The Porter Clothing Bank

How it Works
Clothing has been donated to the Porter Clothing Bank from around the globe by individuals, and, we currently have the ability to outfit 70-80 porters with warm and waterproof jackets, pants, gloves, hats, socks, and sunglasses. Shoes are also available for porters, but are in limited supplies. The clothing is available for trekking companies (via Sirdars, guides, etc.) and independent trekkers to take out on behalf of their porters.
A signed statement is required, on company letterhead, stating that the replacement/ repair costs for any missing or damaged clothing will be promptly covered. If this is not available, a 1000-rupee (US$15) deposit per outfitted porter, or the number of a valid credit card, will be accepted instead. When the trek is finished, the trekker or company are requested to clean and return the clothing to the office.
There is no daily charge to take out clothing, so as to make it as readily accessible to porters as possible. The gear is expected to be returned clean and damage-free. Small donations to help cover the running costs of the program are greatly appreciated.
The empowerment and education programs being run in the Lukla office have been very successful. It is hoped these programs will educate porters who will come to see themselves as skilled workers and thus demand and facilitate their proper treatment on the job. Daily English language classes are held at 2:00pm in the Lukla office. Rudimentary English skills that will help porters during treks, phrases such as "Do you need a porter?" "I need sunglasses and shoes!" and, of course, "Please" and "Thank You" are the mainstays of the curriculum. At least once weekly larger empowerment meetings are held. At these meetings porters are asked what they are proud of, what their skills are, and how they can use these attributes to solve some of the problems facing them on the job. This is followed by lectures on Acute Mountain Sickness awareness and prevention, general hygiene, frostbite and hypothermia environmental awareness, etc. The hygiene and health lectures have been kindly given by Dr. Nwang Geljiin Sherpa, resident physician at the Lukla Health Post.
The Lukla and Kathmandu offices also educate trekkers on acceptable standards of treatment for their porters. The Kathmandu office has upwards of 90 people visiting every day during the trekking season. In Lukla, trekkers often donate unneeded clothing and get information regarding hiring porters. Also, the BBC short documentary Carrying the Burden is shown weekly to tourists staying in Lukla. This film is also shown whenever flights to Kathmandu are cancelled and tourists are stuck in town.
Given the short running time of the program (just under a year), the Porter Clothing Bank has been extremely successful. Clothing has been lent out steadily, and we anticipate a sharp increase in demand as word spreads. The empowerment and education programs in Lukla have surpassed our expectations with as many as fifty porters attending the empowerment meetings. The English Language classes have been averaging eight to ten students daily.
Looking to the future, the program needs to focus on publicizing itself which will serve to further its objectives and raise awareness about the issue of porter safety in the mountains. Flyers need to be spread more frequently and widely around Thamel. Guidebooks have been contacted, and we need to ensure that the clothing bank is written up in new editions. Trekking companies need to be notified and made aware of this project as well.
The project needs clothing donations. Large gear manufacturers and other organisations have been approached and some are already collecting and donating clothes (Patagonia, North Face, Mountain Designs, Sierra Designs, Paddy Pallin, Pearl Izumi, Thredbo ski resort-Australia). Large-scale donations on a yearly basis need to be secured. We are also working now with Breckinridge and Vail ski resorts to get lost & found gear and ski school equipment. An efficient system of transporting donated clothing into Nepal is needed.
We are looking for extra funding, sponsors and grants. If you can help, please make contact. The money will be spent to hire full-time staff in Lukla as well as pay expenses to the foreign staff. Office expansion is also needed in both Kathmandu and Lukla to accommodate the increased stock of clothing.

How to contact IPPG