Introducing the Karikuy-Haugen Fund
Last spring my husband and I decided to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. For four days we traversed the beautiful if well-worn trail, stopping frequently for breaks and gnawing on coca leaves. As we rested, our guides gave us mini-history lessons and answered our questions about the trail, Machu Picchu and Peru in general. Our weary legs needed a break, our lungs ached from the high altitude.
Not that we really had all that much to complain about. Let’s face it … the hard work was really on the shoulders of our porters—literally. Sure, we had a day pack with water, snacks and a rain jacket, but the porters each carried up to 25 kilograms / 55 pounds on their backs every step of our journey. They carried our tents and sleeping bags, all the cooking gear, fuel, water and food—not to mention their own personal items.
On our last night in camp, our guides explained the plan for the final day, the day we would finally reach Machu Picchu. I was devastated to learn that our porters would be leaving on our heels, but they wouldn’t be going to Peru’s most famous ancient ruin. Instead, they would trek directly to Aguas Caliente to catch a train back to Cusco, where they would prepare to make the trek yet again.
Knowing that very few porters ever actually visit Machu Picchu hits a nerve. I’m sure this happens in many places around the world. Global travelers can probably name countless times they’ve met local people who have never experienced the things that draw travelers to a country.
Well, I’m doing something about it. Upon return from Peru, I got in contact with Julio C. Tello, the founder of Karikuy, a tour operator in Peru that works directly with local guides and communities. I met Julio on Twitter before leaving for Peru, and he was very responsive to my concerns about how most porters will never have the opportunity to see Machu Picchu. Together we created the Karikuy-Haugen Fund to address this issue.
For $150, a porter can go to Machu Picchu, spend the day at the site and travel home. So far the fund has raised enough money to send two porters to Machu Picchu. They will be leaving for their trip to Machu Picchu on November 7, where some of Karikuy’s volunteers will meet and interview them about the experience.
I know times are hard, but if you’re looking for a good cause to donate to, please consider dropping a few dollars our way to help send more porters to Machu Picchu. As porters begin to visit the site, Julio will be posting updates on Karikuy’s website. I’ll be posting periodic updates here as well.
All donations should be made on this page of the Karikuy website, but I’d be happy to answer any questions that you have about the fund.
Thank you in advance for your help and support.
Filed under: Charity / Non-profit, Peru
While disappointing, it’s not surprising the porters don’t get to experience the spot they work so hard to get their clients to. Not to discount this wonderful place at all but the whole day-long visit to Machu Picchu was far more expensive than I expected.
While the porters actually do pretty well for themselves, compared to the average per capita income of Peru that is, I feel like they have better things to do with their paychecks, like feeding their families and raising their children.
And just for perspective’s sake, I’ve lived in San Francisco for 5 years and have never gone to Alcatraz.
Thanks for the story, JoAnna. This is good to know!
That’s amazing JoAnna, I’m so inspired that you stepped up and decided to do something for these porters!
This story is so inspiring. (I’m also in awe of you hiking Machu Picchu!) Thanks for broadcasting the work of the Karikuy-Haugen Fund.
I’m Peruvian and just got back from my first visit to Machu Picchu with my son. I also brought my mother, father, and brother, none of whom had ever seen MP. For my parents, I thought it would be unconscionable for them not to visit such beauty in their country before they die. I stand corrected.
I read about porters before I went on the trip (ultimately didn’t use them), but had NO idea they didn’t get to see the site. All of the Peruvians I know are immensely proud of MP, and I’m sure these porters would love to experience this.
Thank you so much Joanna for bringing attention to this and doing something to help! You can bet that I’ll be doing what I can as well.
Joanna, This is very impressive that you started this! I think it’s incredibly inspiring to help these porters out.
JoAnna-
This initiative is so important and I’m really proud of you for collaborating with Karikuy. I just made a contribution through the Karikuy site– I look forward to hearing more about the porters’ experiences and would love to feature any of their writings/reactions to the experience on Matador.
[...] in our own backyards. This is one of the reasons I’ve partnered with Karikuy to found the Karikuy-Haugen Fund, which will help send Inca Trail porters to Machu Picchu. Though we’ve had a few hiccups in [...]