Founders of a Tanzanian school built with funding from the Lindsay Leigh Kimmett Memorial Foundation and the Rotary Club of Cochrane are asking for help in keeping the school running through a trip of a lifetime.
Laurence and Leesha Mafaru of Boma Africa – the company that organized the 2013 Mount Kilimanjaro climb, which helped fund the building of the kindergarten school house – are hosting the climb once again with a new route in January 2016 to raise the $6,000 needed to run the school for a year.
The trip will be a six-day climb along the Umbwe route, followed by a visit to the village of Mto wa Mbu and a day at the school; an optional three-day wildlife safari or three-day trip to the mysterious island of Zanzibar is also available. The climb will cost $2,500, while the safari is $1,175 and the Zanzibar excursion is $1,400. Participants will be asked to fundraise or donate a minimum of $500.
This year’s trip will see climbers camping along the mountain’s ancient crater, the last visible vestige of Kilimanjaro’s volcanic past. Setting up camp within the crater, two hours from the summit, will put climbers in close proximity to further explore the glaciers.
“People of all ages can climb Kilimanjaro, different levels of physical fitness so you don’t need any a special training or skills,” Leesha said.
“It’s a climb for anybody; it’s not a technical climb. The pace is very slow because there is a lot of altitude change.”
Leesha said that the sheer contrasts of the different areas contributes to the uniqueness of the trip.
“First you’re in a village, then you go through the rain forest; as you get higher it gets more sparse, and then at the top there’s a glacier, so it’s really cool that way.”
Tents and hot meals will be provided, which Leesha said is all the more welcome in the cold mountain environment.
“Everyone is always amazed with the food on the mountain because you’re out in the middle of nowhere climbing up the mountain and you get to camp and get this hot meal.” Food includes porridge, eggs, toast, fruits, veggies, hot soup, coffee and tea.
Each climber will have a support crew of two. Laurence said the crew is well experienced, having worked with them for the past five years in his company Boma Africa and some of them before he started Boma.
After descent, climbers will be treated to a Tanzanian meal at a restaurant in the town of Moshi.
The school is has been open since January with 25 children attending kindergarten and one teacher on staff. Leesha said they’re looking to expand to a second classroom since students already enrolled are moving on to Grade 1.
Other plans include upgrades to the water pump which supplies water to the school and building a playground for the children.
“Without the support for our community here, we can’t continue to run the school. When people contribute, it really does make a tangible difference to those kids, because otherwise they won’t be attending school,” Leesha said.
In 2013, money raised from Lindsay Kimmett Memorial Foundation allowed for the construction of the school and garden. The Rotary Club of Cochrane also donated, which provided the funding for the water project. Laurence said contributing to something like the school has a lasting impact that will continue well past the first class of graduates.
“It means a lot to them. It’s not like candy that you give to them and they eat and go. It’s something that will stay there. After them there will be more kids who attend.”
Those interested should book at least a month before the trip.
For more information, call 780-904-5895, email [email protected] or visit bomafrica.com.
