Trek4Mandela – “Climb for Dignity and Social Justice”

The annual Trek4Mandela expedition to summit Africa’s highest peak is now in its 8^th year. It is facilitated by the Imbumba Foundation in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and with the support of various corporate partners. This year’s expeditions form part of the Foundation’s Mandela Centenary goals.

It brings together inspired individuals from corporate and public backgrounds to raise funds and create awareness for the Caring4Girls menstrual hygiene programme.

In 2018 the expeditions successfully summited Mount Kilimanjaro twice. In 2019, Trek4Mandela there are also two expeditions to Kilimanjaro. The first group successfully summited on Mandela Day, 18 July 2019. The second expedition left Johannesburg on the 4^th of August and is led by Professor Thuli Madonsela. They plan to summit on the 9^th August to commemorate Women’s Day.

Professor Madonsela said, “I have decided to step up and show up by climbing Kilimanjaro. It is now not just about stretching myself, but about highlighting that if we are going to bring an end to poverty and inequality in this country and the world, each and every one of us has to step up and move beyond our comfort zones….and for me Kilimanjaro is not in my comfort zone.”

The aim of the two Trek4Mandela 2019 expeditions is to raise enough funds to ensure that 1 million girl children will not miss a day of school through the Foundation’s Caring4Girls programme. The programme provides much-needed accessibility to sanitary towels, as well as facilitate menstrual and puberty education. The LexisNexis Group, a corporation providing computer-assisted legal research as well as business research and risk management services, announced at a recent fundraising event in Houghton, Johannesburg on 28 March, that they would be supporting the upcoming Madonsela Woman’s Day expedition as headline sponsor. The Madonsela Expedition will support the further development and implementation of the Trek100 seven continent expeditions as well as the Caring4Girls programme.

Our partner Old Mutual Insure Travelsure, together with Marsh South Africa, are a proud supporter of Trek4Mandela.

To view the climber profiles click here.

To support the climbers’ fundraising initiative you can send an SMS with the name “GIRLCHILD” to 42513 to make a pledge of R30 or visit the campaign on GivenGain.

For Individuals or companies interested in joining the Trek4Mandela expeditions can enquire via the Foundation website, here.

If you need any further information please contact richard@imbumbafoundation.org or nkateko@imbumbafoundation.org