru peak!

The MKPS

The MKPS is now offering free English classes to all porters. There are two sessions every day to meet the needs of people of different ages, skills, experience, and education level. All who successfully complete the class get a certificate. Further MKPS is sponsoring porter's medical bills and further education.  Intensive training courses are offered during the rainy seasons of each year, including classes on mountain safety and basic first aid. In 2009, we have started to offer advanced classes in first aid and sustainable development.

ABOUT US

The Kilimanjaro Porters Society was created in 2004 by Zara Tours to improve the working conditions of all porters on Mount Kilimanjaro and other hiking areas in Tanzania.