Responsible tourism project latest news

11th January 2008

In Nepal in Autumn 2007 we purchased the first of what we hope will be many parabolic solar cookers. These cookers are one of those rare things in life that are genuinely a good thing for all concerned. Although they can never totally replace fuel burning stoves they have a wide range of benefits, the key ones being:

1) A reduction in the use of wood as a fuel which helps save the forests.

2) A reduction in the time spent (mainly by women and children) collecting the wood, thus allowing them to perform other tasks or simply have more family time to relax and play.

3) In certain areas collecting wood in forests can also be dangerous because of attacks by wild animals.

4) A reduction in the use of expensive kerosene, which saves money for local communities.

5) A reduction in time spent in smoke filled rooms that so easily causes serious respiratory health problems.

6) A reduction in carbon emissions that ultimately harm the planet we live on.

In addition these are assembled locally in the Kathmandu Valley apart from the reflectors, which have to be imported. Our first stove was tested on the roof of our Kathmandu Offices and now supplies the endless supply of tea needed by our hard working office staff as well as their hot lunches. Since then several of our Nepali leaders spent a day at the workshop learning how to erect the stoves so that we could start installing them in some of the lodges we use in the mountains. In November the first 2 cookers were taken to Lukla in the Everest region and are now in use. The next 20 cookers have been ordered and in spring 2008 we aim to have cookers in most of the lodges we use on our treks in the Everest region. From there the plan is to expand the project to the Annapurna region and beyond. At the same time we hope to be able to put cookers into some of the more remote villages so as to help the local communities that do not receive the economic benefits from the trekking industry. The first installation has been completed at the Thulopatel School on our Gaurishankar trek where we hope the villagers will swiftly see the advantages of using solar over wood and kerosene.

The cost of one cooker is approx £130. If you would like to help fund this project please visit our page: http://www.exodus.co.uk/responsible-travel/our-projects

Pete Burrell
Managing Director, Exodus

Thulopatel School Project - Nepal (Valerie Parkinson updates)

Thulopatel is the home of one of our popular sirdars, Sukman Tamang and is situated close to Jiri in the Dolaka district.

The villages in this area are populated mostly by Tamang people and the economy is based on subsistence farming. Many of our trekking staff come from villages in this area.

In 2004 through donations from our trekkers we raised enough money to put water pipes into the village. We organised for water pipe, cement and taps to be portered to the village and during the summer the villagers laid the pipe. This means that now all the people in the village have direct access to fresh water.

In summer 2007 we provided the financial support for Sukman to organise the logistics and labour for building two new classrooms for the Thulopatel Madi Secondary School. Previously there were only classes up to class 6, which meant that for classes 7 to10 the children had to travel to the district headquarters for education which meant boarding, which many families could not afford. The school currently has 530 pupils and 11 teachers. There is also a small library to which we have donated books. A parabolic solar cooker was also donated to the school so that drinks and meals during school hours can be made without having to use wood from the local forests or expensive kerosene. This has the added benefit of cooking without any carbon emissions.

For 2008 Exodus, through our Nepal Fund will sponsor the salary of one new teacher for the new classes (£65 per month) and we hope to be able to help repair some of the older classrooms some of which are in dire need of new desks and floorboards. On the last day of the Christmas Gaurishankar Trek the group had a chance to visit the village and officially open the new classrooms. The village provided a magnificent local welcome for us all and after a tour of the school the children put on a wonderful traditional dance programme.

If you would like to see this project and meet the children at the school, our Gaurishankar Trek (TNF) visits the area and spends a whole day in the village.