Today I am reaching out to you as I am a few days away from my adventure to Kilimanjaro. I’ll hike the Lemosho route for 8 days to reach Uhuru peak (5,895 meters- 19,341 ft) and raise funds for a Lebanese Charity called Krystel El Adm Foundation (KEAF). My better half Thomas has trained hard to piggyback me if my hiking boots get too tired. My amazing employer Edrington (via Giving More International) will double match the funds I raise so feel free to contribute whatever you can afford! There is nothing called ‘small’ when we pull together!

KEAF aims at giving underprivileged children in Lebanon the opportunity to discover and unleash their full potential, teaching them how to unlock a better and brighter future. It was created to honour the memory of Krystel El Adm who died as a result of the devastating explosion in Beirut Port on the 4th of Aug 2020.

Krystel was an ESSEC alumni, just like me, and after a number of years abroad she had decided to go back home and help the children in her country.

Every day I think about this young woman I never met but I certainly bumped into in a corridor at ESSEC. We share trajectories and passions: the benches of our business school, our Middle East, the expatriation, our wonder for kids’ potential and our hope for better days… and I feel a responsibility to help with the hard work she started and didn’t get a chance to continue because of our crazy world.

A sincere thank you to all of you supporting the initiative.

See you after the climb!

Flo

More about the situation in Lebanon:

The struggle of Lebanese children is endless. Over the past 3 years they have been hit by a global pandemic, a devastating explosion, and the worst financial crisis that the world has ever seen.

More than 80% of the population is now living in poverty and deprived from the basic needs. The Lebanese educational system has also collapsed as children are being forced to drop out of school, and schools no longer able to offer a sustainable and healthy learning environment.