CLIMBING KILIMANJARO - TANZANIA - THE TALLEST FREE STANDING MOUNTAIN IN THE WORLD - TO RAISE FUNDS FOR ASANTE AFRICA FOUNDATION

2 great friends, both South African who met and currently live in Westport, Connecticut take on this monumental peak! As our departure for Kilimanjaro draws near and we prepare for the final stretch of training (5 sessions per week, 3 strength, 2 cardio, walk-walk-walk) we are once again reminded of our enormous privilege to fulfil our goals and dreams.

With this privilege comes an acute sense of responsibility to ensure we do our part in helping others strive for the same.

Dream, Reach, Prepare … GO FOR IT!

Underpinning our mission to summit Kili in 8days, preferably in one piece, untouched by altitude sickness despite training at sea level (we may have mentioned we are dreamers…) and smiling through rain forest, moorland, semi desert, alpine desert and arctic terrain at 20,000ft above sea level, we have thoughtfully chosen to support a local Tanzanian business, DiscoverTZ to see us summit. Working closely with owner & Asante Africa alumni Albert Jumbe, to help us conquer this magnificent mountain and furthermore raise funds & awareness for Asante Africa Foundation, an East African Education for Youth NGO, https://asanteafrica.org.

I (Shan) am honoured to sit on the Global Development Council of this small yet highly impactful organisation that arms our children with the tools & skills to action their passions & dreams through accessible education, mentorship & community based support. This incredible platform is made possible through your generous contributions. As a sponsor of Lailatu (a high school freshman) I am immensely passionate about the work delivered by Asante Africa and have been fortunate to witness first hand, in person the positive impact our contributions continue to have on these young lives. 

Little by little fills the bucket. A Swahili proverb 

Please help us do just that! 

Please DONATE on this page or directly to the Asante Africa website via link - 

We feel incredibly lucky to not only have the opportunity to experience the thrill of this beautiful place but also support the children & communities that house this natural wonder, Kilimanjaro! We will be spending time with these beautiful minds during our stay in Arusha, visiting the local schools where our Asante Africa sponsored children are based. 

Finally - this adventure is only made possible by the very people that grant us the freedom to play out our dreams..To our magnificent hubbies, Jon and Moose thank you for entertaining our crazy ideas and holding down the fort. To our inquiring kiddos G-Force, Siah, Miller and BoyBoy, thank you for all the intense questions, fact finding and sharing your Mamas with these precious children - may you be inspired to set goals, work hard and go on to live out your wildest ideas while holding others at the forefront of your good fortune. Please remember to feed our fur babies 2 dogs, a cat and 1 super pig (of the Guinea kind).To our phenomenal friends near and far for the endless motivation and encouragement.

Thank you to our extended families!

A very special mention to our friend Johno Meintjies and the DAILYJ for the endless support in training us virtually over the last 3.5months! The 6am sessions have been nothing short of gruelling. Supporting yet another African small business adds to the sweetness of this ongoing experience. Thank you to Gerardo @ Bodyshock for helping us build a solid foundation leading up to our intensive 3.5months with the DAILYJ. 

Finally - thank you to each of you for your tireless support. Together we will move Mountains...

SO until further notice, assume we are PEAKING!

Tarryn and Shan x

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https://www.discovertz.com

Introducing our guide Albert Jumbe and the role that he has played over the last 15 years within the Asante Africa Foundation (AAF) community…When Albert first joined Erna (CEO-Founder) at the early age of 22, he supported AAF as the key translator, driver and logistics person.  He quickly became the Scholarship Coordinator due to the respect he grew throughout the local communities we served, a role he carried out for many years. Throughout his personal journey Albert decided that he wanted to be a business owner/ entrepreneur and in turn have the ability to influence on a grand scale. He enrolled in Asante Africa's Leadership and Entrepreneurship Program. In this program, he developed his Dream Map (vision board), his incremental definition of success and what clearly defined the required steps to achieve his goals. In spite of numerous obstacles and 5 years post the creation of his first dream map, he secured the Tanzania Business Certificate for DISCOVERTZ.COM. 

Please take a moment to sit with this for a minute…the determination and tenacity required to write this reality...

He exemplified what success can look like/ be achievable when a young, passionate & ambitious person is provided the necessary tools, mentorship, and skills.Even as his own business has grown and developed Albert has remained a community liaison and recently in 2021, formally joined the Tanzania Board of Directors.  He continues to be a mentor to our scholars and youth. He shares his own life journey with others and continuously inspires us all.Albert is frequently known as the father of Asante Africa because he has so much historical knowledge of who we started out as and who we have grown to be over these many years.