Southern Pakistan tour, small group

Planet

In Pakistan we pride ourselves on working directly with as many local hotels, drivers, guides and cooks as possible, thereby putting money directly into the local community; to put this into perspective, a jeep driver, like Muktar Alam, that earns 30,000 rupees for one trip can with these wages educate two sons for a year and feed his family for 4 months. We also employ jeep drivers on a revolving basis and different ones in each area to ensure that the money we bring in is distributed evenly. With the small local guesthouses and home stays we use – like Saifullah’s in the Kalash Valleys – the money goes and stays in these pagan valleys rather than being siphoned out to rich, down-country hoteliers.

We are proud to support the Adopt-A-Minefield project, an NGO that saves and improves lives by raising funds to clear landmines and help landmine survivors. With more than 830 square kilometres of land left to clear in neighbouring Afghanistan, we feel that this organisation makes a huge difference to the quality of life for people in this area.

People

In 2005 Pakistan was hit by a devastating earthquake that shattered the lives and homes of thousands of people. We contribute to the Pakistan Earthquake Fund that helped not only with distributing aid at the time, but also with helping people rebuild their lives after the event.

Prince Maqsood ul-Mulk, a member of the former ruling family of the princely state of Chitral in northern Pakistan, came to the our foundation asking if we could help fund an educational trust to assist under privileged children of the Ayun Valley – including the people of the Kalash – continue into higher education. The foundation set up a scholarship programme to offer talented students, of either sex or any ethnic and religious background, the opportunity to go on to attend college in Chitral Town. For many in this remote region it is the only chance they have to gain further education. Since the programme was established in 2012, five students a year have been awarded a scholarship, the majority of whom have gone on to study for degrees at both the colleges for girls and boys in Chitral.