We’re back from Harambee and, we hope you’ll agree, a great deal of progress has been made: the installation of more smokeless stoves, the advances in the healthy schools programmes and the life skills courses are just a few of many areas where our July Harambee team, together with Friends of Londiani Kenya  and the people of the region, are making a difference. Now we want to maintain that momentum. That means people over here supporting efforts over there – and enjoying some thrilling scenery while they do.

We’re referring, of course, to the Climb for Kenya, aka the Friends of Londiani Mountain Challenge on Saturday the 23rd of August. This involves climbing the highest mountain in one of the four provinces. Which one is up to you and where in Ireland you live but rest assured, if you join us you’ll be part of a team, working with experienced guides. You’ll also be able to enjoy some of the finest views on offer in an island blessed with quite a lot of them.

But the aim is not just to enjoy a great view or to get some exercise. It’s also to raise money, firstly by asking participants for a sign-up fee of €50, but also via donations at mycharity.ie (from next week, we’ll be taking text donations too; details, as they say, to follow).

All proceeds from the event will go towards supporting our Stronger Women, Stronger Communities strategy in the Londiani region in Kenya. We’ll describe this in more detail during the next blog but suffice it to say for now that our efforts to improve women’s health and education are making a difference – and we would like them to go on making a difference.

So please sign up (at mountainchallenge@friendsoflondiani.com or 021 462 1748 or 087 280 5672), or donate – or both! And please do encourage friends to do the same. This is, after all, a chance to experience some of the most breathtaking sights in all Ireland in a very good cause.