Elizabeth Gathoni is former student of Tembea Girls School in Kajiado, Kenya. Tembea is apart of Beads for Education whose mission is to improve the status of women in Kenya through girls' education and women's business development.
Read moreGrowing up in India as a Woman: An Essay from a Young WHOA Fan
Recently, we received an email from Yesha, a 14 year old who lives in Gujarat, India. She heard about WHOA in a local newspaper, and wanted to use the time between school terms to experience the adrenaline rush of climbing Kilimanjaro for herself. How awesome is she!? In her own words, she said "I'm not exactly a woman yet." Well, Yesha, one thing is for sure: you're an inspiration and true WHOAer in our book! We can't wait to adventure with you (even though it will have to a few years)!
By Yesha Desai
When I say I live in India you guys probably think of me, a shy sari-clad girl living in a small house without light and electricity, walking kilometers to fetch water from the nearest well.
Well this may be true in some cases but when I say I live in India I mean the beautiful coastline, enormous mountains hovering in the north and guarding us and oh!! The undiscovered paradise of rivers and forests in the north east.
All photos courtesy of Yesha
Yes life in India can be tough sometimes. Because no matter what religion you follow you are bound to face social suffocation.
But isn’t that the case in every country?
But unlike every other country, India is way more diverse and I have no idea how we even manage to be united as a country.
In India, it's like festivals are life and the art of living is just a colorful festivity. Year round we have festivals after festivals. Shops beaming with lights and presents to shop and of course food.
How can anyone describe India without the mention of food? Having a vibrant history and culture we always have a reason to celebrate and with heaps of extremely delicious delicacies.
From quiet villages to ever growing cities life in India can be fun. You may imagine that a person might get bored here but there are lots of fun things to do. Just like Hollywood we have our own film industry- Bollywood.
Just like I said before, India is a country of diversity. Our national language is Hindi but in every country people speak different languages. Just like in my state Gujarat we speak Gujarati, in the Maharashtra they speak Marathi etc. There are more than 15 main languages and many other tribal ones. Most people in India speak at least 3 languages if not more.
I am quite sure that a few of you reading this blog will be joining the cycling trip in India in 2016 , held by WHOA. As much as negativity you may have about India, all I can say is that people here are extremely helpful and kind. You may find then intruding your privacy sometimes but….What can I say it's in our culture to help people.
Jambo Siodi: Meet our Next Kenyan Kilimanjaro Climber
I was born right at the foot of Kilimanjaro, though on the side that faces Kenya, Amboseli. My parents and their ancestors have lived there with their livestock where they have co-existed with the wildlife of Amboseli. Since my childhood, I have woken up every morning and seen this feature that no Maasai history could explain to me until the time I gained formal education and knew it is a geographical feature.
Read moreThe Women Working Kilimanjaro
Jessica and her English tutor, Alex from African Impact
Women in Tanzania face many cultural barriers in pursuing higher education and independent careers. It was a surprise to find out there were a handful of women working the mountain! This left a lasting impression and I began to ask; how many women porters are there? How many women guides?
Read moreCelebrating International Women's Day 2018 on Kilimanjaro
My Kilimanjaro Summit Story
According to Wikipedia, only 40% of those who attempt to climb Kilimanjaro actually reach the summit. On March 8th, in honor of International Women’s Day, all 28 of the women in my group reached the summit, a 100% success rate.
Read moreCheez-its, Sour Worms, and High Altitude: A Kilimanjaro Story
I never thought my life would come to depend on a bag of neon-colored sour worms and Cheez-Its. At 5,895 meters on the top of Kilimanjaro, having not eaten in two days, with no appetite (aside from the aforementioned snacks), frozen extremities, and half out of my mind, I had to ask myself, “HOW DID I END UP HERE?”
Read more51 Days on the Road: 5 Lessons Learned Across 3 Continents
Fishing on Lake Titicaca in Peru with our Uros hosts, Reuben and Francisco (aka the cutest little fisherman).
For 51 days this summer, my best friend Allison and I traversed the world. We packed in more adventures than most people have in a lifetime—including climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, white-water rafting in Peru, snorkeling in the Indian Ocean, paragliding over the Alps, trekking the Inca Trail and dancing on the tables at Oktoberfest...
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