Jessica’s Kilimanjaro Challenge

My Kilimanjaro Challenge 2013 

What’s it all about?

 

Personal challenge

‘If you only do what you know you can do – you never do very much’ – Tom Krause

 

Standing at the summit of the Santa Cruz trek on the Cordilliera mountain range in Peru at altitude of 4.750metres, in June, I felt like nothing was impossible. Next up, I thought out loud, is Mt. Kilimanjaro.

On my return to Malta, I came across a bucket list I had written a few years back and began to cross items off. Completing a voluntary programme with children in Africa, and climbing mount Kilimanjaro were yet to be crossed off. I pushed my bucket list aside and began to adjust to routine.

 

Routine is boring, I quickly remembered, so the hunt for a new adventure began; Move to Berlin, travel around South East Asia, voluntary work in Nepal, a year in Australia..? It was a tough decision.

 

I remember (vaguely) being at a family reunion in October, and my mother, knowing about my interest in climbing mt. Kilimanjaro, introduced me to her cousin who had previously done the challenge.

My interest then turned into determination and I began researching the possible treks and asking people to join me. One lazy Sunday, I stumbled across a page on Facebook called ‘the Kilimanjaro challenge 7’ .

I contacted Keith Marshall, the organiser of the expedition, and the rest is history.

My new challenge: Reaching the Uhuru Peak on mt Kilimanjaro in ONE piece.

 

KC7 group

‘Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation and a pinch of creativity.’ – Bo Bennett

 

After having my induction meeting with Keith, it was time to meet the group.

We wake up bright and early every Sunday to meet up, share a few laughs and a few stories, and most importantly, to train for the challenge, increasing intensity and duration each week.

We all came together with different reasons for pursuing this challenge, but fundamentally all with the same goal: To summit the highest free-standing mountain in Africa in aid of charity.

 

The cause

‘Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great’ – Mark Twain

 

With more than 80 Maltese people having attempted the Kilimanjaro Challenge in the past 8 years, over 350,000 euro have been raised for various projects conducted by Fr. Gorg Grima, the founder of 'Missionary Movement, Jesus in Thy Neighbour' ,in different countries in Africa.

 

Next year, myself and the rest of the team will attempt to climb the mountain in aid of raising funds to construct a home for 100 deaf, blind and physically disabled children in Awasi, Kenya.

The total cost for this project is €120,000, of which, KC7 are responsible for raising €60,000.

 

The mountain

‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts’ – Winston Churchill

 

Mount Kilimanjaro, nicknamed ‘The roof of Africa’ is the highest, walkable, free-standing volcano in the world. At 5,895 metres above sea level, the Uhuru Peak is the higher of the 2 peaks of this mountain, which WE are going to summit.

There are 6 possible routes to take up the mountain. Choosing the Machame Route, the trek will take us a total of 8 challenging days. (6 days up and 2 days down)

The challenges we will endure (and overcome) consist of: Lack of oxygen and potential altitude sickness, drastic temperature changes including freezing temperatures, strong winds, and energy-sapping screes of shale as well as the physical aches and pains.

 

 

You

‘Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.’ – Mark Twain

 

I’m not asking you to climb a mountain with me. I am, however, asking you to please reach into your pocket and help me raise my target of €3000 by donating any spare cash you can afford.

With your help, the lives of 100 deaf and blind children may and will be improved.

‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give’ – Winston Churchill