Kilimanjaro Initiative

KI, a Kenyan-based non-profit NGO, was founded in 2005 by Tim Challen, a British citizen who works for the United Nations Federal Credit Union (UNFCU), after he was shot during an armed robbery at his rented accommodation in Nairobi. Mr. Challen felt that he could either return home to Switzerland and attempt to forget about the traumatic experience or try to understand the social issues that may lead at-risk youth into criminal activities. He returned to the place where he was attacked, with the objective to encourage youth to have self-belief and to help provide opportunities that will enable young women and men to take on constructive roles in their communities. Since 2006, KI has brought more than 150 individuals, including youth from disenfranchised communities, world-class athletes, musicians, and representatives of the private and public sectors to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro at 5,895m. As well as raising awareness about issues that affect young women and men, KI supports youth enterprise schemes in East Africa and has upgraded a sports field in Kibera, Nairobi.

About the Kilimanjaro Initiative 2011 Ride
As a curtain raiser for the bike ride to Mount Kilimanjaro, globalbike and KI will hand-out 68 bikes to youth groups and NGOs in Nairobi. An additional 46 bikes will be donated to youth groups and NGOs in Kenya and Tanzania during the campaign. Carts, made out of recycled material, will also be distributed to help youth groups with their income generating activities. As the group rides from village to village, KI and globalbike will lead activities and workshops emphasizing the importance of environmental protection and sustainability within local communities in both Kenya and Tanzania. The activities include tree planting (as a way of offsetting the events' carbon footprint), educational instruction regarding water and sanitation access, promotion of sustainable transportation, and demonstrating that sustainable innovation and practice makes good business sense. In Tanzania, KI and globalbike cyclists will be joined by members of the Arusha Cycling Team, who have organized in their home city a large roadside cleanup activity with local schools and businesses.

When: 21-26 February 2011

Who: Tim Challen, Sonia Cruickshank, Sadique Bilal and Philip Martindale of KI; Jean Crow Crowther, Kelly Lowry, Curt McPhail, Carroll Foster and Joe Crowther of globalbike, inc.; and Simon Bennett and Josh Whitmore, two professional cyclists on Team Globalbike.

About the Climb
In Marangu, Tanzania, as a continuation of the efforts made to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable development, the cyclists will meet up with 25 climbers, including 10 young women and men from disenfranchised communities in Kenya and Tanzania, and representatives of the private and public sector. One of the climbers will be Pavan Sukhdev, Head of the United Nations Environment Program's Green Economy Initiative and Study Leader of the G8+5 commissioned report on The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity. With 2011 declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Forests and with the Rio+20 Conference on the horizon, this year's KI ascent aims to raise awareness of the need to ensure the sustainable management, conservation and development of the local environment for the benefit of current and future generations.

When: 28 February-4 March 2011

Who: 36 climbers including 10 youth, 26 Representatives of the Public and Private Sector. The climbers will be accompanied by 17 Guides, 2 Cooks and up to 55 Porters.

External links
 * www.rideclimbtransform.org
 * Kilimanjaro Initiative

References