How $500 Can Change 100 Porters’ Lives

David was home in California, reminiscing about his trip to Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. He couldn’t help but think of the porters of Buhoma who had carried him to see the gorillas; without them he wouldn’t have experienced that highlight of Bwindi. Wanting to acknowledge the whole group rather than just the individuals who assisted him, he contacted Gorilla Highlands Experts and sent a gift meant for all the porters, rather than tipping those who approached him after his trek.

But there are 100 porters based in Buhoma; Uganda Wildlife Authority allows 25 for each of the four mountain gorilla families. David’s USD 500 would have become very little if split between all of them. The national park’s tourism and hospitality officer Godfrey Balyesiima connected us with Elias Atugabirwe, chairman of the porters’ association, who instantly knew where it would do the most good: the poultry project.

A porter’s income is sporadic. If they are lucky they get a chance to earn the daily USD 20 three or four times a month during the peak season. In quieter months, like when international guests are irrationally scared of ebola, that drops to maybe once a month.

The 420 chickens, purchased earlier this year with the USD 4,000 donated from an American couple, are supposed to change that. If they reach their goal of 14 egg trays daily, Elias’s team will make over USD 100 per day. In a matter of months all the investment will be recovered, and a fund for children’s education will start growing.

But they also need to acquire actual land for the project (at the moment it is hosted by a member’s family free of charge) and make other improvements, so David’s donation will come very handy.

Giving Well: What David Got Right

Tipping your porter after the trek is appreciated, but individual tips don’t always reach those who need it most. A pooled donation to the porters’ association, channelled through someone like Elias, benefits all 100 fairly and can fund something lasting, like the poultry project. To follow David’s example, ask your guide or the park office for the association, or contact Gorilla Highlands Experts for help finding the best way to give.