Up Mount Kili for a cause

Dainfern resident, Michelle Morrow can happily tick climbing Mount Kilimanjaro off her bucket list after conquering the mountain in 10 days.

She said, “It’s been a dream for 13 years – I still can’t believe I’ve done it!”

Morrow has been living in South Africa for three-and-a-half years and explained that while living in her home country, New Zealand, the idea of climbing Kilimanjaro seemed impossible.

Read: Dainfern resident tackles Africa’s highest mountain to change a life

All that changed when her husband was sent to South Africa for an international assignment. “When a friend brought up the idea, I jumped at the opportunity,” Morrow said.

Before she knew it she, along with other climbers, were in Tanzania embarking on the journey of a lifetime. The team climbed the Lemosha route which, according to Morrow has the highest rate of success.

“The terrain was pretty rough! But I couldn’t complain and so I sucked it up and continued,” she said. Morrow explained that, at one point, she was so sick she threw up the whole way until she reached camp. “At that point I just wanted a helicopter, I was so sick and weak.”

Morrow credits her amazing team for being able to stay positive the whole way up. She said, “We got on very well, friendships definitely got stronger. I couldn’t have imagined better ladies to do it with.”

The team reached the top at 6.45am on 20 May.

“It was absolutely beautiful, there was even a full moon and, according to the regulars, the weather was amazing as a few took off their shirts.”

Besides it being a dream, Morrow has also raised R30 000 to assist a Tembisa mother in raising her autistic child. She explained that the single mom initially put her child up for adoption upon learning that he had developed autism. With no funds to give her child the treatment he needed and with no chance of being accepted into a school that could cater to his needs, the child had no hope until a very generous family agreed to pay the tuition to educate this child via The Star Academy, an academy which provides education programmes to children with autism.

The story touched Morrow’s heart so much that she decided to assist. “She [Ilana Gerschlowitz] and her husband are so incredibly giving, they can’t say no. They give so much, and I wanted to give something back.”

The improvements in the child in just a few months have been significant. However, funds are still required to continue the education programme.

Details: To pledge your support go to www.backabuddy.co.za; www.thestaracademy.co.za

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