On Friday October 8th at 9.45am, following 5 days of climbing out in the African wildnerness and a painfully long night of scrambling up volcanic shingle in a bitter -21 degree gale, we finally made it! An extremely exhausted and utterly frozen Reuters 2005 Kilimanjaro team reached the summit of Africa's highest mountain.

We are incredibly grateful for all the pledges and donations we have received to-date. But what is more important, the African villagers of Mumbwi that we visited were a real testimony for how our fundraising efforts can really touch lives in a very meaningful way.

Saud (left) is one of the children who has already been on the receiving end of a Habitat for Humanity house. Arima's (right) parents, unfortunately, are still awaiting their turn on the village waiting list. For the time being she will still sleep on a dirt floor in their hut made of mud covered with cow dung, at great risk from the infected ticks and mosquitos that live in the walls, enter through unscreened windows, and spreading diseases like malaria and yellow fever. With no access to proper sanitation, sysentry, diarrhoea and typhoid are just a feature of their every day lives.

Reuters intends to send volunteer teams to Africa this year to work on Habitat for Humanity house build projects. If you would like to know more about how the funds raised are to be put to use, please contact kellylavelle@onetel.com. Many thanks for your support.