10 C First Phase! How are they all doing?

Here is a very quick update on the progress of the projects for you all. I am promising you lots more photographs and I am giving you an itinerary of when we will be visiting each group so that you can look out for big features and photographs for each group.


Charlie 1

Wow we are really impressed with Charlie One here at field base. They are storming away with their project. I understand that there has been some fairly intensive digging action and the pit for the pooh has already has been dug. This was by no means a small feat and the pit is an impressive 12 foot deep. A bio gas expert visited them yesterday to ensure that the pit was the correct shape and to streamline the project. On top of this amazing progress the group have already built a cow shed and I understand that the roof is going on today.

The group are taking a well earned rest tomorrow and they are visiting Muttimoola which is the location of a previous Raleigh expedition where previous Raleigh venturers built schools and toilets. I know that there are a lot of Raleigh veterans that follow the blog so I will be able to let you know how all the hard work that you have invested in the village has impacted on their local life.

We are due to visit Charlie One next Tuesday and will return to field base with photographs and stories for you by next Thursday. Watch this blog!

Charlie 3

I have given you the low down on Charlie 3 recently. So only a few words to let you know that they are continuing to make good progress and high spirits are being maintained at Charlie 3. They have begun their second trench and a trip to the local village of Saguur is planned for today’s activity.

Echo 4

The first stages of this project are to protect the village and lands from elephant encroachment and then to support the communities in self help initiatives to develop and sustain livelihood activities so that the long term impact of humans on the forests can be reduced. This project aims to install solar powered electric fencing to cover the main entry points of elephants into the village and agricultural land. Echo 4 had to trek into the village as it is so remote. I understand that the camp is built and the bashas are up. They have been clearing the land and the route for the panelling has been mapped out. I am visiting Echo 4 over the weekend so I can spill the beans on their adventures in detail and with photographs after this weekend.

Echo 5

Echo 5 have seen Elephants! Enough said! They are very much living the dream out there and their voices practically sing every time we speak to them over the radio. I am heading there today so I will come back armed with lots of stories and photographs. I cannot promise an elephant photograph but I will definitely be trying my hardest. So after this weekend I promise to deliver hilarious stories and pictures of progress on Echo 5. Watch this blog!

Tango 6

The group are 5 days into their 19-day adventure phase in Kerala. So how far have they covered? The route began in Kerala, in Silent Valley in the Erivikulam National Park and they have completed the first stage of arduous trekking at altitudes of up to 2,600m. They have climbed into the Western Ghats, summiting India’s second highest peak outside the Himalayas. This has been followed by trekking through beautiful tea plantations. Our photographer Claire joined them for this amazing journey; she is due back shortly with lots of photographs which I can share and I also have been in regular contact with the group who have been providing me with numerous hilarious anecdotes. So this update is very much a sneak preview with lots more to come on Tango 6. Watch this blog!

Tango 7

The planned route takes the group on a 200km journey through some of the most spectacular jungle scenery in India. It follows the Western Ghats mountain range westwards for 12 days between the border of Kerala and Karnataka States and then heads north to the highest mountain in the region of Coorg. The Pushpagiri peak at 1713m, is submitted on the penultimate day before dropping down to Subramanian and then the trek will be finished on the beach. So how far have they come on the route? I understand that today the group is having a well earned rest day today. The group is in high spirits but they have been working hard. Mountain ropes have been out and the trek is tough. I am due to join the trekking group for the last week and spend the last week with them so you will have to wait for the photographs but I can promise more stories of this group along the way and a big feature on the blog for this group at the end of phase one. They will have earned it.