Raleigh India Expedition 12J

Our Project Managers have returned to Fieldbase, dirty but full of tales and excitement from their site visits. I’ve caught up with the teams to hear about their projects and find out what they’re looking forward to most.

Community Phase

Charlie One

Location: Uluvadu, Tamil Nadu

Charlie One will be building five houses for a tribal village set in the heart of the Nilgiri Mountains in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. Working with CTRD (a local NGO), local masons and our team of Raleigh Venturers. They will be sleeping in tents amongst the community who will also feeding the hungry Charlie 1 workers. This is the first CTRD project in this village, part of their Integrated Tribal Development Program which plans to provide, housing, sanitation, education facilities and biogas power over the next five years.

What are you looking forward to most about your project?

Liam: “The villagers genuinely want these houses and genuinely appreciate the help. I’m really looking forward to handing over the keys to the families once the house is finished and seeing their reaction.”

Eira: “Giving a dry home to a family who will have proper keys to a front door for the first time. At the moment they live in huts but these new houses will have separate kitchens and bathrooms.”

Caroline: “The effects on my skin from having a three week mud pack! On a serious note, I’m really excited about working with the community who have been so positive and welcoming and seem to really want us to help. We will be really improving standards.”

Environmental Phases

Echo Three

Location: Basava Pura, Karnataka

Echo Three will be repairing and digging new elephant proof trenches and putting up a solar power electric fence. Working alongside Echo three, the local community, who have also invested financially in the project, will be helping them. Setting up their camp in a field, Echo Three will sleep out under the stars in Bashas.

What are you looking forward to most about your project?

Hannah L: “Being completely self sufficient – sleeping out and making our own food.”

Charlotte: “Working with the local community, getting involved and learning about their culture.”

Christina: “Making a difference to the livelihood of the local community. I’m also looking forward to working as part of a team and looking after each other.”


Echo Four

Location: Huskurahardi, Karnataka

Echo Four will be carrying out two projects, one will be Elephant Proof solar fencing to protect the crops of the local community and decrease levels of elephant human conflict. They will also continue the work of Raleigh 10E digging a 2 metre deep and 2 metre wide elephant proof trench in order to provide additional protection to the community of Huskurhadi.   The fencing project will be working with technicians and on the trench project the local community will be helping out. Sleeping in Bashas, Echo Four have plans to create a deluxe campsite aka ‘glampcite’ with spa like amenities!

What are you looking forward to most about your project?

Laura: “Living outdoors and seeing the big wide world above me every night.”

Hannah W: “The simple living and creating our own entertainment. I’m looking forward to becoming creative and resourceful from living in that environment.”

Sterling: “The practice of being completely self sufficient.”


Adventure Phases

Tango Five

Location: Western Ghats, Kerala

Tango Five start their trek by climbing Missapulimala Peak, the second highest in India outside the Himalayas. After this the group will experience a ‘survival day’, living off the land without the usual luxury of the equipment in their backpacks! From here their route then takes them down lakeside for rafting across a reservoir. The group then ascend up over ridges and through tea plantations, including the highest tea estate in the world.

What are you looking forward to most about your project?

Lynne: “The whole adventure – everything!”

Bethan: “Seeing that we’ve got what it takes to survive without modern luxuries.”

Josse: “The survival night!”

Tango Six

Location: Wayanad National Park, Kerala

Tango Six will be embarking on a brand new trek that no other group has done before. They will be trekking, mountain biking and rafting over 19 days covering 200km.  The route will take them across grasslands, into the jungle, through tea plantations and up mountains. The group will be embracing nature, sleeping in tents each night and should also be able to spy amazing wildlife including Elephants and Bison.

What are you looking forward to most about your project?

Olly: “Getting to know the Venturers, on treks you spend most of the day just talking to people.It will also be amazing to see them overcoming their personal challenges and conquering their preconceptions about what they’re able to physically achieve.”

Rachel: “Being part of a team, trekking in an area that’s never been trekked before. Oh and the porridge!”

Phil: “I’m excited that it’s a brand new trek and the variety of different activities and environments.”

All text by Polly Carpenter and photos by Polly Baldwin www.dynamicpictures.co.uk (unless stated otherwise).