what’s your kilimanjaro?
Anyone who has done the Sublime Point Walking Track knows how gruelling the incline can be. Imagine doing it 20 times in a week. Now imagine 20 times in a day. 'What's Your Kilimanjaro' began two years ago when one Austinmer local, Andrew' Wadey' Wade, was challenged to use 'what's in his hands'. It's a mantra that the Forever Projects community, a local non-profit, is centred around. It comes from a belief that every person has something in their hands worth contributing that can make a change in the lives of others. Core to the Forever Projects belief is that charity isn't something you do on the periphery – it's part of who you are. It might be a hobby or an interest, it might be a business, it might be money, or like Wadey, it could even be your love of scaling the escarpment in your backyard.
So in 2018, Wadey set out to climb Sublime Point 20 times in a week. Doing this achieves the equivalent elevation of Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. He did this to create a connection to the work of Forever Projects he was raising money for in Tanzania.
Forever Projects empowers women in some of the world's most challenging circumstances to live with dignity and hope. This makes it possible for them to provide strong homes for their children to thrive.
As Wadey scaled up and down the 300m elevation two to three times a day, about 60 others were inspired to walk with him out of solidarity. Others backed him by giving to the cause. After one week he raised $13,500. And after being matched by his workplace, Tibra Capital Foundation, the result of that effort was $27,000!
Wadey's impact was only just beginning.
The next year, Wadey was able to take his whole family to Tanzania. They could see where every single dollar of his supporter's generosity went, thanks to a Core Community who funds Forever Project's overhead costs.
After seeing the life-changing impact firsthand, he had to do it again. This time he asked others to join him. 221 people did. Together, they climbed the equivalent of Mt Kilimanjaro 68 times, raising over $150,000!
One of those people was John Rosenzweig, who completed all 20 laps in just 14 hours straight. After scaling the tenth lap, he told us, "I am struggling big time right now. Everyone has been really generous, not just with words of encouragement but financially getting behind me as well. That's spurred me on. I haven't been on my feet this long before, so that keeps me going. It's exciting to see all that money come in and know it's going straight to the project in Tanzania."
Others shared the load. When we asked Bel and Tania, why they decided to complete the 20 laps in one day together, they said, "We wanted to create a challenge for us. We didn't want the option of doing it over a few days because the families we're supporting in Tanzania don't have many options. So we wanted to empathise with them. It's tough but very worthwhile."
As people looked in on these brave and generous people doing something epic in a tiny corner of the world, others wanted to get involved too.
So this month, the ripples that Wadey created two years ago, are spreading. From October 12-18, people are finding their own Kilimanjaro in places all over the world. And not just walking, but cycling, running, or doing 5895 push- ups – one for every meter of elevation. As others hear about the people using what's in their hands, it inspires them to do something inspiring.
The solidarity of challenging themselves to empower the vulnerable is even more powerful this year. While we all undergo significant changes, people are using this challenge to support people who are more affected, and to help build their resilience. Our community are bravely stepping up to create the change they all care about.
If you’d like to get involved and do your bit with ‘what’s in your hands,’ head to mykilimanjaro.org for more info, and follow along here.
“We wanted to create a challenge for us. We didn’t want the option of doing it over a few days because the families we’re supporting in Tanzania don’t have many options. So we wanted to empathise with them. It’s tough but very worthwhile”