The Kilimanjaro team are back after an amazing trip.
Unfortunately, I didn't make it to the top - I got to 5200m before altitude sickness got the better of me! Two got to Gilman's point at 5700m & the other 8 all got to the very top - a fantastic achievement! We all found the altitude a lot tougher than we expected, but it was well worth all the effort - the bus will make a real difference to the schoolchildren that we met.
If you would like to see some photos of our trip go to
http://www.christchurch-hernebay.info/kilimanjaro
Do please keep giving, as we need another 7000 UK Pounds to collectively reach our target.
MANY THANKS FOR ALL THE SPONSORSHIP THAT WE HAVE RECIEVED SO FAR - IT WILL MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE TO THOSE YOUNG AFRICANS.
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Many thanks for visiting this page, and I do hope you will consider supporting this project. The aim is to help many children in the outskirts of Nairobi slums who cannot get safely to school to have a chance of an education by providing a school bus, and to enable more school places for Kenyan children by building additional classrooms.
This fundraising challenge is being carried out jointly between local Africans from Church Army Africa, including 2 teachers from the school in Nairobi , and a team from the UK.
The 8 day challenge is to climb Uhuru Peak, Kilimanjaro, the highest point of the African continent at 5,895m above sea level. The air is pretty thin up Kilimanjaro and the trek involves tough long days handling the heat of the African sun and the freezing temperatures of the snow capped peak. Our approach trail to the summit will follow the remote Rongai Route on the Kenyan side and we will then descend via the better known Marangu Route on the Tanzanian side.
I can't wait ...
- to visit the primary school and see the children who will benefit from the money we raise.
- to see Kilimanjaro from the plains of Kenya (& hopefully see the plains from the peak!).
I am dreading ...
- any creepy crawlies, especially spiders in my tent.
- altitude sickness, apparently the worst hangover you can imagine.
The real challenge is to raise GBP40,000 towards a new school bus and classrooms for a school set up by Church Army Africa 10 years ago.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure and can be completely anonymous too if you wish - just enter Anon when asked for a display name. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Church Army Africa will receive your money (via Church Army, UK) faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
If you wish to support this project please click on SPONSOR ME NOW or PAY ON COMPLETION above to make your donation. For more info and background on the project read on.
Many thanks for your support :-)
Louise Tam
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MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE SCHOOL BUS PROJECT (written by Steve Maina who heads up the project in Nairobi)
The school (called the Church Army Academy) is set in a densely populated, generally low-income neighbourhood characterised by slum settlement. It is aimed at providing good education as well as training leaders who will transform the continent of Africa. It now has about 250 students.
In 2003 the Kenyan Government introduced free primary education in all public schools. While this gives an opportunity to needy children to get an education, it suffers from crowded classrooms and teachers find that they do not have the capacity to cope with the rapid growth. A typical class in the public school has an average of 60 students per teacher. The quality of education is therefore compromised and the specific needs of the children are not addressed. Church Army Academy offers the same system of education but with an average 16-20 students per teacher.
The academy is privately run and therefore does not receive Government funding. However, the academy is able to meet much of its total running costs through the school fees paid in by parents. It is committed to serve low income and poor families, and therefore will not load capital developments on the parents nor borrow money, which would eventually be a load on the families.
The rest of the money is raised through generous donations from churches, organisations and individuals. Though the pupils are supposed to pay fees, this is not always the case because some parents are too poor. A benevolence fund named "Kitty for the Needy" assists those who need it. Just GBP225 covers education for one pupil for a year. But more than just education,the academy provides nutritious meals and drinks for every child. For many children, this may be the only nutritious meal they get in a day.
Due its position, most children either take public transport or walk to the school. Because of the dense population, the roads are very busy making it dangerous for children to cross the roads along their way. The unemployment rate in Kenya is steadily on the rise resulting in increase of crime and the area is recorded to have one of the highest crime rates in Narobi. The children are exposed to crime as potential victims or are lured into it.
If the academy were to provide a school bus for transport these challenges would be addressed. The parents would be assured of their children's safety on the roads, safety from crime and drugs and cheaper transport. The bus would obviously make the school accessible to all students. School transport would be open to students at a discounted rate and for free for those supported by the bursary fund.
We propose to get a new 29-seater bus that is fitted with safety belts and a speed governor at a cost of GBP20,370. In addition the remaining funds raised will go towards building additional classrooms to help meet the increasing demands for school places.
Please support us in getting this bus and helping the children in the city of Nairobi get the education they so badly want.
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Please sponsor me. It will give me great encouragement to complete the challenge.
Louise Tam
Raised:
54%
Raised so far: £1,620.00
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Hope you had a wonderful time Lou and didn't need any physiotherapy Donation by Steve and Jane Travis on 24/03/06 |
£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid |
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Well done and happy birthday Donation by Rosemary Cottrell on 22/03/06 |
£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid |
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Well done for getting so far up the mountain. Donation by James Craw on 18/03/06 |
£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid |
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From Uncle Peter and family - good luck and all the best Donation by Sweetlot Co., Ltd on 02/03/06 |
£300.00 |
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Go girl, go! God's blessings be upon you Donation by Richard & Fay on 21/02/06 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
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Just a little more Donation by Roderick De'Ath on 16/02/06 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
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Donation by Kate on 16/02/06 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
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good luck! we're going to miss you so come home safe. Donation by Adrian on 16/02/06 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
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Good luck. I would be most interested to hear about it as I hope to do the same trek in August. Donation by As above on 15/02/06 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
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Looking forward to hearing all about it and seeing the photo's - best of luck! xx Donation by Lisa and Ian on 07/02/06 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
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Donation by anon on 03/02/06 |
£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid |
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Just another little boost Donation by Roderick De'Ath on 28/01/06 |
£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid |
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Take plenty of plasters for the blisters! (You're braver than Gill dealing with the creepy crawlies) Donation by Andrew & Gillian Fearon on 19/01/06 |
£40.00 + £11.28 Gift Aid |
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What an adventure..Good luck! Donation by Caro on 08/01/06 |
£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid |
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Have a good 1 at 5,895 and Happy 40! Donation by Sam, Emma + Aimee on 07/01/06 |
£40.00 + £11.28 Gift Aid |
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Wish I could come with you! All the best! Donation by Julia on 18/12/05 |
£50.00 |
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Go for it! Donation by Paul and Stella on 11/12/05 |
£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid |
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Bring me some SNOW back !! Donation by Dad on 01/12/05 |
£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid |
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Have a fantastic time, and masses of luck! Donation by Sarah Mole on 28/11/05 |
£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid |
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Here's to celebrating 40 in style! Wish I was coming too but moving country is enough for us for now Donation by Sue and David Pepper on 26/11/05 |
£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid |
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Wishing you every success Donation by Julia & Ian Burley on 23/11/05 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
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Yay!! You go girl!!!!!! Donation by Sarah Smith (also aged 40!) on 22/11/05 |
£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid |
| * Total raised online: | £1,160.00 |
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| Offline donations: | £460.00 |
| Mobile donations: | £0.00 |
| Total Raised: | £1,620.00 |
| Gift Aid plus supplement: | £228.46 |
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