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REPORT: KILIMAJARO YOUTH CHALLENGE 2022

i Feb 19th No Comments by

Young People from Shadwell Basin Outdoor Activity Centre, Tower Hamlets, achieved success in summiting Kilimanjaro, the highest Peak in Tanzania, Africa and highest free-standing mountain in the world. Whilst is Moshi, Tanzania the team took part in a community project with street children. 

Summit of Kilimanjaro – 5895m
Summit of Kilimanjaro – 5895m

Travelling from Moshi, the nearest town, to the base of the mountain the team of eight young people between 17 and 19 years old and three leaders spent six days ascending the Peak to adjust to the altitude. After a midnight start on the final day to the summit the team reached Uhuru Peak top at 9.51am. During the journey the team battled illness, fatigue and altitude sickness to gain the summit. It was a quicker and shorter two-day descent.

The expedition members then completed a community project at Simbas Footprints Foundation. The charity, run by Charles Godfrey, works with local families and street children providing educational pathways. The team completed a number of projects in the three days they were there. This included; re-organising and re-structuring the charity website, teaching art and sports lessons, designing leaflets and renovating a chicken house. Participants had also raised money to assist with funding towards art materials, sports equipment and marketing advertising for the organisation. For almost all of the young people this was the first major trip abroad and they made lasting friendships, engaged with local culture and began to understand the many challenges facing young people and projects on the African continent.

Assisting at Simbas Footprints Foundation with Information Technology updates
Assisting at Simbas Footprints Foundation with Information Technology updates

The expedition was due to go ahead in 2020 but had been delayed for two years due to Covid restrictions. The members would like to thank The Lord Mayors 800th Anniversary Awards Trust for having faith in their ability to plan, carry out and take forward the project. Without the grant from Lord Mayors 800th Anniversary Awards Trust and other grant giving bodies this endeavour would not have been possible.

Simbas Footprints Foundation Community Project
Simbas Footprints Foundation Community Project
Renovating the Chicken house
Renovating the Chicken house

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