jnut

well said, in today's world it is impossible to make generalizations. good news is that 150 women have requested to be nominated for the camp! we do not have the logistics and resources to accept all of them this year, but that interest pretty much ensures the camp will continue it into the future. we are still in need of boots and crampons to take over there: it is almost impossible to find boots in the correct sizes (under a men's 7) in-country. more info: http://www.behno.blogspot.com cheers, janet PS thinker: we are trying to think of ways to get pakistani-american women involved for this year or in the future with planning and prep, fundraising and, if possible, guiding. please have your wife contact us via the blog if she is interested. PPS team member Molly Loomis will be giving an informational slideshow on the camp at the Teton Climber's Ranch during the AAC events this coming weekend. Be sure to check it out!

Time to dig into the gear closet! The team is also looking for donations of ice axes, crampons, and other expedition gear. http://behno.blogspot.com/2007/06/send-us-yer-boots.html Thanks!

On an interesting side note, two of the volunteers for this project, Sallie Dean Schatz and Danika Gilbert, represented the AAC in 2005 doing earthquake relief work in Pakistan. They have been working in various ways to get info out about the needs of people in the areas they visited since their return.

First, I want to thank Scott and the Mountain Fund for their tireless effort in helping mountain communities. He has shown interest and passion for this project - in addition to the dozens of others Mountain Fund works with - from the beginning. To clarify: Not a penny is being sought for the operating expenses of the camp. I shared the approximate budget because you asked. The Pakistan organizers have taken responsibility for ALL expenses, including the guides' expenses while in country. We are there as their guests and this is their project. All that we are seeking support for is travel expenses for the volunteer guides to get to Pakistan. That is all. This camp may lead to incredible new opportunities and possibilities for the women participants, for future projects with our two countries, etc. but it also may not. Regardless, just pursuing the project is breaking taboos and making headway in a country with a vastly different social system than our own. I would encourage all of you to sign up for the Mountain Fund newsletter, find what you are passionate about and support it, whether it is helping the volunteer guides to get to Pakistan, funding humanitarian projects in the more depressed regions or helping build a school for girls in Pakistan. Or go out and volunteer at a soup kitchen, spend time with an elderly person, plant a tree! I might add that as important as getting as much bang for the buck as possible is (i am only a climbing bum, after all), I think it is short sighted to make comparisons of importance based only on dollar signs. Where would we all be if that was the case? Janet

The total estimated budget, developed by the Alpine Club of Pakistan who is administrating the camp, is $105,000. More than half of that is assuming that they will have to buy all of the equipment (hardwear, clothing, etc) for participants. We are hoping to minimize that cost by seeking donations of climbing, camping and mountaineering gear. The rest is for normal expedition costs (travel, food, permits, etc.) in addition to the investment to select participants (from dozens of different sources) and administrate the entire program. The only costs we, the American team, are responsible for are travel expenses to get there ($13,000 total).

you're welcome (and wow, you let me off easy compared to the rest of the thread!). believe me, we all have concerns as to where all of this investment is going to lead in the future. you're not alone in pondering it. its really the women participants who will dictate that at the end though. cheers, janet

first off, privilege, college, career and freedom do not necessarily all go hand in hand - in a place like pakistan especially. but yes, that is what i am saying (though there will be other women involved as well). we have tons of ideas of where it could go in the future - such as the women training other women, as you mentioned. it is just impossible to tell what will happen after this year. but that is not a good enough reason NOT to proceed with the project.

Most of the participants will actually be college students from Islamabad. It will be a bit of a 'top down' approach this year, as the students families must support their going - and the reality is that the more well off families are the more able to do that they are. It is really hard to say what the reaction of others will be to the women who participate. 100 is a large number, but it is what the Alpine Club of Pakistan organizers are projecting. I would anticipate we end up with more like 60. One event has already happened to start generating support and interest for the trip. Check out the DAWN article on it. Are you doing a similar project in Turkey? So glad to see this discussion - thanks for your interest, we are really excited about the trip! -Janet Bergman, team member