Global Explorers Blog: Kilimanjaro
Pamoja Tunaweza! Together We Can!
In 2007, I left the U.S. for my first trip to East Africa where I was to serve as a volunteer with Roots & Shoots , the educational branch of the Jane Goodall Institute
. This just happened to be the same year that Roots & Shoots was developing a one-of-a-kind conservation education field site on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. The site was to be a learning center not just for students and teachers from the remote mountain villages but also a community resource center. The first stage of the plan called for fuel-efficient demonstration stoves, fish ponds to provide a good source of protein for villagers, bee hives, and a huge native tree nursery maintained by local Roots & Shoots students.
For anyone who has visited the developing world, this might seem impossible. How could such a grand plan really be implemented in only a few months? Well, when I finally saw the education site with my own eyes, after a one hour mini-bus ride and a 45 minute hike through the village I learned that this place was a reality. It was a breathtaking sight. Yes, the views were unbeatable, but what really gave me chills was to see that the work being done was a true community effort. The conservation education site is a place for anyone and everyone who wants to learn more about protecting the natural resources of the Kilimanjaro region.
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Posted by Shannon Hatmaker · November 10, 2010 · jane goodall, kilimanjaro, roots and shoots, tanzania
Passion
As a father of three children, I’m always asking people for guiding principles for raising kids. I’ve received .jpg)
a lot of input from folks, but three items always seem to rise to the top. One of these is to keep them busy and active, with the real goal that they will discover PASSION. Once they latch onto passion, it will spread throughout all of their other activities.
Two of my sons have participated in Global Explorers programs and their experiences had a tremendous impact on them. They came back with passion! They were exposed to:
• Team building … realizing that it takes a team to reach the top of a mountain
• Culture awareness
• Leadership
• Community participation
• Science / environment education
Posted by Jessica McConnellogue · December 1, 2010 · erik weihenmayer, kilimanjaro, leadership
Find Your Everest
In elementary school, Jordan Romero was inspired to summit the highest mountains on each of the seven continents when he saw a painting of them at his school. At the age of nine he began to realize this dream when he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. He went on to summit Mount Elbrus in Russia, Aconcagua in Argentina, Mount McKinley in Alaska, and the in Indonesia. On May 22, 2010 Jordan made history when he, at 13-years-old, became the youngest person in history to summit Mt. Everest. his inspirational story and find your own Everest.
"Its not the mountain we conquer, its ourselves. Dream big, live life, do something." - Jordan Romero
