Blackpool FC Ladies’ Ellie Whittaker signed up to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in her first few weeks at the University of York, successfully completing the task of raising £2,650 for HOPE for Children.
After close to a year of fundraising, my current total stands at £2,660, which will be donated to Amani home for street children in Moshi, Tanzania.
Tanzania is one of Africa’s poorest countries, with 60% of the population living off $1 or less per day. Amani provides street children who are unable to live at home with a place to stay, an education, and a place to be a child again before attempting to reunite them with their families.
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro was the most demanding things I have ever done, and summit night was the greatest challenge of my life. After walking for 9 hours and arriving at camp at 4pm for dinner, we woke at 11pm, ready to walk through the night to attempt to reach Uhuru Peak.
At 5,895m above sea level and the highest free standing mountain on the planet, it took sheer determination to reach Uhuru Peak after 7 hours of walking up a very steep climb in pitch black and sub zero temperatures.
In total, we walked a distance of over 70km in 6 days, but the thought of all my supporters, sponsors and the Amani children kept me going.
I am very grateful to every single person who donated, supported and advised me, and especially grateful to both the men’s and ladies’ teams at my club, Blackpool FC, for their support and fantastic publicity.
My website for donations is www.hopeheroes.org/ellie_Whittaker
My twitter is @elliewhitt
Thanks for your support.
Ellie Whittaker
SHE KICKS – the online community for women’s football
