Nairobi,
25 February 2009 - Youth from impoverished
urban areas in Kenya, Tanzania and Ghana
will join a climb to the summit of Mount
Kilimanjaro to raise awareness on climate
change.
The climb, which kicks
off on 28 February, is the fourth annual
ascent to "rooftop of Africa"
organized by the Kilimanjaro Initiative,
a Nairobi-based Non-Governmental Organization,
in partnership with the United Nations.
This year, ten underprivileged youth will
join 25 other people from the private and
public sectors in a group led by Timothy
Challen, the founder of the Kilimanjaro
Initiative.
Timothy Challen founded
the Kilimanjaro Initiative in 2005 after
he was shot during an armed robbery in Nairobi,
Kenya. Following extensive surgery and a
long period of recovery back home in Switzerland,
Tim returned to East Africa with a desire
to help create a safer urban environment.
This year, the aim of
the climb is to raise awareness on the dangers
linked to climate change by highlighting
the need to protect our environment and
the importance of providing greener, safer
and better communities for all. Upon reaching
the summit under the banner of the UN's
global UNite to Combat Climate Change campaign,
participants will use a satellite telephone
to call UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
Rising temperatures,
increased precipitation and extreme weather
conditions will have a direct impact on
where and how people live. Not only will
the economic and public infrastructures
of communities be affected, but urban centers
may also be dangerously stretched in order
to accommodate displaced populations. Consequently,
social ills such as unemployment, lack of
educational facilities, inadequate health
care systems and criminal activities may
increase in urban centers.
On 25 February 2009,
the Kilimanjaro Initiative officially began
its operations as a Kenyan-based International
NGO with the support of an international
network of committed partners including
UN entities such as the UN Federal Credit
Union (UNFCU), the UN Environment Programme
(UNEP), the UN Human Settlements Programme
(UN-HABITAT) and the UN Office on Sport
for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) ? as
well as civil society organizations including
the NGO 'Play Soccer'.
Since 2006 the
Kilimanjaro Initiative has brought close
to 100 people to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro,
including young people, athletes, musicians
and members of the private and public sectors.
The Initiative's main objective is to encourage
young people to have self-belief and to
assist in providing opportunities that will
enable them to take on a constructive role
in their communities. The climb of Mount
Kilimanjaro exemplifies how sport can be
used as a tool towards the development of
a community. The mountain reminds participants
that in order to overcome adversity they
must understand their environment, unite
as a team and persevere.
Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson, Office
of the Executive Director
Timothy Challen, Kilimanjaro Initiative
Founder and President
Anne-France White, UNEP Associate Information
Officer
