3 Peaks in 3 Weeks

An all-ladies exhibition climbing team is gearing to climb the three largest African peaks within three weeks. After two years of preparation, the team will begin climbing Mount Kenya, which stands at 5200 metres, on January 6 in the new year.

Australian Chloe Chick is the brainchild behind the 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Challenge, with the team made up of eight Australians and two American women.

Chloe came up with the idea when she was travelling in Africa with her boyfriend James in 2004. She said: „There are organisations in Africa who are having a positive and immediate affect on the communities. They need to be supported and encouraged.“

The 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Challenge is raising money for three of the most important issues in Africa at this time – the environment, HIV/AIDS and education. Chloe told The Epoch Times: „One hundred per cent of all donations go to the three causes we are climbing for. Not one cent of any donation goes to admin or expedition costs. Each member of the team have committed to this cause by personally contributing over $10,000 to this event.“

The team members come from different backgrounds and professions. There is a speech therapist, a park ranger, two teachers, an account manager and a pediatric occupational therapist to name a few. When asked about her concerns, Chloe said: „Mainly altitude. The whole team has trained very hard for this expedition and we are prepared physically, but we cannot control who will be affected by altitude – it can hit anyone at anytime. The thing about 3 Peaks is that we are not climbers, or extreme endurance athletes, the idea was to take a group of everyday women to achieve this challenge.“

„I grew up in Armidale, NSW, and have been living in London for the past two years. The whole community in Armidale has really got behind this event, which is great. We have climbers from Wagga, Warren, Armidale and Sydney, and all the communities have supported this. My family has been great and they have never doubted this in any way.“

The donations will be benefiting organisations like SIC, The Laikipia Wildlife Forum, The School of St Jude and Save the Rhino International (SRI).

SIC is a non-governmental organisation committed to limiting the impact of HIV/AIDS in northern Tanzania. The Laikipia Wildlife Forum, based in Nanyuki, Kenya, works to conserve the integrity of the Laikipia ecosystem by creatively managing the natural resources, thereby improving the livelihoods of its people. The School of St Jude educates the poorest of children through sponsorships. The school opened in 2002 with three students and now has 700 students. And SRI is committed to ensuring the survival of the rhinoceros species in the wild.

The 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Challenge hopes to raise $500,000. Currently, they have received $220,000 in donations and hope more people will be able to see the great benefit this will have on the people of Africa and contribute anything they can.

The first climb is Mount Kenya, then to Mount Meru in Tanzinia and the final climb of the journey is Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, also known as „The roof of Africa“.

For more information on this event please visit www.3peaks3weeks.org.

(The Epoch Times)