This time, the Yes Man philosophy may actually kill me - I've agreed to climb 3 volcanoes and walk a volcanic lake in 4 days, to support the children at the 3 schools I work with in rural Ecuador. In total, I will be climbing to over 16 kilometres above sea level in 4 days, then back to work on Monday with my little ones for the start of term.

 

I am not as young as I was.

 

I am not as fit as I was.

 

I am as terrified of heights as I always was.

 

BUT

 

I look at what the money will do for these children and these facts pale into insignificance. They live in unbelievably hard conditions, work in the fields on the sides of volcanoes before and after school, but are still so eager to learn, so eager to better themselves through education, so what else can I do?

 

So I will be starting this challenge on 19th August - see here for more details - http://gviphoenix.blogspot.com/2011/06/otavalenan-3-peak-charity-challenge.html. I need to try and raise £2000. This money will go directly to supporting the 7th graders who have just finished primary school in Larcacunga (literally "Throat of the Rivers" in Kichwa, the local language) - their names are Aldina, Paola, Felix, Jesus, Jhordy, and Jefferson, and without this support, they will not be able to go to secondary school - it costs $150 per child per year here, so we do need to raise as much as we can! Also, we are raising money to build a kitchen to provide clean hot meals and a place to eat to our children in Huairapungo, at nearly 10,000 ft, our highest (and coldest!) school.

 

I have been getting up at 5.15 AM every day for 4 months now training for this, as well as trying (sometimes successfully) to scale some of the lower mountains and volcanoes here. Also, I have been running an average of 20k per week at altitude to train my beleaguered lungs!

 

For anyone who knows me, you know this will be a real challenge. But you also know that working with these kids has changed my life forever. Now please help me to return the favour to these kids!

 

 

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