IN celebration of her birthday, Dr Nonhlanhla Khumalo decided to do something more purposeful. She recently embarked on a six-day hike, summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, to raise funds to purchase 50 pairs of school shoes for the children of Nkanyezi Youth Development Camp in Bergville.

Khumalo, whose core mandate at DUT is to provide academic support to undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as staff, through reading, writing, and research development, said summiting Mount Kilimanjaro was a milestone.

“Celebrating another year was a significant milestone and a true blessing, which inspired me to celebrate in a way that was more meaningful than the usual self-indulgent options.

Also read: Durban mother summits Mount Kilimanjaro

“I wanted to do something that would allow me to give back to the community and make a positive impact on other people’s lives. Summiting Mount Kilimanjaro has long been a bucket-list goal for me, and this journey presented the perfect opportunity to hike for a cause,” shared Khumalo.

She admits that navigating Mount Kilimanjaro was incredibly challenging. “The extreme cold temperatures, fatigue and altitude played havoc with my brain as I wanted to sit and rest and just nap for at least five minutes but my guide wouldn’t allow me to close my eyes,” said Khumalo.

Khumalo said it was a proud moment that represented victory and gave her the belief that she could face all the challenges that the world threw at her. At that moment, she said it hit her that she could not take the ability to have the strength and health to do these types of activities for granted.

For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here