I was on my way to South Africa to mountain bike from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. Afterwards, I was planning to visit with Leone Jooste of Just Footprints. They were in the process of building an African sister Camp to Paul Newman’s Hole in Wall Gang Camp. As camp volunteer, and fund raiser I thought I’d stop in and see what I could do.
I had always wanted to climb Kilimanjaro and figured that if I was this close… I might as well give it a go. I’ll probably never be this close again.
Climbing solo, that is to say, one guide, two porters a cook and a cook’s helper, left me plenty of time to really meet the locals and see what was really going on. Something that I love to do.
James, my guide, pleaded with me to send over more clients. Afterwards I took a detour to their village and visited the local schools and hospitals.
Truth is some of the hardest working people, work for better lives for their families. While there are different languages and customs, there are no differences between us when it comes to the love of our kids.
Want to get to know a local? Ask them if they have kids, tell them about yours.
The economics of the situation was grim. While anyone could go to a public school, there was a small fee, which most couldn’t afford past 7th grade. Secondary school fees were impossible.
The schools were horrible. 50-80 kids in some classrooms. No books or teaching materials. The teachers were mostly unqualified. “Sticking” or beating kids was the norm. Learning consisted of memorization and rote recital.
The villagers that had nothing were giving me lavish meals. They would sit back and not eat. Insisting only that you partake of whatever they had.
I decided I could help.
In 2011 I returned to Kilimanjaro with the first Climb for a Child mission.