Kili in the Dark

Hello from Africa! I am in Nairobi, Kenya and will soon drive to Tanzania to guide my friend Dan Berlin up Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain on the African continent. We’re not simply going to climb the mountain – we’re going to climb it at night.

Naming our trek “Kili in the Dark,” we’re raising money to support children who are vision impaired (see causes below). If you would like to make a donation, please click the “Donate” button here: www.teamseepossibilities.com. Our sponsor, Intrepid Travel, will match every dollar raised through the Intrepid Foundation.

We will post updates from the climb on our site and please follow us on Facebook. And look for the Wall Street Journal’s article about our trek on November 8^th, the very day we hope to reach the summit!

The four of us co-founded the nonprofit Team See Possibilities to raise money and awareness for children who are blind as well as sensitize communities more broadly on the issue of persons living with disabilities, in this case, the loss a sense many of us take for granted. While in Tanzania and Kenya this week, we organized three charity events in the days following our climb and plan to hold blindfold relay races with young children, meet with government officials, engage with the media and discuss issues of inclusion.

- Thanks to our incredible sponsor, Intrepid Travel, we were linked with the nonprofit Education East Africa through the Intrepid Foundation and will host an event at the Motor Mechanics Center in Nji Panda working with youth and the development of basic life skills.

 - We will also visit the Mwereni School in Moshi, Tanzania that educates over 100 children who are blind, and

- We will visit a school in Mathare, one of Nairobi’s largest slums, to educate the children on what it’s like to be blind through a variety of play-based activities including relay races and a soccer game.

Dan lost his eyesight in his 30's to the disease cone-rod dystrophy. Instead of letting this tragedy slow him down, he decided to start making history. With the help from his guides Charles Scott, Brad Graff and me, Dan became the first vision impaired athlete to:

- Run across the Grand Canyon and back nonstop (a treacherous 46-mile trek with over 20,000 feet of elevation change that took us 28 hours) and 

- Ascend the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu nonstop (a rugged 26-mile trek over 3 mountain passes that typically takes 4 days, we completed it in 13 hours).

Here’s a short video to give you a flavor of those life-changing experiences. I also added a photo from today…this is the place where we will host Monday’s event and where some of the funds raised will be channeled.

I will send an update and photos of the climb and the events when I return. In the meantime, I am deeply grateful for your support. Your donation will go a long way…big or small, every single dollar makes a huge difference in the lives of these children.

With many thanks,

Alison