Trek4Mandela team gets good omen

THE Trek4Mandela team were on the same flight to Tanzania as Nelson Mandela’s widow Graça Machel.

When the flight touched down on Tanzanian soil, Machel told the hikers it was a good omen that they had shared the flight.

She wished them well before the group continued from the capital Dar es Salaam on their trip to Marangucr where they were due to begin their trek up Mount Kilimanjaro today.

Yesterday, the team enjoyed a rest day before attending a final briefing with their team leader, explorer Sibusiso Vilane.

One of the other veteran hikers, Arthur Marsden, who has summited Kilimanjaro three times and is an experienced “Adventure GrandSlam” adventurer has summited seven peaks in addition to the one-man journey to both the North Pole and South Pole.

This year, for Liberty’s 60-year anniversary, he has teamed up with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Imbumba Foundation to raise funds for about 600 schoolgirls.

Marsden said he hoped to raise R216 000 in six days, which translates into R36 000 a day. It will take the team six days to complete the trek.

Marsden, who was in good spirits, said succeeding was like climbing a mountain… you need physical and mental stamina.

“For women, it’s just a little bit harder. When reading the statistics stating that less than 2% of girls make it to tertiary education, in part because of something as simple as having no sanitary products, the reality really hits home. When a girl child misses nearly 50 days a year of school it has far-reaching implications, in turn leading to fewer female leaders in our businesses and boardrooms.”

Marsden said the cause was also close to his heart because he has two daughters.

“As men, it is vital that we take a stand and do everything in our power to bring dignity to our girls so they can grow up to be successful women who power our nation.”