Imagine getting on your motorcycle and riding 18,000 kilometres to the bottom of one of the world’s most infamous mountains, only to get off and start hiking up its peak. Two men from Edmonton did just that and it was all in the name of a worthy cause co-founded by St. Albert native Quentin Ranson.
Mike Maiani and Axel Hallbauer, an adventurous duo by most standards, left in April on the two-month road trip of a lifetime. When they arrived at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania on July 12, they had already passed through 16 countries and crossed four continents. Then they had to strap on their hiking boots and spend several days with 16 other climbers ascending to the top of Africa’s highest peak almost six kilometres tall.
Their efforts were to promote Hands Across Africa, a non-profit venture that brings aid and attention to the Amani Children’s Home (at the mountain’s base) and the Orphanage for the Needy and Disadvantaged in Moyamba, Sierra Leone. Since 2004 the organization has developed these kinds of joint travel expeditions and humanitarian adventures, bringing in more than $100,000 along the way.
Catherine Jones, who co-founded the group with Ranson in 2004, was thrilled with the grand display of support. Many charities have to create these kinds of involved events to get attention and it’s tough to find a solid focus that captures more people’s interests.
“Lots of times people look for great big huge successes and have 40 million people following you. There’s lots of people that do things for Africa. I think the awareness now is quite flooded in the market. We’ve been there … and got to know the people there that are actually running the orphanage and putting in the schools and trying to make a difference. They’re people that we’ve learned to trust.”
Jones didn’t make the climb this time but remembers her own experience vividly.
“Oh my god,” she exclaimed. “It is classified as a hike and it is very doable for sure for an average hiker. What gets you is the altitude. It just messes you up. Most people are affected by it one way or another, some worse than others of course.”
She said that the decreasing levels of oxygen make some people feel drunk, making a celebratory toast at the summit mostly unnecessary. In fact, many successful climbers don’t even want to hang around and enjoy the view.
“You get to the top and you’re thinking, ‘Get me off of this place’. It’s just not a pleasant feeling. You look forward to getting down.”
All of the funds raised go to the two projects with members paying for their own travel and other expenses.
The group is trying to make the Mt. Kilimanjaro climb an annual event. In the meantime, a subsequent trip back to the site to undertake a community work project is being scheduled for fall 2011.
For more information, please visit www.handsacrossafrica.org.
