Join a Cause - Trailwalker 2013

Greeting from Team Mountain Girls!

No mountain is high enough and no valley low enough that the human spirit cannot conquer. Team 'Mountain Girls' is a tribute to that very spirit, scaling mountains and enduring one of the most hostile conditions or walking 100 kms in 48 hours beating the heat to support a cause.

India is no more fancied as a land of elephants and snake charmers. We have changed the tag of being an interesting nation to an important nation and are indeed the fastest growing economy in the world. We have made much progress as a nation BUT there is a HIMALAYAN gap when it comes to the education of the Girl Child. As Mahatma Gandhi said, 'If you educate a man, you educate an individual; if you educate a woman, you educate a family'. No nation can claim glory without its women being partners in its progress and society being inclusive where education and opportunities are not based on gender.

The challenge of inequality is indeed more challenging than any mountain or any valley, so come join us on our unique adventure of scaling mountains and walking the valley to create awareness and make a HIMALAYAN difference.

Strengthen our effort by helping us to raise funds for a cause.

Event                   : Oxfam Trailwalker 2013 - www.trailwalker.in

Event Date           : 25-27 January 2013

Challenge             : 100 kms l Team of 4 l 48 hours

Fund Target         : INR 200000

Cause                  : Education

NGO                    : Oxfam India www.oxfamindia.org

Team Name         : Mountain Girls

Team                  : Kavitha Reddy, Jigna Modh, Deepica Rao, Kinnari Sathe

Uniqueness          : All Women Team

Challenge Target  : 100 kms in 29 hours (Trailwalker 2012 we completed 100 kms in 32.5 hours)

Visit http://www.trailwalker.in/civicrm/pcp/info?reset=1&id=75#.ULW852daHWI 

Contribute generously (tax exempted under 80G), kindly send in your contributions by Cheque/DD/PO in favor of Oxfam India before 15^th December 2012.

Our Address: Kavitha Reddy, # 227, 31st Main, 7th Cross, Sector-1, HSR Layout, Bangalore - 560102

About Oxfam Trailwalker

Oxfam Trailwalker is the world's greatest team challenge to overcome poverty and injustice. With teams of 4 required to walk (or run) 100 km in 48 hours, it is a test of physical endurance, mental strength and team spirit. Oxfam Trailwalker is a global phenomenon which started as a training exercise for the Gurkha Regiment in Hong Kong in 1981. Today, Oxfam Trailwalker is a global event with 15 events in 12 countries. Over the last 15 years, more than 32,000 teams have participated in Oxfam Trailwalker and raised over US$ 120 million for Oxfam's work globally. Such huge resources have helped Oxfam create a world of difference in the lives of the most marginalized communities across 100 countries.

Strike to Stink

Over 16000 BBMP staff (including the contract staff) went on strike leaving the 5000 tons of garbage per day care-of-footpath. Striking workers seemed very happy at plight of the city and its citizens, holding all to ransom and our BMP Commissioner, City Mayor and State Govt looked inspired by our PM. Even after paralyzing the city administration for days, one of the strikers when asked by the media, why they are making the citizens suffer went to the extent of saying that they are doing this for the sake of the citizens, make me wonder….my my what the hell did I miss.

So when the strikers were making merry, household who do not care to read/watch news left their garbage bags in a row on their compound walls or let it hang on the gates - some leaking, some getting wet in the rains, some falling off and some bursting out. In support of the striking staff the famous street dogs of Bangalore took to streets showing their solidarity, and letting everyone know what they can do if the demands of the striking staff were not met.

Packs of dogs pulled down the garbage bags on to the streets exposing which household has babies and what diaper brand they use, lady from which household is having her periods and man from which household uses condoms, not to forget which brand. Some walked on the streets trying to ignore it all, some made futile attempts to kick ‘objectionable’ items to the storm water drains.

Some smart citizens took things into their own hands, carried garbage bags and flung it into the empty plots close by or simply threw it on the sides of nearest main road where there are no houses. The plight continued for days, rains for some reason decided to help the striking staff by adding to the raising stink on the streets of Bangalore, not that Bangalore streets were any better it just made it worst.

Garbage, Birth Certificate, Death Certificate, Property Tax etc all came to halt rather piled up. 5000 tons of garbage per day and 3 crores of revenue collection per day seemed nobodies concern. Finally after 3 stinking days they have called off the strike (it seems). Did they get back to their senses or did the City Mayor agreed to their demands is irrelevant, the stink will continue and the citizens will always be the only one to suffer.

This strike episode lack any moral stand, also stinks of arrogance and disregard makes a Bangalorean like me wonder why I should pay the additional garbage cess that was quietly slipped in to the property tax recently!!

- Kavitha Reddy

My Himalayan Quest

                    Climbing Mountains for a Cause

Belief: There are a Million ways to Success but there is only one way to Failure - ‘Not Trying’

Am a successful professional with 15 years of corporate experience, having worked with companies like IndiaLife Hewitt and TeamLease Services in Sr Management roles.

As a teenager I always enjoyed Adventure and participated in Rock Climbing Camps and Treks. Wanting to do more in this field, I took to Adventure and Mountaineers full-time in 2009. Armed with a vast and successful corporate background and a burning passion to ‘Evolve adventure as the most effective learning tool, to revive the spirit of adventure among people from all walks of life, and be environment cognizant’ I started BASECAMP Adventures a company that focuses on Outbound Learning and Adventure.

As a qualified mountaineer from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, with many successful climbing expeditions and several high altitude treks in the Indian and Nepal Himalayas, I felt that there is a need to do more in my own possible way and make a difference. As a mountaineer the best I can do is to climb mountains, and so begins this unique adventure - ‘My Himalayan Quest’: Climbing Mountains for a Cause and to also spread awareness, through a series of expeditions over the next 7 years.

My Himalayan Quest

No mountain is high enough and no valley low enough that the human spirit cannot conquer. ‘My Himalayan Quest’ is a tribute to that very spirit, scaling mountains and enduring one of the most hostile conditions to support a cause.

India is no more fancied as a land of elephants and snake charmers. We have changed the tag of being an interesting nation to an important nation and are indeed the fastest growing economy in the world. We have made much progress as a nation BUT there is a HIMALAYAN gap when it comes to the education of the Girl Child. As Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘If you educate a man, you educate an individual; if you educate a woman, you educate a family’. No nation can claim glory without its women being partners in its progress and society being inclusive where education and opportunities are not based on gender.

The mountain of inequality is indeed more challenging than any mountain, so come join us in our unique adventure of scaling mountains to create awareness and make a HIMALAYAN difference. Strengthen our effort by participating in this climb or by raising funds for the cause or by sponsoring the climbing team.

Planned Expeditions

   Mt Bhagirathi - II, 6512 mts in Gharwal Himalayas, June 2012
   Mt Kamet, 7756 mts in Gharwal Himalayas, May 2012 (29th highest peak in the world
   Mt Manaslu, 8156 mts in Nepal Himalayas, Sept 2012 (8th highest peak in the world)
   Mt Everest, 8848 mts in Nepal Himalayas, April 2013 (highest peak in the world)

Objectives of the My Himalayan Quest
   To put Karnataka on the world mountaineering map
   Raise Funds towards
       o Girl Child Education
       o Women Empowerment
       o Spreading Awareness of Global Warming & Environment
   Any prize money received will be donated to NGOs – Kaagaz, Myhtri Mahila Koota, Oxfam India

Expenses towards My Himalayan Quest
   Mt Bhagirathi -II       INR 25000
   Mt Kamet                 IMF, Govt of India
   Mt Manaslu              INR 400000
   Mt Everest               INR 1900000

Sponsorship/Contribution can be given by cheque in favor of Kavitha Reddy a/c My Himalayan Quest.

Team-up Against Poverty

Hi,

Blogging this asking for your support.

I always believed in rolling up my sleeve whenever wherever I can make a difference, I have supported and lead campaigns that are close to my heart. In a large and diversified country like India every citizen has a responsibility to do whatever they can in their capacity to make India a better place than what they inherited.

Challenges are many and are complex indeed, there is no single solution to address India’s problems. The problems have to be compartmentalized and has to be addressed locally in every village, taluk, town or city. In my small but strong attempt to reduce the gap between the rich & poor, urban & rural, privileged & underprivileged, I have teamed up with 3 of my friends with similar views to walk 100 kms in 48 hours and raise funds for various poverty eradication programs in India through www.trailwalker.in & www.oxfamindia.org

I request you to support our team by making a donation, ‘Team – Jaffa Cakes Jelly Babies’ page http://www.trailwalker.in/index.php/component/civicrm/?task=civicrm/contribute/pcp/info&id=27

Appreciate if you can spread the message among your friends and help us reach more people and raise more funds.

Regards,

Kavitha Reddy