02 10 Trekking

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Fashionably

Frugal

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Shop for savings on fall fashions for your style-conscious kids

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Family

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his year, even more families are trying to save money without denying their children the fashion essentials they need. When it comes to clothing, mums fear that their hard-earned money will be wasted on items that can get ruined by 'kid stains' within the first school term or even the first few hours of playtime. This fall, save yourself the stress and take the advice of Yahoo! finance columnist and mother, Laura Rowley, on how to save while shopping and ensure that your children’s favourite outfits can be worn all season long, so you don’t have to buy new ones: Shop with a list Before you begin shopping, take a look in your children’s closet and figure out what items they need. This way, when you get to the store, you’re only on the lookout for specific items. Fortunately, current kids fashion trends favour a frugal approach: Faded jeans, leggings, soft plaid shirts, graphic T-shirts, distressed leather jackets, scarves and messenger bags are items that can easily be swapped with friends and other family members.

Get more out of your children’s clothing Once you’ve shopped for the child’s wardrobe, it pays to help protect your investment from the inevi-

table stains that occur during everyday wear. In fact, according to a 2006 P&G study, nearly $800 million in children’s clothing is wasted because the clothing is used for play, thrown away or worn with a stain. To fight stains on children’s clothing throughout the year, Tide has created new Tide Stain Release — an in-wash booster that helps remove many tough, fresh and dry stains that kids often encounter, such as grass and ketchup. By taking proper care of your children’s clothing, you can help their new wardrobe last long enough

to be handed down to siblings or friends. Trade it in Though gift cards are great gift ideas, sometimes you just can’t make use of them. This fall, trade or cash in your unwanted gift cards. Do a search for a card exchange website — there are many available that allow you to get up to 85 per cent of the card’s value back in cash. You can put this newfound money toward purchases at some of your children’s new favourite clothing stores.

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Use coupons If you shop at a department store, make sure to ask the cashier if there are any coupons behind the counter. Most people don’t realise how many deals can actually be negotiated while in the store. If you prefer shopping online, look for retail sites that give you rewards with every purchase. You can also search the Internet for weekly or monthly coupons that can be used in conjunction with your online and in-store purchases.

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SMILES ON WHEELS: A mobile hospital in Delhi is aided by trekkers

TOP OF THE WORLD: Trekkers climb to the top of Kilimanjaro

Before you book your next beach holiday, think about swapping your bikini for some hiking boots and helping a good cause. Georgina Wilson-Powell discovers that helping charities can be just as much fun as working on your tan

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hat could be better than trekking through the Himalayan mountains or cycling through Vietnam and Cambodia? How about earning money for charity at the same time? Gulf 4 Good is a UAE-based charity that aims to improve under-privileged children’s lives all over the world, but at the same time offers anyone who is interested in a once in a lifetime, possibly life-changing, experience. Less a holiday and more an adventure, the charity organises several treks a year, at varying levels of difficulty. Previous challenges have included an alternative Inca trail, kayaking in Madagascar in addition to the treks mentioned above, and the organisation is gearing up for a two week trek in Nepal next month. The trips are open to anyone who is fit enough to join. “We get people from all ages and all nationalities,” explains Patricia Anderson, communications manager for the charity. “We’ve had 36 nationalities take part so far. On the last trek we had a couple of Kuwaiti ladies who found out about us whilst they were surfing the Internet looking for spa holidays.” Each trek supports a local charity in the country, and one day of the experience is

Travel

SAVE THE CHILDREN: Gulf 4 Good challengers with slum kids in Delhi

Trekking for

charity CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN: Participants at the Everest base camp

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PEOPLE POWER: Volunteers get ready for a trek in Tanzania

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taken up with visiting that charity and helping out. In terms of giving, you can’t get much more direct. Leanne Brown from the UK took part in the recent trek to Peru. “Having the opportunity for interaction with the children at the charity was amazing. Visiting their homes and helping to paint their school made it all that much more meaningful. “The trip was brilliant in the way that it managed to combine the charity work with the physical and mental challenge. It allowed us a glimpse into the true history and culture of the country.” Started in 2001, the charity is overseen by a board of voluntary governors and welcomes anyone who wants to participate. Often a Gulf 4 Good trek is the first time people have done something like this, both in terms of the adventure and helping others on such a large scale. The charity is also supported by Fitness First health club, which helps trekkers get into shape to cope with the challenge ahead. Butheina Kazim, a UAE resident, is going on her first trek next month with the group. “I have always wanted to participate in a similar challenge, which combines adventure, travel and charity work. “I can’t wait to experience the

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culture, landscape and the handson encounter with the New Youth Development Center, which is the charity we’re supporting. I’m looking forward to seeing the children and the conditions they live in and being able to make their lives slightly better through this initiative.” Each volunteer taking part in a Gulf 4 Good trek pays an admin fee of Dh1,850 and then raises a minimum target of between Dh10,000 and Dh20,000, usually through sponsorship. Once raised, a third of the money goes on expenses like flights and food, and everything else goes to the children in need. In a world where it is all too easy to donate online or pop spare coins into a charity box, we don’t often get to see where the cash goes. Charities like Gulf 4 Good help to rebuild the link between the donor and the recipient, whose life will benefit from the generosity. “One of our voluntary governors researches the charities in the local area. We usually pick the smaller ones who wouldn’t be able to advertise for donations,” says Anderson. “We offer to help with a specific project, like building a school, and then go through all their accounts. We’ll often pay for materials and things directly. People want to learn about where their money is going.

SCHOOL DAYS: Participants in Peru paint a school

It’s a great reflection in our society that people want to actively do things, rather than just sit back and let others do it for them,” she adds. Often billed as a life-changing experience, many of the participants carry on helping others once they get back to their home country, or even continue to privately support the charity they helped. “I often think about the children I met on a tea plantation in Borneo,” says Nabil Habbouche who took part in 2007. “Meeting them has had a lasting effect.” Gulf 4 Good’s treks double up as a sustainable adventure, too. All guides and services needed are locally bought and trekking or kayaking doesn’t exactly produce many carbon emissions. The organisation has been joined by Arctic explorer Adrian Hayes, who will advise on how the charity can go further its green credentials and volunteers have started planting trees which produce fruit or something useful on every trek. Most years, the treks have about 25 participants, but this year the charity has noticed a downturn in numbers. “We’ve got about 16 people going on the next trek. People are worried about taking time off work and fundraising has got harder. But, the kids who need help are still there, even if we ran 100 treks a year it wouldn’t even scratch the surface.” Despite the lower numbers, there are plenty of people who come back every year. Habbouche is planning to do both the Himalayan trek and a Kilimanjaro adventure in 2010. “The simple fact that children are benefitting from my participation means that I’ll keep coming back. Kids are usually the first victims, but they’re also our future, so investing in them is vital,” he says. Anderson agrees, “The charities are thrilled to receive some help and it’s amazing to see people come together and share a real sense of achievement.” Rather than booking another beach holiday, why not think about doing something different and combine making the world a better place with an experience that will be treasured forever? [email protected]