CONQUERING KILIMANJARO AT AGE 14
At a time when a lot of kids turn to gadgets for entertainment or just to pass the time, it’s refreshing to encounter someone like 14-year-old Gian Miguel Augusto. At a very young age, Gian has learned to push himself to his limits, always eager to try new things. And he’s had quite a number of achievements, too, mostly a result of focusing his time and energy on productive endeavors.
At 13 years old, Gian has accomplished what many boys would probably never try in their lifetime. He has gone diving in the best diving spots in the world and has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro—his biggest achievement to date. He is the youngest Filipino to have reached the summit of Kilimanjaro, considered the Roof of Africa with an elevation of 5,895 meters, which is higher than the Everest Base Camp.
When asked what valuable lessons he learned from climbing the summit, he says it’s the importance of cooperation and having the determination regardless of the circumstances.
For his mom Michelle, reaching the summit is no ordinary feat, much less for a 13-year-old.
She fondly recalls Gian’s twomonth preparation for the climb and their trip to Tanzania to join adult climbers in the Machame Route to Kilimanjaro, under the supervision of professional
guides of Popote Africa Adventures. The climb took seven days, with Gian adjusting well to the high altitude, often with the encouragement of guides who cheered him on.
“I hope he will be an inspiration to all young kids that life is not only within the walls of online gaming, it is everything around them. I hope they learn to be appreciative of what they have right now,” Michelle said.
Born in Lapu-Lapu City, Gian, an eighth grader, now studies at the International School of Choueifat in Abu Dhabi, UAE, where he lives since he was three. “I’m exposed to people from different cultures... It ‘s very easy for me to adjust since I have a very supportive family and funny friends around me,” Gian says.