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Dan & Ellie Completed the Machu Picchu Challenge!
In July 2025, Dan and Ellie took on the epic Gulf for Good Machu Picchu Challenge — hiking the iconic Inca Trail and summiting the dramatic peak of Wayna Picchu. It was a physically demanding journey with high altitudes, endless stairs, and long days on foot — but both rose to the challenge with heart, humour, and determination.
Dan truly repped the challenge on the ground — stepping up as a calm and encouraging leader throughout the trek. Whether it was offering morning motivational quotes, helping those who were struggling, carrying extra gear when needed, or doing last-minute pharmacy runs for unwell team members, he kept spirits high and the group moving forward with kindness and patience.
Ellie, behind the scenes and out front, planned the entire trip from start to finish — coordinating with the charity and ground handlers to ensure every detail was smooth, safe, and meaningful for the group. Her support helped make the experience a success for all involved — from logistics to cultural immersion and impact.
Together, Dan and Ellie also visited the local charity project in Cusco. They met the children, helped serve lunch, joined in creative art activities, and witnessed first-hand how the funds raised make a lasting difference. A special welcome dance took place in the outdoor multipurpose space that Gulf for Good previously funded for the school — a reminder of what this journey is all about.
But there’s still more to do.
We’re now raising funds to resurface that same multipurpose area with a softer, safer floor so the children can play, fall, and move freely without injury. The students also currently sit on cold, hard bleachers — we hope to raise enough to cover them with soft seating material for improved comfort.
Dan and Ellie may have completed the trek — but the mission continues. Your donation can help finish what they started and provide even greater support to this incredible school and its students.
Support their challenge legacy — donate today.
Together, we can keep creating lasting impact — one step at a time.
CHARITY PROJECT:
Chicuchas Wasi began in 1987, focusing on the society’s tolerated human rights violations of the many abandoned children, as young as 6 years old, surviving alone on the streets of Cusco, Peru. Chicuchas Wasi created a safe house that includes nutrition, healthcare, schooling, life skills, and much more.
Chicuchas Wasi School for Girls provides free, primary education, emphasizing on personal development, empowerment, and academics. They stress personal values, integrity, self-esteem, and social responsibility for an adult life of quality, dignity, gender equality, and financial independence. Chichuchas Wasi School maintains a big presence in the community with cultural celebrations, supporting social issues and women's issues, and spreading the value and importance of education for girls.
The school currently does not have an indoor facility larger than a classroom to host events, sports, theatre presentations, or otherwise. The goal is to fundraise to build a dry multipurpose room for such activities.
Chicuchas Wasi, Peru
FUNDRAISING:
Each participant is tasked with raising a minimum of AED5,000 (USD1,360) to support this project and, together, change the lives of these children and families.
This challenge is held in association with the local not-for-profit Gulf for Good, whose purpose is to change the lives of underprivileged children around the world.
The breakdown of how donations are distributed is as follows:
- 75% of funds raised go to the Chicuchas Wasi, Peru
- 15% of funds raised go to Gulf for Good (a not-for-profit in the UAE and registered UK charity) for their sustainability
- 10% of funds raised go to International Humanitarian City for their emergency response work
To learn more about Gulf for Good and what we do:
Machu Picchu
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