Mt. Kilimanjaro - Tanzania, Africa 19,341 feet / 5985 meters
Expedition Date: December 11, 2013 - December 19, 2013
Summit Attempt: December 17, 2013 - SUCCESSFUL!!
Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain in the world. Over 50,000 people set out to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro every year but more than half will have to turn around due to weather or their own physical limitations. Although not a technical mountain, a hike up Kilimanjaro can last from 5-8 days and gain up to 12,000 feet in altitude. What many of the 50,000 climbers will never see are the basic challenges that their local guides and the people of Tanzania face everyday. In our modern world we can forget that in countries like Tanzania a glass of clean drinking water is something over 50% of the population never see and an education beyond middle school is a luxury most families cannot afford.Together we can change that!
THE CHALLENGES
Clean Drinking Water:
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In all of Tanzania only 3 cities provide a continuous water supply.
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21 million people do not have access to safe drinking water.
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Over 10,000 children die every year from water-borne illness.
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Often water sources are shared with livestock and contaminated by toilet runoff
Education:
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2003, public education mandated tuition free by Tanzania government.
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Extreme teacher shortage. Ratio of up to 60:1.
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3% of Tanzanian students have their own Reading and Math textbooks.
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Only 50% of students will make it to Secondary School (High School)
THE CHARITIES
charity : water is a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. 160 projects have already been funded in Tanzania serving over 70,000 people.
Tanzania Education Fund: There have been many improvements in the Tanzania education system in the last decade. Although free, public schooling does not provide the resources or teaching environment students need for success. Only 50% of students will make it to Secondary School. The basic needs of transportation, electricity, and school supplies are not being met.
