Trek for a Cause

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What is Trek for a Cause
Trek for a Cause (TFAC) is an annual programme by the MY Team. 

Trek for a Cause also aims to raise awareness and funds for the education of under-privileged children in Malaysia. It focuses on three groups of underprivileged children (a) children from poor Orang Asli families; (b) children from poor coastal communities (Bajau Laut) in the east coast of Sabah; and (c) children of refugees.

What the funds will be used for

The funds raised via TFAC will be used to set up education facilities and provide support to help underprivileged children meet their basic needs in the pursuit of education. Funds will be used to pay for books, teachers, teaching materials, clothing, nutrition and extracurricular activities for the children. The main beneficiaries will be :

(a) the Orang Asli communities in Pahang and Kelantan, 
(b) Bajau Laut communities in the islands of the east coast of Sabah 
(c) Refugee children, mostly scattered in the Klang Valley.

Most of these children are deprived of a decent education. Without a decent education, they cannot hope for a decent life when they grow up. For example, there are close to 20,000 refugee children registered with UNHCR Malaysia, of which 12,000 are of school-going age. Less than half of them have any access to any kind of education. Many Orang Asli children and orphans struggle to go to school because they and their parents lack the means. A large number of children in the islands of the east coast of Sabah lack access to school - they loiter and beg in the streets.

Administration of the funds

The funds will be administered by Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Aid Malaysia (Muslim Aid). Muslim Aid is a non-political and non-sectarian aid agency, inspired by Islamic values, to serve the most needy,irrespective of religion, race, ethnicity, nationality or political creed. Beneficiaries often include orphans, refugees and internally displaced people, communities caught in cycles of poverty, and survivors of disasters.

All donations to YKMAM are tax-exempt (LHDN 01/35/42/51/179-6.6487). You can visit Muslim Aid’s website and its Facebook page

Funds raised in 2013

In 2013, the TFAC raised about RM 100,000. The funds have (and are being) used for :

(a) Mobile library programme for the Orang Asli communities
(b) To support education programme for Myanmar refugees in the Kelang Valley. Parts of the funds have been used to help establish a teaching centre in Ampang, catering for the Myanmar refugee children.

About MY Team

The MY (Monyets and Yaks) team is a group of amateur trekking enthusiasts. Their previous major expeditions were to the Everest Base Camp in 2011 and the Annapurna Circuit in 2013. Besides enjoying what they do, the MY team aims to contribute to society in any way possible. Anyone can be a member of the MY Team.

Note : All members of the MY team pay for all their own expenses. 100% of all funds raised go to the education programme.

How to contribute
There is generally no minimum amount (unless you want to be a key corporate sponsor – see Option 4). You can simply contribute any sum you like. 

Option 1 : Send a cheque

You can write out a cheque to Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Aid Malaysia and then post it or courier it. Please give your full name and address so that an official receipt can be sent to you. Please write "Trek for a Cause 2015" at the back of your cheque.

Address :

Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Aid Malaysia

8-1-2, Menara Mutiara Bangsar

Jalan Liku

59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : 03-22881996
Fax : 03-22881966

If it is more convenient to you, you can pass the cheque to any members of the MY team. Please use the donation form so that we have your details.

Option 2 : Direct Deposit

You can directly deposit money into Muslim Aid’s bank account. For the purpose of record keeping, please either fax (03-22881966) or post your Trek for a Cause donation form (see below) to Muslim Aid or email the scanned form to mail@muslimaid.org.my. Please also give your full name and address so that an official receipt can be sent to you.

CIMB Bank Account Number 8600 1108 50

Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Aid Malaysia

If you are making payment from another country, the Swift Code is CTBBMYKL. Please state Trek for a Cause 2015 when making payment.

Option 3 : Walk in

If you happen to be in the neighbourhood, you can just walk in to Muslim Aid's office and give your donation. Please give your full name and address so that an official receipt can be sent to you for tax purposes.

Option 4 : Be a Corporate Sponsor

Your company can choose to be a key sponsor by making a donation of RM 50,000 or more to Muslim Aid. If you like it, the MY team will bear your logo on their trekking shirt, and carry and display your banner at the Everest Base Camp (5364 m above mean sea level). Your logo will also be printed on all promotional material. Please call any member of the MY Team to discuss details.

Please inform others
You can help us solicit donations from your colleagues, friends and family. Even if you cannot contribute, you may know of other people who may be able to help with this cause. You can share this link with others (please do). Follow our page on Facebook (Trek for a Cause).

For further information

Follow our Facebook page (Trek for a Cause)

Call any members of the MY team (see phone numbers above)

Call Muslim Aid (03-22881996) and speak to Pn Habsah Marjuni.

Send an email to mail@muslimaid.org.my

Everest Base Camp trek

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The Everest Base Camp Trek is one trek that you must do in your lifetime. It is the mother of all treks.

There are actually two Everest Base Camps, one in Nepal and the other in Tibet. We are going to the one in Nepal which is also known as the South Base Camp (5364m, 17598ft). The base camp is simply a campsite that is used by mountain climbers during their ascent and descent to the summit of Mount Everest. The base camp separates the boys from the men. Only the hardcore climbers hike past the base camp. [Note : the base camp is only a pile of ice-cold rocks – there is no pintu gerbang to indicate that you have “arrived”].

The trek to the base camp is non-technical. What this means is that you can hike to the base camp without having to use any fancy climbing gear - no crampons, no ropes, no ice-ax, just your good old hiking boots. Just like Gunung Kinabalu – but more challenging because of the trekking distance, high altitude and low temperatures.

The trip to the EBC will normally take 9 days up and 5 days down. From Katmandu, we need to take a 30-minute flight to Lukla (2640m), a small town in the Himalayas. From Lukla, we hike to the EBC – a total distance of about 50 km – which should take us about 9 days. Along the way, we will pass by and stay at several villages including Namchee Bazaar (3440m), Deboche (3820m), Lobuche (4920m) and Gorak Shep (5130m). Gorak Shep is the last post before the EBC. The return journey should be shorter, typically 5 days.

The itinerary is as follows :

Day 1 Depart KL, arrive at Katmandu, prepare for trek, organize supplies 
Day 2 Fly to Lukla and trek to Phadking (6 hours)
Day 3 Trek to Namchee Bazaar (8 hours)
Day 4 Full day acclimatization at Namchee Bazaar
Day 5 Trek to Deboche (7 - 8 hours)
Day 6 Trek to Dingboche (6 - 7 hours)
Day 7 Full day acclimatization at Dingboche
Day 8 Trek to Lobuche ( 5 – 6 hours)
Day 9 Trek to Gorak Shep. Climb Kalapathar (5545m)
Day 10 Trek to Everest Base Camp (3 hours). After lunch at Gorak Shep, trek down to Lobuche
Day 11 Trek down to Deboche
Day 12 Trek down to Namchee Bazaar
Day 13 Trek down to Lukla
Day 14 Fly back to Katmandu
Day 15 Free and easy at Katmandu. 
Day 16 Free and easy at Katmandu. 
Day 17 Fly back to KL

Additional days are needed in the event of adverse weather.

How difficult is it?
The EBC trek is non-technical. What this means is that you can hike all the way without having to use any fancy climbing gear – no ropes, no crampon, no ice-ax. Just walking. You have to be reasonably fit but do not have to be super-fit. The MY team members who made it to the Everest Base Camp in 2011 were all amateurs. As long as you prepare adequately, go slow and follow all rules – you will make it without any problem. The golden rule is GO SLOW. Age is not a problem – on the previous trip, the age of our team members ranged from 30 – 55. [however if you are more than 100 years old, may I suggest that you consider joining other teams rather than the MY team].

Most people will trek about 6 – 8 hours a day, covering 8 – 12 km. The trekking is also scheduled in such a way that trekkers do not gain too much altitude in a single day. Usually the maximum gain in altitude in a day is about 400 – 500m, a little lower in the higher altitudes.

The challenges

The main challenge will be the acute mountain sickness (read more here). The higher you go, the amount of oxygen in the air gets lesser and lesser. The oxygen deprivation will cause headaches, nausea and loss of appetite. Everyone gets it, at varying degree of severity. Most of the time, the headache can be overcome by popping in two panadols. Some people prefer to use the drug, diamox. There is no foolproof way of overcome AMS. High level of fitness is not a good indicator of ability to acclimatise. The best advice anyone can give you is GO SLOW and drink lots and lots of water. The EBC trek will include at least two days of acclimatization (usually at Namchee Bazaar 3400m and Dingboche, 4400m). [Note : the ability to acclimatize is not related to your level of fitness].

The second but lesser challenge is the cold temperature which can be overcome by appropriate clothing. The temperature at the EBC will be about -10degC. There is little danger of getting lost because the trails are well-established and you will be accompanied by guides all the time.

Where do we stay?
On the trek, we will be staying in lodges at the villages along the way. There will be NO camping. We will not be staying overnight at the EBC. Most lodges are basic with a common dining room and common toilets. It is usually 2 persons sharing a room. You will be provided with a sleeping bag. If you want 5-star accommodation, you should just stay in KL.

Guides and porters
The team will be accompanied by guides and porters. 

How much would the trip cost?
You should budget about RM 8000 - 9000 for the trip. This includes airfare, insurance, trekking permits, food and accommodation (16 days), guide, porters (and yak charges) and entrance fees. You also need to allow for your clothing as well as spending money in Nepal. It is best to buy most of the clothing in Katmandu where it is half or one-third the price in Malaysia.


Read about MY Team EBC trek in 2011 here
Read about MY Team Annapurna trek in 2013 here