Over 20,000 people every year climb mount Kilimanjaro, but more and more people are doing it for a cause or charity close to their hearts. A Kilimanjaro climb for charity gives a great feeling, and could even be a life changing experience for some. Back in June, a man named Spencer West who is a double leg amputee climbed the mountain with just the strength of his arms to take each unbelievably difficult step. His goal was to show people that if you work hard, never give up, and laugh a lot; you can do anything in life! Inspiring.
- Climb Kilimanjaro for Charitymr clearview / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA
If you’re now thinking of climbing Kilimanjaro for charity, read on to get started:
Which Charity Do You Want to Climb For?
You definitely need to choose a charity you’re passionate about in order for your climb to be worth it. If you feel good about a cause or can’t stop talking about it then you’ve found the right one! Before you leave for your challenge, make sure you get to know people at the charity to experience what they do daily and how exactly they do it. The more you get connected to the cause before you leave, the more you’ll want to push on as you climb the mountain. Have genuine reasons for climbing, and know in your heart why you’re doing it.
Do You Want to Lead Your Own Expedition, Or Join an Existing Challenge?
When you do your challenge, you can either start with a group of like minded individuals from various walks of life, or pull together your own team of mountaineers to raise awareness for the charity of your choice. Some charities already run yearly Kilimanjaro climbs, so you could join on to one of those.
Take Things Seriously – Research and Train
You can’t just jump out of bed one day and decide to climb Kilimanjaro. You’ll need to prepare mentally and physically to make sure that you’re ready for the challenge. Make sure you do as much research as you can and learn as much as possible about the mountain before starting. By making sure you’re in peak physical fitness, you can also make sure that you’re one of the 60% that reaches the summit.
Develop a Fundraising/Communications Plan
This doesn’t need to be too complicated, but you should definitely develop a kind of plan. Ask some questions to the charity to get an idea of what you should be aiming for: how much do they require funding? What are the key initiatives?
Once you’ve got a goal, make sure you develop some key messages and calls to action around it. What channels are you going to use to spread the word? Who’s going to help you? You’ll need to make sure that you communicate well when it comes to your campaign; who, what, when, where, and how? You’ll need to keep in concise for people to really listen though, so don’t over communicate.
One last, very important point: make sure that you thank every individual that supports you – you shouldn’t underestimate the power of gratitude. Now get going!
