Thuli Madonsela to tackle Kilimanjaro to raise funds for sanitary pads
SANDTON – A group of climbers will be participating in Trek 4 Mandela to raise money for the Imbumba Foundation.
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Former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has joined the Imbumba Foundation’s eighth annual Trek 4 Mandela Women’s Day climb to help raise funds for sanitary products for young girls.
The foundation, which is based in Sandton, started the Caring 4 Girls programme to ensure that adolescent girls do not miss any school due to not having sanitary pads. The annual climb brings together people from different corporate and public sector backgrounds to help raise funds.
The fundraising event sees the group of climbers tackling Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. For the first time, two groups will be taking part in Trek 4 Mandela. The first group will summit on Mandela Day on 18 July and the second group will summit on Women’s Day on 9 August.
Nkateko Mabala, the stakeholder relations manager for the foundation, said,
“It was established in 2012 by Richard Mabaso [CEO of the Imbumba Foundation] after he overhead a fearful conversation between his mom and niece talking about menstruation to break a long-held taboo in our society.”
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Mabala said that there are three main purposes for hosting the climb which include creating awareness about the plight young girls face during their monthly cycles, creating programmes through Caring 4 Girls to demystify puberty and raising funds to procure sanitary pads to keep them in school.
She added that it is an honour and a privilege to have Thuli Madonsela climbing Kilimanjaro under the Trek 4 Mandela banner and said that she has been a great ambassador for the event since she said ‘yes’.
Since its inception, the campaign has helped reach more than 750 000 girls and this year their aim is to reach one million girls.
Huawei partnered with the foundation this year help the foundation reach its goal of assisting one million girls. Likhun Zhao, General Manager of Huawei South Africa said, “Huawei is very excited to be involved in Trek4Mandela, and helping young girls on their path to a thriving future. We wish the climbers well on their journey and encourage all South Africans to donate to this worthy cause.”
Details: Imbumba Foundation 011 883 0379.
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Related Articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/204568/climbers-care/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/220333/kilimanjaro-trek-to-help-raise-money-for-new-school-library/