Words: Julie Staub ǀ Photos: Courtesy of Outward Bound South Africa
Looking for an extreme adventure to tackle this year? Well, look no further as we have just the thing for you!
Outward Bound South Africa, a non-profit organisation that runs life-changing programmes for youth from all backgrounds, is inviting you to join them as they climb up Kilimanjaro to raise funds for their bursary programme. The climb will take place from 19 to 27 August 2013 and you do not need to be a skilled climber, you just need to be fit.
Not only will you be challenging yourself to complete something you probably never thought you would do but you will also be giving an opportunity to a young person to push themselves to reach their goals. To prepare yourself for the climb, we will send you some information and a practise climb will be held in the Drakensburg prior to the main event. This is not compulsory, but it will be an opportunity for those who want to try out any new equipment or get a taste of climbing and hiking.
The cost to participate is R38 000,00 and this includes all flights; accommodation on the nights prior to and after the climb in a luxury five-star mountain lodge; Sibusisu Vilane, the first African to climb all the major peaks around the world as your guide; the climb in the Drakensburg; and a contribution to the Outward Bound Bursary Fund. There will be free gear hire of items that you do not personally have, but you will need to pay a gear deposit that is refunded on return of the equipment.
Outward Bound has been operating in South Africa for the past 20 years. They run experiential programmes for young people, teaching them about themselves and their abilities. Through adventure and challenge they learn to push themselves way beyond their perceived limits and achieve so much more than they believed possible. They face challenges such as hiking, rock climbing, abseiling and canoeing, and through these activities they learn to face and overcome their fears. At the end of each day, debrief sessions are held and this is when the students discuss the lessons they have learnt by completing these challenges.
Experiential learning, which is ‘learning by doing’, has been around forever. Confucius said, “Tell me, and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand.” The lessons learnt by the students on Outward Bound courses are enormous and long lasting. Unfortunately, the majority of young people in this country do not have the finances to participate in these programmes, so fund raising is done to be able to offer courses to the students who would most benefit from them.
The money raised from the climb will go towards running a course for a group of students from a disadvantaged background. They will be offered a seven-day Outward Bound life-changing experience at one of our bases. While on course they will learn life skills such as trusting one another as well as themselves, communicating with each other, facing and overcoming their fears, planning and goal setting, decision making and problem solving and a host of other skills. They not only learn leadership skills but also the importance of working as a team and that they can push themselves so much further than they believed – a very valuable lesson when they get back home and to school.
The joy at the accomplishments of these students when they reach their goals and their sense of achievement at completing the different challenges is amazing! Each young person who participates in a course with funding from this climb will write an experience letter about what they have learned. Copies of these letters will be sent to all climbers to thank them for their contribution and explain what it has meant to them.
Outward Bound is asking you to join them on this climb to push your own limits and help to change the life of a young person.
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Should you need any further information about this climb or wish to make a booking, please contact Julie Staub on . Please help Outward Bound to make a difference to the youth of this country by encouraging them to become contributing members of society.
