Doctor conquers Kilimanjaro
The climb up Mount Kilimanjaro is not for the faint-hearted, it is both physically and mentally challenging.
Facing extremely cold temperatures and the high probability of getting altitude sickness are some of the challenges few people are willing to face.
As one of three doctors who were part of the expedition team for Trek4Mandela, Westdene resident Khamini Singh often found herself having to walk back down the mountain to help some of her team mates, who were experiencing various symptoms due to the low levels of
oxygen, coupled with exhaustion and dehydration.
The Benoni resident joined 36 other CEOs, celebrities, doctors and executives to raise funds for the Caring4Girls initiative, which provides sanitary towels to underprivileged girls.
They sumitted Africa’s highest peak on Mandela Day.
“Nothing prepares you for that mountain,” said Singh.
What kept her going was the determination that she had to reach the top successfully, and having her husband, Kamil Singh, by her side, helped her in her moments of weakness.
Singh says the words “Pole-pole” (meaning slowly, slowly in Swahili), said by Sibusiso Vilane (team leader), were the gospel that constantly rang in her head.
Remembering to drink water and constantly eating was something that was often forgotten, but vital in order to keep up strength.
The porters from the Tanzania National Park, who travelled with the team, proved to be a great help, especially when fatigue and sickness overtook some of the team members.
Team members soon realized that the position that they held no longer mattered, on the mountain they were all equals and helped each other through the hard times.
Singh said: “The mountain truly humbled us.”
Suffering together helped the team create long-term friendships and a family bond, knowing that they were all there for one purpose.
Singh was the first female in her group to successfully summit the mountain on July 18.
The experience has taught her that “if you believe in something, go for it”, you will always find inner strength.
When asked if she would do it again, Singh said she would consider doing it at a later stage.
”It was a make you or break you situation that I experienced first hand,” she said.
The response she received once she returned has been amazing and she has already adopted two schools on the East Rand to begin the Caring4Girls initiative
