Climbing for a Cause

It’s not very often in our daily lives that we are presented with an opportunity to do something truly selfless. To do something for no other reason but to better the lives of others, some we may not even know.

That is when a few brave women decided not to wait for an opportunity to arrive, but instead to create one by organizing one massive expedition. One that took them on an epic journey to climb to the highest peak in all of Africa to raise money and awareness for those victimized by human trafficking.

They called it “The Freedom Climb.” Forty-eight women from across the world embarked on the journey of a lifetime as they prepared to scale the largest freestanding mountain in the world!

After months of preparation and planning, the team assembled in Kenya to start their climb. For those of us unfamiliar with the particulars of mountain climbing, it is a multi-day ordeal with lots of climbing then descending only to climb again. The reason for this tedious process is to let your body acclimate to the thinner air you experience at higher altitudes. The main concern when ascending mountains isn’t injury, fatigue or even hypothermia, but altitude sickness.

Quick Facts about Mt. Kilmanjaro:

• It’s located in Tanzania and borders Southern Kenya
• Uhuru Peak is the highest summit at 19,341ft
• “Uhuru” literally translated to the word “Freedom”
• It is the tallest point in all of Africa

Although Mt. Kilimanjaro is located on part of Tanzania’s National Park, I assure you it is far from any walk in the park we might be familiar with. It is a serious challenge requiring complete mental and physical dedication. And yet, a group of mostly inexperienced women took a leap of faith and defied gravity by ascending to the top.

It just goes to show what you can accomplish when you combine determination with a worthy cause.

Below is an interview with Kristy Allen, one of the climbers who summited all 19,341ft of the mighty mountain and was kind enough to share some of her experiences with us in a ClearlyFiltered exclusive!
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VIDEO – “The Freedom Climb” Interview with Kristy Allen

For more information about Operation Mobilization and The Freedom Climb you can visit them on Facebook at Facebook.com/freedomclimb or on their website www.thefreedomclimb.net

Wanna get your hands on your own filtered water bottle like the ones the Freedom Climbers use? Check out www.clearlyfiltered.com/products/filtered-water-bottle/