Next July, I will take on the challenge of a lifetime: climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, to support children’s literacy. Rising 5,895 metres above sea level, this nine-day trek will push me physically and mentally, but every step is for something bigger — helping children learn to read.

At the end of my 49-year career in international development, I am taking on one more major project - to raise as much as I can to support the work of CODE, minimum 5000 dollars and hopefully much more, by participating in a sponsored climb of Kilimanjaro.

Across Sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 90% of children cannot read and understand a simple text by age 10. Without this most basic skill, their futures are constrained before they have even begun. There is no stronger predictor of success in life than the ability to read. That’s why I’m climbing — for children’s futures and their right to learn.

Literacy is not only a fundamental skill necessary for allowing options for individual children, but also necessary basic skill to address the growing inequalities in our world today. Without basic literacy skills to navigate our interconnect world, fundamental inequality will continue to grow reversing the progress that had been made over the last century.

I hope you’ll support me in reaching my fundraising goal of $5,000!