“Mandela Boys” back from Kilimanjaro
The three Ekurhuleni sponsored mountaineers, Sibusiso Vilane, Joshua Awesome and Richard Mabaso, recently took to Mount Kilimanjaro, to conquer the highest peak in Africa in honour of former President Nelson Mandela.
The trio successfully summited on Thursday, last week, and were named the “Mandela Boys” by fellow mountaineers.
The Ekurhuleni Trek4Mandela Challenge team touched down at OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday evening, having climbed over 5 895m above sea level.
Vilane said that, to be associated with Mandela by fellow mountaineers, brought a special feeling.
“People from other continents took a keen interest in us and asked us questions about Mandela’s health,” he said.
“They expressed their love for the icon and that moment was too great to trade it for anything.”
According to Mabaso, the Ekurhuleni Trek4Mandela Challenge was aimed not only at reaching the peak, but at raising funds to sponsor 500 underprivileged schoolgirls in two of the priority areas in Ekurhuleni (Winnie Mandela and Zonkezizwe) through the provision of a year’s supply of sanitary products.
The sanitary products will come with complete hygiene kits and educational manuals.
This will be done in partnership with the Caring4girls Foundation.
Awesome said the mission has been accomplished and surpassed its target.
“We have been able to raise more than we expected; we can now sponsor more than 500 girls and this is thanks to the good hearts of South Africans and the support from media organisations,” he said.
Ekurhuleni spokesperson Sam Modiba said the City of Ekurhuleni is ready for the distribution the toiletries.
“For Ekurhuleni, this is an urgent matter which seeks to restore the dignity of the girls, as well as to ensure that there are no girls who will miss a week of school every month because they don’t have the required necessities,” he said.
Modiba also confirmed that organisations which are interested in joining the partnership are still welcome to do so.
