Volunteer and fundraiser Monju Meah took up a challenge and returned to Peru, where he had previously spent time as a Progressio ICS volunteer, to trek to Machu Picchu. Raising an amazing £3000, Monju also visited the family he had lived with and projects he had undertaken in 2012. Read on for the tales of his trip!

‘The first time I went to Peru was with Progressio as part of the International Citizenship Service programme, almost 3 years ago now. Since coming back I continued supporting Progressio through fundraising and volunteering. Running a lot, in costumes – Santa and Superman (the journeys home on the tube were awkward to say the least), climbing the 3 peaks and loads and loads of quiz nights!

My toughest challenge by a mile, or you could call it approximately 40 miles, was trekking in Peru for 5 days to Machu Picchu. I trained for around 6 months. It was certainly the toughest trek I have been on and in large part due to suffering altitude sickness, which I had for the first 3 days trekking up to 4600m above sea level. To put into context is more than triple the height of Ben Nevis – the highest peak in the UK.

But I kept going with a great bunch of determined people, everyone had their own challenges. The scenery and places we passed whilst on the trek were amazing, and the finale to the whole challenge Machu Picchu was breath taking.

Fundraising was a daunting prospect and I really had to think creatively with fundraising – quiz nights, other challenges in support of the big one (my trek), corporate sponsorships and other awards. I have been humbled by the generosity of friends and family and proud to have raise over £3000 and counting for Progressio!

What else did I get up to? Well, after the trek I went to visit the family my Progressio ICS group and I lived with back in 2012. I reached Lima airport where the family were waiting for me. I became very close with the amazing Palomino family who hosted us when I originally volunteered. I returned to walk the same streets and visit the same projects I worked on - one of note is an orphanage we worked on cleaning up ready for opening. It wasn’t open before we left, but when I went back it had happy children playing in the yard. I walked around the orphanage – the classrooms filled with children’s paintings, the medical room and kitchen.

If you have a daunting challenge ahead, harness your will and energy, trust in people and remember those people you are doing it for. You will get there in the end.’