The Climb

Never before has a peak so high… been so high stakes.

What’s at stake is solving part of the global water crisis.  Nearly 1 billion people (1,000 million people, to put that in perspective) lack access to clean, safe water.  Every 15 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease. We can do our part in East Africa – raising $1 million to provide as many as 50 communities with clean water.

In January 2011, business, community and church leaders from across the world will join together to scale Mt. Kilimanjaro. At 19,330 ft. (5,891 meters), each step to the top will mark a step toward ending the water crisis for up to 50 different communities in East Africa. The event aims to raise $1 million for clean water projects. We will match each climber with a specific village so they and their supporters know which community stands to benefit from their journey.

Why Kilimanjaro?

• Africa’s highest mountain
• World’s highest freestanding mountain
• Spectacular!

Kilimanjaro calls many adventurers to its slopes every year. Trekking to the peak takes you from the plains of Africa through rainforest, heather and moorland, and finally to the glaciated peak that rises above the clouds at 19,330 feet (5,895 meters). Reaching the summit is both a physical and a mental challenge.

We’ll coordinate climbers’ flights and accommodations, and provide skilled guides who have years of experience. We will also provide porters who help carry all tents, food and other belongings – the only thing you’ll need to carry is drinking water.

What kind of commitment is involved, and how can I make a difference?

The individual climber goal is to raise $25,000 which covers all travel and climb costs, as well as the cost of drilling a water well in an rural East African community. WorldServe will equip each climber with a first class media kit including DVDs and fundraising ideas, and a personal fundraising page on the KiliClimb.org website that you can use to accept donations and track progress toward your goal.

You can also form a team of people to climb Kili and reach your fundraising goals faster. See FAQs (below) for more information about forming a team, bringing a spouse or other guest and how fundraising goals correspond to team sizes.

With up to 50 climbers or climbing teams participating in the Kili Climb 2011, we hope to provide as many as 50 different communities in East Africa with long-term access to safe water through community water projects. This will not only improve health for tens of thousands of people, but will truly save lives otherwise lost to waterborne disease.