So what are you climbing for? Or, if you’re not climbing, what are you donating for? As we said in our previous blog, proceeds from the Climb for Kenya on Saturday the 23rd of August will go towards supporting our Stronger Women, Stronger Communities strategy in the Londiani region in Kenya. But what does that mean?
The short answer is that if the lives of Londiani women improve, everyone benefits. The more detailed response is that Stronger Women, Stronger Communities means: helping to reduce mortality rates in mothers and under fives; keeping girls in school longer; eliminating harmful practices like female genital mutilation; improving access to key services; and improving the quality of those services. This will enable women to establish sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families. And that, in turn, will create stronger, resilient communities. Everyone benefits.

Stronger Women, Stronger Communities is also the underlying theme that ties together so many of the initiatives you may have read about in these blogs in recent months and years. Girls For Girls brings sanitary wear to girls who therefore don’t have to miss school while menstruating (and when they get to school, our Healthy Schools programme aims to make the environment they learn in cleaner and safer). Alternative Rites celebrates girls’ journey into adulthood without subjecting them to the horror of circumcision. We help to supply programmes for healthcare professionals and community training systems that offer a strong focus on family planning, maternal health and HIV/STI prevention. We also focus on improving the community response to perinatal emergencies. Even the smokeless stoves programme is relevant because it means women can spend less time collecting wood.

Which means that not only can you feel delighted at having made it to the end of a challenging climb leading to a fantastic view but you can also congratulate yourself on improving, and possibly even extending, the lives of the women of Londiani. Not bad for a day’s work, eh?

So, yet again, do consider signing up (at mountainchallenge@friendsoflondiani.com or 021 462 1748 or 087 280 5672), or donating. Some people very far away who may never have the chance to scale those peaks or see those sights will be very grateful that you did.