Treks, tears and tweets of Team Kilimanjaro!

Recently returned from a Tanzania project visit and gruelling Kilimanjaro trek intrepid Izzy tells all.

So tell us about the project visit

Well we set off from Arusha early on a three hour drive to meet WaterAid Tanzania Staff and partner staff from ADRA. We met them in a town called Babati before continuing to Qash village another 30km away. Along the way we had to transfer to ADRA vehicles as the bus we were in wouldn’t have made it to the village because of the roads – some were having work done and we had to wait a bit while a hole was filled in. Not the smoothest start to a project visit but really did demonstrate to the team some of the challenges faced in the countries where WaterAid work.

So did you make it to Qash village?

 

Latrine Block

 Yes! We were greeted by the village singing and dancing which was so lovely. We then attended a water committee meeting. We were then taken to the village water point installed in May 2011. We had the opportunity to talk to the community and we heard from one of the members of the water committee Maimuna Omari about the difference the village water point had made. Before they would walk for 3km to the unsafe water source, now they walk 500m to the pump. 

When asked about how they used to collect the water Maimuna told us of the risks they would take: “We used to use donkeys to carry the water, we would take our children with us to collect the water and the children would ride on the donkey but sometimes the donkey would get tired and throw the children off giving them injury. We don’t have donkeys anymore”

We asked about the difference this has made Maimuna said “Now we have more time for farming. We used to spend a lot of money at hospital for medicine because the water made us ill. We can get water when we want; the children are healthy and hygienic so they are at school now. There is harmony in our household. There is love and peace now.”

When asked now they have a pump what else would they wish for Maimuna simply replied: “Another pump so the neighbouring village can get clean water”

Sounds like you got a lot out of the visit?

hygiene in practice - shoes off before entering
 the pump location to keep it clean Qash Village

Project visits are so vital to connect our Water Company supporters to our work and are so inspirational. Qash village and the conversation with the community really helped demonstrate to the Team what a difference water supply makes. There is so much to tell from this visit. We then went to Endonga Primary School to view the latrine block. What struck the team here was how motivated all the school children are, all with big aims and ambitions to be doctors or teachers. The latrine block has made a huge difference at the school, before it was built through WaterAid and ADRA the school and parents had built a latrine block but it has collapsed, until the  new functioning latrine block was built the children defecated in a pit while balancing on a log running over the pit. The Team gave soap to the school hygiene club who not only demonstrate hygiene messages at the school but also to other children in the surrounding community – a bit like peer to peer mentoring.

Huge thanks to WaterAid Tanzania and ADRA for helping bring our projects to life.

So project visit over what next?

We then all made it back to the bus for the long drive back to Moshi where we were due to have a Kilimanjaro trek briefing before starting our climb the next day, arriving in Moshi in time for tea, the briefing and bed!

So the Kilimanjaro trek starts?

 And the nerves kick in! Suddenly we all realise that the months of meetings in Severn Trent’s Head Office in Coventry are long gone! We arrive at the starting point Machame Gate, there are a few last second kit panics. You can’t see the top of Kili from this point just the forest. We sign in, grab our poles, fill up with water and set off with excitement and adrenalin as our fuel! But are quickly pulled into line by the tour guides who start (5 mins in) with their trademark phrase: “pole – pole” meaning “slowly - slowly”.



The Start! At Machame Gate with our guides 



A few of the group try to mutiny and form a splinter team but are soon brought into line. We had a 16km 6 hour walk ahead of us where we would ascent over 1500m to 3000m. We meet different groups also doing the trek and are amazed when the porters hop skip and jump past us carrying up to 20kg on their head. We learn a new phrase “Mambo” which is hi and “Poa” which is the hello response back. A few hours in and a few mambo-poa’s later the guides inform us we will be stopping for lunch just up ahead, we are all thinking sandwiches and sitting on a rock but we are greeted by a table with a table cloth, strange flower centre piece and actual chairs! We are served hot soup in 27ºC heat and 60% humidity, in the middle of the rainforest! We all think we are at the Mad Hatters tea party and that altitude has already kicked in. Soup is followed by rice with a meat or special vegetable sauce. All served by Jeff – one of the trek staff accompanied by a new phrase not in Swahili in English and with equal measure of concern and force “eat – eat”. If you don’t eat your portion you’re reported to the ‘Commander’ (our ever so big friendly group leader Jonas)

So what happens when you reach camp?

Camp site aka 'Home'!

We select our tents – the girls are three to a tent and the guys are two in a tent. We are then given about an inch of warm water to wash with; we all have a wash, which we soon discover is a bit of a logistical nightmare. After a bit of signal searching me and Tony call in to the York Office to give an update. We all go about setting up our sleeping stuff so inflatable ground mats come out – we can already feel that the air is a bit thinner as they take a few more puffs of air which we struggle to do. We are then called for tea in the mess tent; served hot soup, rice and stew. The Commander comes in and gives us our briefing for the next day, what the walk will be like, what kit we need in our bags and ask who wants more water – we are meant to drink about 4 litres each day. He does tell us that this water has been collected from the streams on the mountain and to add in our purification tablets. We all go to bed – it’s only about 8:00 but it is pitch black and we are all surprised how tired we are, Head torches at the ready we find our tents and start the show of trying to get into sleeping bags without thumping or kicking our tent mates, then realise that you need the toilet so off to the long drop latrines you go.

What happens the next day?

We are woken at around 6:30am by Jeff with what would become our alarm sound for the week; the zip on the tent being opened followed by his calm tones of “Izzy, time to get up would you like a hot drink”, blurry eyed after a not so successful nights sleep we crawl forward and begin the logistical task of getting out of sleeping bags, dressed, re pack all of our kit in our bags and to breakfast. We pack up as the trek staff clear down the tents and start on the way to the next camp. At breakfast we have maize porridge made with so much sugar you need a filling after it. Other hot breakfast items are served. We are all told to “eat-eat” then we are told to get ready to go.

Sounds like quite an experience, was every one ok?



Just climbed the Baranco wall with
Uhuru peak in the background!



It was! Each day followed the same routine; walk in temperatures starting cold enough for fleece and thermals, lunch would be warmer and a few layers removed, get to camp would be cold so the fleece would come back on, wash hands and face (we soon gave up on washing completely as it was too cold), set up sleeping stuff, call back to the UK, change for the next day, eat, head torch, latrine, purify water, bed, tent zip opens, pack kit bag, eat, walk. When we reached the camps from day three onwards a few people got a bit poorly tummy, all were feeling the thin air – walking back to your tent and you were out of breath. Some people really struggling with sleeping others having the best sleep of their lives – really a mixed bunch of ailments, illnesses and affects from the days walking mixed with the altitude.

 

So the summit night – what happened then?

We were woken at 11:00pm to eat quickly before starting the walk at about midnight in freezing temperatures. We all start making our way up the final 1300m to the top, pole-pole and in a line. After a while different people start going at different speeds, again the guides make it look easy. There is silence in the group as the air is too cold and thin to talk. All you can see up ahead is some faint lights from other people head torches, all you can see directly in front are the rocks that you need to climb up.

So did you make it?

Every one in the group except me made it to the top. About 4 hours in to the walk I started getting altitude sickness, feeling really faint and I felt like I was walking with my eyes closed. Absolutely gutted I had to turn back – I was at around 5,400m only 600m from the top but the risk of me getting an injury was too great, also I didn’t think that WaterAid would appreciate a member of staff being evacuated from a mountain! The guides later told me that I told the mountain off for beating me but I don’t recall doing that! 



Would you do it again?

If you had asked me when we landed at Heathrow I would have said not a chance, now more time has passed I would like to give it another go perhaps in a few years time my knees need longer to recover! I have been describing it as the best and worst challenge I have ever done and all hats off to our many supporters who sign up to do things like this for us on a daily basis.

The Finish!