StuffYourRucksack is an amazingly simple idea aims to help adventurous travellers make a difference to the lives of the people they meet by bringing along certain sought-after commodities that will really be valued where they are going; things like school books and stationary for rural schools, or toys for impoverished communities and orphanages. Even the smallest thing can make a huge difference in these places. I went to Kenya for work a couple of years ago and took pop-up pencils, paper and a handful of rubber bouncing balls. As you can see from these photos, the kids in the slums of Nairobi and deep in the drought-ravaged countryside of West Kitui got so much joy from such a simple gift it almost burst my heart right out of my chest. Just check the map to see what’s most needed where you are going and connect with community leaders and charity workers to figure out how best to reach them when you arrive. No middle men. No bureaucracy. Just you and a rucksack full of life changing donations for a community in need. Feels pretty good doesn’t it?
