UhuruPeak.com

DP World moved to help a young boy in the UAE suffering from debilitating rheumatoid arthritis begin a new chapter in his life on Wednesday.

As part of its “Moving Lives” programme, Executive Vice Chairman of the global port operator, Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah, presented a cheque for Dh40,000 to seven-year-old Mazhar Atef and his family through the Emirates Arthritis Foundation to fund treatment of his disease.

Mazhar suffers from crippling rheumatoid arthritis which severely impacts his ability to participate in education and normal childhood activities. Continue Reading…

Monday, 4.30pm - A GENEROUS woman has raised more than £10,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, after watching a close family member struggle with the disease.
Caroline Mills, 26, of Swayfield, began fund-raising after a relative was diagnosed just over two years ago.

She said: “Over the last two years I have swum the Dalmatian Coast, held a 007 James Bond Ball on the River Thames in London, held various cake sales, car boot sales and auctions, and done a 13,500ft skydive.

“I’ve now set myself a new goal for 2008 - to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with a close friend of mine, who sadly lost her grandfather to the disease.”

Caroline and friend Ellie Caldecott, who lives in London, will take on the mountain in October, and the pair hope to raise £10,000 in sponsorship.

They will climb to the 5,896m high summit of Uhuru, trekking for up to 12 hours a day for six days through dense jungle, rock and glaciers.

Caroline said: “This is most definitely the biggest challenge I have taken on and never thought I’d give something like this a go,
both in terms of raising funds and physical strength.

“I believe that it’s hugely important to remain positive and I’m not the kind of person who is able to stand by and do nothing.

“For me, the fund-raising gives me something positive to channel my energy into and it’s a great way to help other people while keeping me busy and keeping me fit.”
Sponsor Caroline and Ellie at www.justgiving.com/carolineclimbskili

Caroline has organised a Valentine’s ball and auction on Saturday, February 16, at Nottingham Racecourse, to raise money for the charity.

To book tickets, at £20 each, call Caroline on 07825 802786 or email: mills.caroline@btinternet.com
She will arrange for a coach to and from Grantham if there is enough demand.

* Have you raised lots of money for a charity? Click here to tell us about it.

USA Today, the national newspaper with a circulation of over 3,000,000, released its prestigious list of the Hottest Travel Trends for 2008 on January 11, 2008. Tanzania’s famed Mt. Kilimanjaro sweeps the newspaper’s “Exotic Adventures” category. This highly competitive list was compiled with extensive input from travel experts.“I’m hearing more people say ‘I want to climb (Tanzania’s) Mt. Kilimanjaro now, while it still has glaciers,” Marian Marbury, owner of the woman-only” Adventures in Good Company” is quoted as explaining one reason why the mythic mountain is considered a particularly desirable Exotic Adventure this year. Continue Reading…

Mustapha Atef is a seven-year-old Egyptian boy who, like his friends, loves to play – but because of a devastating disability, he can’t. Severe rheumatoid arthritis means Mustapha cannot even put his own shoes on.

If he tries, it takes him more than an hour due to his severely inflamed joints. Rheumatoid arthritis can result in deformity, disability and sometimes death. Medication for the disease can cost dhs70,000 – a sum that is too high for Mustapha’s family to afford.

Continue Reading…

“SUPERGRAN” Elizabeth Stones has a new challenge ahead of her - she is going to trek across the Sahara desert to raise money for charity.

The grandmother-of-six has become a legend in her own lifetime thanks to her ceaseless fundraising work for the children’s charity, MedEquip4Kids.

On February 23 she will set off on her latest adventure - a nine day trip across one of the world’s most inhospitable regions. Continue Reading…

VAIL, Colorado — A craving for adventure is what brought five locals to plan a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro. But a passion to help has them doing more than climbing.

“I love kids, and I think it will be such a life-altering experience to go over there and help these kids and see how they live,” said Janeil Turnbull.

Turnbull and Carol Gallegos will volunteer at an orphanage and a youth center in Tanzania for several days during the trip. They are also bringing toys and coats for people in the impoverished area. Continue Reading…

PLYMOUTH - Approaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro last summer, the Rev. Mally Lloyd couldn’t help wondering what seven hard days of hiking had wrought.

There, atop the highest point in Africa, Lloyd found little of the peace and solitude she envisioned as she planned her sabbatical from Christ Church Parish Episcopal in Plymouth. Rather, dozens of parka-clad adventurers like her stood clustered about the frigid summit, jostling for the best photo opportunities.

Lloyd got her photo, but spent most of her chilly time atop Africa wandering about the edges of the summit, taking in the expansive views and pondering the big picture of creation. Continue Reading…

From February 3 to 15, three St. Laurent residents will travel to Tanzania and begin their ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro. They will go on this incredible expedition with nine other climbers with one goal in mind: raise $50,000 for the Enfant-Retour Québec network.

Enfant-Retour Québec co-founder Marcèle Lamarche thought of this idea on December 1st 2006. Two days before her birthday, she decided to give herself a present. “It needed to be a real challenge that would give my training more meaning and that could also help Enfant-Retour.

Then, I remembered this trip one of my friends took to the Kilimanjaro,” she told. First, she asked her husband, Yves Beauchesne, and he agreed to go on this adventure with her. The couple spent most of 2007 holding information meetings in order to find other people willing to come along. Word of mouth did the rest.

A long way to go Continue Reading…

Growing up in the shadow of Africa’s Mt. Kilimanjaro, humanitarian Greg Mortenson learned from his missionary parents how to help people in need: Build schools and hospitals for them.

From 1958 to 1973, Greg watched as his father, Dempsey Mortenson, founded and became development director of the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center. His mother, Dr. Jerene Mortenson, founded the International School Moshi there in 1972.

Later, she also headed up schools in this country, specifically here in River Falls. Continue Reading…