Trek4Mandela: Summiting Kilima

Mt Kilimanjaro, with 5.895 m Africas highest mountain as well as worlds highest free-standing mountain. At the Machame route, shot at an altitude of approx. 5800 m. Route to the summit, a number of people climb the last stretch to the top, Tanzania. Getty Image/1111IESPDJ

Trek4Mandela: Summiting Kilimanjaro for Mandela Day

Trek4Mandela is an annual expedition to summit Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak in celebration of the vision of Nelson Mandela.

Trek4Mandela: Summiting Kilima

Mt Kilimanjaro, with 5.895 m Africas highest mountain as well as worlds highest free-standing mountain. At the Machame route, shot at an altitude of approx. 5800 m. Route to the summit, a number of people climb the last stretch to the top, Tanzania. Getty Image/1111IESPDJ

The Nelson Mandela Foundation in partnership with the Imbumba Foundation recently sent off the 2019 Trek4Mandela Expedition team at O. R. Tambo International Airport to wish them well on their climb.

A team of 54 climbers is expected to summit Mount Kilimanjaro on Thursday, 18 July, which is Madiba’s birthday, to celebrate 10 years of Nelson Mandela International Day.

One of the main goals for this exhibition is to raise funds to buy sanitary towels for young girls.

“With the support of the corporates and individuals, we have been able to gain support to more than 750 000 girls and this is incredible. The goal for this year is that when these guys come back we need to have started working on our ultimate goal which is, for 2019,  is to reach 1 million girls. Next year we want to double that into 2 million,” Chief Executive Officer of the Imbumba Foundation Richard Mabaso told the SABC.

This year, former public protector, Professor Thuli Madonsela will also brave the mountain, Kilimanjaro, which is said to be the highest mountain in Africa. It is said that Madonsela will take on the second expedition of the Trek4Mandela campaign in August.

In an interview with IOL, Madonsela stated the reason for doing the trek:

“I must borrow from (media personality) Gerry Elsdon – we are climbing this mountain so that young girls can choose the mountains they want to climb.

“At this stage, life chooses the mountains they want to climb. They have to climb a metaphoric mountain just to get pads.”

According to The Nelson Mandela Foundation, Trek4Mandela was founded in 2012 by South African mountaineer Sibusiso Vilane and Richard Mabaso, CEO of the Ibumba Foundation. In 2003 Vilane became the first black person in the world to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Vilane now leads the Trek4Mandela climbs to raise funds for the Ibumba Foundation’s Caring4Girls programme.