Shadi Mokoena conquers Mount Kilimanjaro

Shadi Mokoena, a 50-year old former learner of Maribe Primary School in Segopye village, Ga-Mamabolo conquered Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania recently in aid of the school and to garner sponsorships to assist in various needs at the school.
She returned to Pretoria last Sunday after spending time at a quiet little hotel in Oyster Bay, Dar es Salaam to recover.
“I must say I am very proud of myself that I have actually gone and done it at my age, especially for a good cause,” she said.
Mokoena took on the 5 895 m (19 341 feet) Mount Kilimanjaro via the six-day Machame route up the mountain.
“I attended the school in a far flung rural area from 1971 to 1974. There is a lot of potential, but very little resources.” As a professional in the education sector she believes a well-resourced, supportive school environment plays an important role in breaking the cycle of poverty.
Mokoena says she decided to adopt the school, saying “Even beyond the time I go on pension, I will continue to do so.” Before taking on the mountain she had never even camped out or slept in a tent.
She has drafted proposals to several companies for her fundraising effort for the school. According to her the school needs a library and more books, as they have done well at a reading competition and received some books from donors. The school also needs a computer centre, sport facilities for netball, tennis and other sports and security needs to be upgraded because of the computer centre that she hopes to establish.
She intends tackling more fundraising events to raise money for the school’s necessities.

Story: NELIE ERASMUS
>>nelie.observer@gmail.com

Featured photo: Shadi Mokoena at the beginning of her trip to concur Kilimanjaro at the Machame camp. (photo supplied)