I’ve written quite a bit about my
personal journey so far – the training, my thinking and my fears. I think it is
now time to take a look at the raison d’etre for this journey.
As my holiday in Mauritius comes to an end, it is a good time for me to express my gratitude for an amazing holiday that came at exactly the right time. When I arrived, I was feeling exhausted and in desperate need for some me time. As I leave, I feel blessed and rejuvenated. The resort we stayed in catered to our every whim and we all felt absolutely spoilt every minute of the day. We barely had to glance to the side and a waiter would be there to ask if there was anything we needed.
Resort life feels like a self-contained world where you can almost begin to believe that this is what the island is about. We took one day to tour some of the towns in the Island and were struck by the stark reality of island life. While we were rejuvenating ourselves and relaxing at the resort, there are people living in absolute poverty, desperate for a way to make a living and relying on us tourists to provide them with a way to earn some income. The contrast was thought provoking.
We see this dichotomy everywhere in the world. I believe that it is up to every one of us to make sure that we are grateful for what we have and that we contribute to others that are less fortunate than ourselves wherever we can. That is why I’m proud of the fact that while the Kilimanjaro trip is a personal journey of meaning and growth, it is also about a cause that is larger than myself. This trip is about inspiring women in challenging circumstances to know that anything is possible, one step at a time. The charity that we’re supporting is the Women’s Empowerment Division of ORTJET and the aim is to establish an Academy that will provide training of marketable skills, teach financial management and ensure sustainable independence.
As we go on in our daily lives, hundreds of women across our communities battle a never-ending onslaught of hunger, anxiety and self-doubt. Their decisions involve making choices between providing a roof over their children’s heads, or food in their lunch boxes. They rely on hand-outs, food parcels and the generosity of strangers. The purpose of the Kilimanjaro campaign is not only to raise awareness of the needs of these divorced, widowed, abused and vulnerable women but more importantly to raise enough money to establish the Academy.
The charity that is creating this Academy is ORT SA. Their motto is "Educating for Life". Giving skills, tools and education to South Africans from all backgrounds, cultures and education levels, helping all ages to ensure gainful employment and moulding people into contributing members of society.
If you believe as we do, that the best
way to give to someone is to equip them not with a food parcel but with the
ability to earn, not with a welfare cheque but with marketable skills, not with
gratefulness but with dignity – then join us on our incredible journey.
If you would like to join us in
championing this worthy cause, please contribute via EFT.
Thank you all for your support!
Banking details:
Johannesburg Women’s ORTStandard Bank Norwood Mall
Branch code: 004105
Account number: 001824538
SWIFT code IBAN : SBZAZAJJ
Ref: Your Name
by Daphna Horowitz with excerpts by Tali Frankel
Hey there, I traveled to Africa for the first time last year and had a very similar experience. I honestly expected to see the poverty, hunger, and disparity that is so widespread and well known in this part of the planet, yet I was most surprised by the amount of resorts, hotels, and restaurants available and supported by tourists! It seems the food shortages don't apply to people with a little bit of money. I have a video about the city of Nairobi and all that we saw there. It's viewable on YouTube at http://youtu.be/rhaUV752qHA
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