UNICEF’s first ever overseas fundraising trek proves to be a great success

This May, a hardy team of UNICEF UK supporters completed our first ever overseas fundraising trek to raise money for projects in Peru. A must-visit destination for many people, Peru promised stunning scenery, challenging ascents and the opportunity to visit the iconic Machu Picchu. Trekker Rory Traynor says it was a large picture of the latter on an email from UNICEF which prompted him to find out more about the trek.

Equally important, however, was the fact that UNICEF is carrying out vital work in Peru, such as improving access to healthcare for children and expectant mothers, which trekkers were able to fund by taking part. One of the highlights of UNICEF treks is that at the end of the expedition, supporters are able to visit the projects like the ones for which they have raised money. As UNICEF’s fundraising officer Helen Aikman says, this isn’t something that every charity offers. 

Beards, car boot sales and boat parties

Having paid a fee of £275 to secure their place, the first challenge the trekkers faced was raising the £3,225 minimum sponsorship target. Whilst this figure may seem daunting, Helen and her colleagues at UNICEF were on hand throughout to offer support and advice to participants. Those who had signed up found that friends, family, colleagues and local businesses were only too happy to help out, not just by donating money but also by giving up their time, donating prizes for raffles, lending venues and sharing their own unique skills.

Kirsty Houston decided to complete the trek in memory of her sister and former UNICEF employee Lindsey, one of the original organisers of the trek who sadly died in 2006. Kirsty tells how her whole family got behind her fundraising efforts: “My dad shaved his beard off for the first time in forty years and my mum did lots of cake baking and chutney making and wrote a recipe book which we sold”.

Rory works at a South London company which hosts boat parties on the Thames and was allowed the use of a boat for a water-borne fundraising event. He also organised an evening at the local Scout group where he volunteers. Fellow trekker Kate Lambert held a car boot sale one rainy Sunday in April with items donated by family and friends.

Aside from raising the money, trekkers had to ensure that they were physically up to the challenge. You don’t have to be superhuman to complete the route but you do need to be able to walk around 10 to 15 miles each day. A training weekend in Wales was an opportunity to get some practice in and meet fellow trekkers. However, it is the altitude – the highest point on the trek is 4,445 metres – which is the biggest test on an expedition such as this. With a couple of easier days at the beginning to acclimatise, everyone was able to complete the trek, despite the odd nosebleed.

Kate Lambert (wearing hat) and Kirsty Houston celebrate reaching the highest point of the trek.

© Kate Lambert/2008

Across the Divide

The logistical side of the trek was organised by Across the Divide, who were chosen for their experience in the field, along with their attention to health and safety and the welfare of those taking part. The route they planned took trekkers away from the main, tourist-packed, Inca trail through a relatively unknown valley where the only other people they met were the locals. Across the Divide has rediscovered neglected ruins; helped build toilets and community structures in villages along the way; and employs local agents and horsemen so that there are additional benefits to local communities.

The tents and the group’s packs were carried by porters during the day and the campsite was set up by the time the trekkers reached it each evening. When asked what kept her going on the tougher days, Kate said that the camp sites just seemed to get better and better: “It was always a great feeling turning that last corner and seeing the yellow of the tents – plus I had a little stash of Minstrels in my main pack to look forward to the end of each day.”

Highs, and very few lows

The group’s camaraderie was another motivating factor, as was the fact that Across the Divide and UNICEF gave away as little information as possible beyond the basic itinerary, so there were plenty of pleasant surprises along the way. Day five was the longest and hardest day of the challenge. The group started at six and it was a steep ascent all the way to the highest point of the trek. “Then all of a sudden there’s a snow peak in front of you and you realise how high you are. It was just breathtaking, really good,” says Kirsty.

Another breathtaking moment, according to Rory, was walking through the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu. “You knew you were going to see it but they hadn’t spoilt it by telling you what it was going to look like – or how it would make you feel,” he says. Meeting local children, catching sight of condors flying over the mountains, seeing the stars shine over the campsite at night and trying guinea pig (“more like rabbit or lamb”) were other memorable experiences. And the lows? “Just two showers in ten days wasn’t so nice,” says Kirsty. “But it’s all part of the experience.”

A mother and child from the Hanaq Chuquibamba community outside a child growth monitoring centre visited by the trekkers. The centre, called Buen Inicio ('good start in life'), is supported by UNICEF UK.

© UNICEF UK/2008/Helen Aikman

Impressions of UNICEF projects

At the end of the trek, participants were able to see the positive impact of UNICEF’s work for themselves. Despite having the fastest-growing economy in the region, 2.1 million Peruvian children still live in extreme poverty. At the UNICEF projects the trekkers visited, the focus was on empowerment rather than forcing a Western development model on local people.

Rory said that he imagined there would be lots of UNICEF people in blue t-shirts at the community child growth centre they visited, but was pleasantly surprised by the lack of branding. Having offered the initial support, UNICEF was standing back and allowing the local community to identify problems and solutions themselves. “The kids were so happy and it was a really nice, clean environment. They had everything they wanted and were just going onwards and upwards,” he says.

On their return to the UK, participants were able to share pictures, send newsletters or simply tell those who had sponsored them about the life-changing projects UNICEF runs in Peru. Projects made possible by the money they had given.

The author

Mary Whittaker is Web Editor at UNICEF UK

Find out more

• View a photo gallery of the trek 

Feeling inspired?

If you’re feeling inspired after reading about this year’s Peru trek, why not register for next year’s trek for the children of Nepal? Find out more and register.