Excited Midrand resident to climb Africa’s highest mountain to support a cause close to her heart

Glen Austin resident Mpume Nyandu is gearing up to climb the highest mountain in Africa in July to raise funds for a good cause.

Nyandu will take part in this year’s Trek4Mandela initiative which invites members of the public to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds and create awareness for the Caring4Girls programme. Caring4Girls, established by Richard Mabaso, aims to raise funds to buy sanitary wear for disadvantaged girls in the country.

Nyandu said mountains come in different shapes and forms for different people. “For thousands of underprivileged young women in South Africa, their mountain is lack of access to basic needs, which include something as basic as sanitary towels.”

She said she decided to take part in the initiative because, as an African woman, she fully understands the plight of many schoolgirls and because matters pertaining to the empowerment of women and young girls are close to her heart.

“This is a unique and an exciting opportunity for me as it allows me to play my part in ensuring that a young girl is kept in school, while also fulfilling my quest for new experiences and challenges. My motto is, ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’. So even though I am a bit nervous, I look forward to a challenging time emotionally, physically and mentally.”

She added that despite the nerves, she has training scheduled to follow which focuses specifically on leg strengthening.

The adventurous Nyandu is a first born of four children. “I was always a sickly child, I struggled mainly with asthma, and therefore my parents were very protective. In primary school, I was a Girl Guide but my parents never let me go camping with the other girls because they feared I might get sick or have an asthma attack while away from home.”

She noted that there are limited opportunities for women to define and influence the world they live in due to various social, political and economic limitations and hurdles placed before them. She said overcoming these social, political and economic hurdles begins with ensuring that underprivileged women have access to basic needs such as sanitary towels, and this access will allow them to stay in school for a full year, without missing a day due to menstrual challenges.

“If education is hindered by a lack of basic needs, such as sanitary towels, then we have a big problem going forward as nation that wants to see women empowered in a variety of ways and assuming leadership roles.”

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