A team of 44 University of Bath students has made it to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania this summer, raising more than £100,000 for Childreach International.
The students climbed the highest freestanding mountain in the world over six days and spent time with some of the children that their sponsorship money will benefit.
Childreach works with children and their families living in poverty to ensure they have sustainable solutions.
Matthew Kemp, a twenty-year-old mathematics student from Shoreham who made it to the summit and raised £2,500, said: “It was all quite easy apart from the last day, which was an absolute shocker. I wanted to carry my own backpack because I’ve got ambitions to climb Everest but it was quite scary near the top because it was so tough.
“I was struggling with altitude sickness and sun stroke and I completely lost my balance near the summit.
“The scenery was amazing and the people were so friendly and genuine. We travelled to a small village that is being helped by Childreach and got to see what a big difference even a small amount of money can make to their lives.”
Student group leader Kate Murray, a second year Biochemistry student, said: “For many of us, the highlight of the trip was seeing how children with next to nothing had been given the opportunity to have a good education and to live happier lives with the help of Childreach International. We were split into groups to teach, plant trees and make community visits, then we played a huge football match with the kids. They were all so welcoming and enthusiastic.
Matthew Kemp stands at the summit
“When it came to the climb it’s safe to say that most of us didn’t really expect how difficult the summit was going to be, walking more than seven hours up incredibly steep gradients in conditions far below freezing having had next to no sleep. By sunrise, most of us had reached the summit and the feeling was just indescribable.
“It was an incredibly emotional experience, and one that we will all treasure forever. There were so many laughs, and a few tears along the way, but this is definitely the most rewarding challenge I have ever taken part in, and to know that completing it has made a difference to so many children really made it worthwhile.”