By Marilyn BurrowsAs I write this on 10th January our family is celebrating an unusual achievement. My husband Stephen, Scout Leader of the Lee Common troop, with our eldest son and former scout Alex, today successfully trekked to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro – the world’s highest free-standing mountain (5,895 meters). From the rim of the volcanic crater at 7 am, standing in deep snow at -20° C, they watched the sun rise over Africa, an awesome and unforgettable life experience.
For the last four months Alex has been working in a voluntary capacity as a sports teacher in a school for local children in Dar Es Salaam. Last summer he graduated from Loughborough University with a degree in PE, Sports Science and Management, and to replenish his bank account in the short term he took a barman’s job at the newly opened Pheasant pub. In conversation with Jane King one day he expressed the wish to work abroad as a volunteer using his sports skills. She put him in touch with her sister Susan who is founder and head teacher of the school in Dar, and within 4 weeks he was on a flight there!
His arrival was greeted by 300 pupils aged 8 – 19, and since then he has focused on developing their sports curriculum to UK standards (Susan teaches a UK curriculum in subjects to GCSE level). He has introduced a variety of sports such as volleyball, kwik cricket, rugby and gymnastics, and has trained the teachers in coaching skills.
Determined to undertake the Kili challenge while in Tanzania, Alex offered to organize the trek to include the school’s oldest pupils, to mark the school’s 10th anniversary. A party of 16 students, 2 teachers, and the special guest from England (his Dad) set off on 4th January for Moshi, the town near the Kenyan border in the foothills of the mountain. Their trek along the Machame trail took them through rainforest and cloud, in arduous conditions, camping overnight under canvas on the mountainside. During the final 9-hour ascent to the summit the youngsters were overcome by the effects of low oxygen and exhaustion, and escorted back to camp. Only the adults – Stephen and Alex, the two teachers and the Chief Guide made it all the way.
During his phone call home when back in camp, Stephen (a very fit man for his age, and an experienced hiker) described the push to the summit as “the most grueling challenge I have ever experienced, which took everything I had in reserve, and something I know I can never do again”. Well, that’s all right then!
In packing for the trip, Stephen managed to squeeze into his luggage two football team kits for the pupils, who are very knowledgeable about our Premier League clubs and mad about the sport. Think of ‘big game’ and we visualize the four-legged variety. Not African children – they think of football! Prestwood Colts donated the shirts, and we are grateful to Andy Devoy of Ballinger for organizing this. We still have shorts, shirts and socks here.
So if anyone is going to Dar soon, please let me know