TITLE: The Porters of Kilimanjaro

Porters play a crucial rule in Kilimanjaro climbing, without their hard work and strength people would not be able to fully experience the magnificence of the highest mountain in Africa. But the truth is porters are often impoverished Tanzanians who depend on this labor-intensive employment in order to feed themselves and their families. They may walk to the national park gate every day, sometimes for many miles, hoping that someone will be looking for porters. If they are lucky enough to get a job, each porter usually have to carry over 25 kilograms for a miserable wage. Even though there is a recommended minimum wage as 7 dollars per day, but clearly porters do not have the leverage, the operator usually pay them a lot less.

AUTHOR: XIAO GU (China)

Born in Beijing and spent her childhood and teen years in various places including Tibet, Szechuan and Yunan, Xiao “Freya” Gu is a volunteer, traveler and photographer currently based in New York. Early experience of diverse cultures and exposure to different communities unleashed her fascination for human and nature. She is passionate about observing and connecting the world through travelling and volunteering. She has traveled to all 7 continents and has been a dedicated volunteer since she was 15. She takes her lenses to capture precious moments, when she sees true beauty and dignity in human as well as the wilderness in nature.