An Aberystwyth outdoors instructor is taking on the challenge of climbing Africa’s tallest mountain for the third time in aid of clean water.
Jack Edwards has already climbed Mount Kilimanjaro twice – scaling 66km twice on the world’s tallest freestanding mountain, standing 5,895m above sea level.
This summer he takes on this challenge again – and this time he’s roped in 10 other locals to go with him.
With each climb, Jack has raised £1,500 for Dig Deep, a Kenyan charity working to improve water facilities in Bomet County, where two in three people don’t have access to clean water.
Jack Edwards in the Welsh Mountains (left) and at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (right) (Jack Edwards)
Jack, 30, who owns the outdoor sports business AberOutdoors, said: “The appeal for me is the opportunity to climb Kili, something which not everyone has the opportunity to do and do it for a positive and impactful cause.
“Living in mid-Wales under this climate, we’re fortunate to have access to the basic resources and human rights that everybody needs.
“I’m hoping this fundraiser will make an impact on Bomet County, where the statistics are eyewatering.”
Dig Deep work in Bomet County, Kenya, home to 1 million people and one of the most underserved and least resourced areas of the country. (Dig Deep)
Jack has recruited 10 people from Aberystwyth and mid-Wales, creating the Wales Team to scale Kili this summer, and will be arranging trial hikes up nearby peaks to train and raise awareness.
He’ll be using his experiences from his 2016 and 2017 trips, during the latter of which he also climbed Mount Kenya, to prepare the team for the 10-day challenge.
Jack is also aiming to host a fundraising concert at the Aberystwyth bar he manages, the Bank Vault, in the near future.
Each team member aims to raise a minimum of £2,990, with 50 per cent to cover costs (but not flights) and 50 per cent to go to Dig Deep.
To support Jack and his team donate to their fundraiser here.