Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to Empower Youth
Young people are the future and are fundamental to providing better societies.
The Kilimanjaro Initiative (KI) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) formed to address the problems of youth in the urban areas of East Africa. It aims to do so by providing young people with opportunities that will enable them to take on a constructive role in their communities.
The initiative, as its name indicates, is inspired by Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free standing mountain in the world. Every year, the KI organizes an ascent of the giant sleeping volcano, bringing together youths and community stakeholders from around the world. The climbs are a way of raising awareness of some of the problems confronted by young people and to collect funds for community-based projects aimed at youth empowerment.
2009
In February 2009, a KI team of 35 climbers, 15 guides and 50 porters again climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, this time under the United Nations banner of ‘UNite to Combat CLIMATE CHANGE’. KI recognizes that global warming can severely affect the social fabrics and infrastructures of our communities, through extreme weather conditions and related migration flows.
"This year’s climb will highlight – with the melting ice of Mount Kilimanjaro as a backdrop – how global warming has a direct impact on the living conditions of individuals and communities throughout the world" Mr. Wilfred Lemke, Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary General on Sport for Development and Peace. Read Mr. Lemke's complete statement (pdf).
2010
The climb for 2010 is scheduled to take place from 1 - 5 March. There will be approximately 40 climbers, including youth from Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, and representatives from the private and public sector. Recognizing that 2010 is an important year for sports, with the World Cup coming to the African continent for the first time, the goal of the climbers will be to highlight how sport is such an important tool for development.
Sport not only has the power to bring people together, it can help provide focus and affect change in the community. For example, the sport field that KI has upgraded in Kibera, Nairobi, has turned a hot spot of criminal activities into safe urban space where youth can play sports. Moreover, the sport field has been used as a platform, through sport tournaments and cultural events, to promote positive and constructive attitudes.
2010 will be an important year for KI, as it looks to continue the upgarding of the sports field in Kibera and develop similar processes in other parts of the Kenyan capital. After opening its offices in Nairobi in 2009, KI is confident it now has a platform to engage and assist an increasing number of youth to become agents of positive change in the community.
Watch this space!!!