Reaching the summit together... Climb Kili 2022 Recap
Video recap of Climb Kili 2022!
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
⁃ African Proverb
We love this African proverb and believe it captures the heart of Ubora and our recent Climb Kili event…to go far, together, with our friends in Tanzania.
Thank you to everyone who invested your precious time and energy to participate in the event. And to all those who volunteered, sponsored, prayed, recruited friends and donors to make Climb Kili 2022 a success—asante sana (thank you in Swahili)! Here’s a full recap of this year’s event…
The beautiful widows of Karansi, Tanzania.
The Mission
For over 20 years, a Tanzanian community in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro and an American community from metro Atlanta, have been on a journey of faith, hope and love together— led by the nonprofit UboraTZ.
“The challenges our brothers and sisters face in Tanzania on a daily basis are still quite overwhelming,” explained Ubora President Dave Burgess. “With little government infrastructure in place in Tanzania to provide for basic needs—like education, healthcare and social services—we’ve been able to come alongside our friends to help guide and fill some of these gaps.”
“Many of the programs require ongoing funding,” explained Burgess. “The revenue from Climb Kili provides general funds for Ubora’s five impact programs of education, health, business and agriculture, community and child sponsorship.”
The Event
Each year in February, people from around the world take a virtual climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro through Climb Kili. All race fees and sponsorships directly impact widows, children and families in Tanzania. Climbers choose from five different routes—from easy to extreme—and accumulate and log their mileage toward their Climb Kili goal for the month-long event.
It’s climber’s choice on how much mileage they set as goal for the month--accumulated by any mode of physical activity, including walking, running, rolling, swimming…
The event appeals to families and people of all ages. The youngest participant was four and the oldest 92— both climbers hailing from the same family tree!
“People get creative in their own personal climbs of Kilimanjaro and pedaled Peloton’s, walked on treadmills or ellipticals, swam laps, rolled wheelchairs, hiked national parks, strolled city sidewalks and walked the halls of assisted living centers, all in support of Tanzanians,” shared Rena Olsen, Climb Kili’s event director.
“Our youngest participant, Annalyn, is four years old and reached her goal of 22 miles for the month,” said Rena. “We love the creativity of our participants (and their parents) and heard that Annalyn accumulated some of her mileage while jumping on the bed!”
There is also a spiritual side to Climb Kili. Climbers were encouraged to pray and focus on the purpose of the event—the people of Tanzania. “Proudest miles yet, plus prayer and “Discerning Leader” Podcast. Just got up and got out and did it,” shared one participant.
All climbers received a T-shirt with the African proverb, “If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far, go together.”
Participants also had a chance to form teams to raise additional funds for Ubora or to engage in friendly competition for mileage.
The top fundraising team was “Catch Us If You Can” led by Tim Neet. The team contributed an additional $6,200 in funds for Tanzania!
“We more than doubled our revenue number from last year’s event and have made some fabulous new friends and partners along the way,” said Dave. “We’ve already begun discussions for 2023 Climb Kili and have some exciting new event additions for participants.”
Next on the horizon for Ubora is a real Climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in July, 2022, led by Zara Tours. For sponsorship opportunities, contact: lesliesams@uboratz.org.
Team Results
Our Climb Kili teams really showed up! Take a look at these impressive mileage totals for each team and route…
Novice Route – 22 Miles
Further Up & Further In – 48.57 miles
Roadkill – 38.80 miles
F3 Hooch – 37.2 miles
Rongai Route – 40 Miles
Catch Us If You Can – 521.06 miles
F3 Hooch – 264.23 miles
The Sams Club – 209.52 miles
High Climbers Route – 100 Miles
Catch Us If You Can – 732.73 miles
F3 Hooch – 512.35 miles
F3 Gwinnett – 349.84 miles
*F3 Teams, including Hooch, Gwinnett, Hoppylike and Nirvana claimed four of the top five spots on the High Climbers Route!
Macon Dunnagan Route – 160 Miles
Further Up & Further In – 408.90 miles
Wyoming Besties – 239.35 miles
F3 Hooch – 217.37 miles
Shout out to the two-person powerhouse team of “Magnificent Mamas Moving Mtns” for their 159.65 Climb Kili miles. Way to go Stephanie Griffin and Courtney Hester!
Summiters
Congratulations to all participants of Climb Kili! Following are those who reached their own personal summits, along with total Climb Kili milage accumulated for the month for each summiter:
Novice Route – 22 Miles
1. Nico du Plessis – 37.2 miles
2. Karla Boy 33.1 miles
3. Megan Strietelmeier – 32.98 miles
4. Leland Williams – 26.09 miles
5. Michele Lockwood – 25.04 miles
6. Ken Ussery – 25 miles
7. Annalyn Peak – 22.48 miles
8. Oliver Tseng – 22 miles
Rongai Route – 40 miles
1. Lori Bergquist – 102.28 miles
2. Chris Robert – 84.34 miles
3. Dan Richard – 61.69 miles
4. Dennis Lee – 68.10 miles
5. Lance Kelson -68.1 miles
6. Andrew Easton – 66.36 miles
7. Diane Quilter – 64 miles
8. Dave Boy III – 57.6 miles
9. Emily Heding – 55.84 miles
10. Ari Wajnberg – 54.86 miles
11. Rena Olsen – 54.5 miles
12. Cindy James – 52.79 miles
13. Mike Bransby – 52.6 miles
14. Jamie Brock – 52.16 miles
15. Lauren Mead – 51.54 miles
16. Jonathan Geisheimer – 49.85 miles
17. Stephanus Wirabudi – 48.94 miles
18. Ofir Kaidar-Heafetz – 48.75 miles
19. Beth Miller – 43.49 miles
20. Linda Lee – 46.3 miles
21. Tripti Macias – 46 Miles
22. Rock Taber – 43.51 miles
23. Chloe Shaia – 43 miles
24. Amy Shirley – 44 miles
25. Penny Eubank – 42.6 miles
26. Brian Robbins – 42.07 miles
27. Carol Pope – 42 miles
28. Chris Paine – 42 miles
29. Joy Sasser – 41.23 miles
30. Travis Sasser – 41.23 miles
31. April Geisheimer – 40.5 miles
32. Linda Landon – 40.35 miles
33. Ginny Wurttemberg – 40.29 miles
High Climbers Route – 100 Miles
1. Rock Reed – 162.8 miles
2. Ann Miller – 156.30 miles
3. Tom Wohlbach - 148 miles
4. Angie Reed – 145.51 miles
5. Christine Tobin – 126.63 miles
6. Steven Ferenczy – 125.99 miles
7. Lanee Johnson – 120.12 miles
8. Andreas Wirabudi – 114.36 miles
9. Stephen Sohn – 107.26 miles
10. Brian Jobmann – 110.97 miles
11. Brian Skeens – 106.87 miles
12. Amy Parker – 104.05 miles
13. Kevin Milton – 103.66 miels
14. Eric Robb – 103.1 miles
15. Mike Merritt – 101.55 miles
16. Greg Lea – 100.6 miles
17. Mike Lockwood – 100.51 miles
18. Rich Hirschland – 100.3 miles
19. Stephanie Griffin – 100.1 miles
Macon Dunnagan Route – 160 Miles
1. Doug James – 247.4 miles
2. Lisa Bratton – 239.35 miles
3. Carolee Williams – 161.5 miles
4. Tammy Pinkston – 160.74 miles
5. Adam Hill – 160.37 miles
Climb Kili Choice – Choice of personal goal
1. Todd Hickman 80.26 miles
2. Joy Moore- 52.5 miles
3. John Parker – 12.4 miles
4. Yangsook Ku – 2.5 miles
Our Very Special Sponsors
Love and Transformation
Born with a severe cleft palate, Kaanankira barely survived—today he he continues to defy all odds. Read Kaanankira’s story of hope, family, love and transformation!
A boy born in Tanzania with a severe cleft palate defies odds and becomes a symbol of hope for two communities… and the world
Kaanankira’s story spans two continents and over 16 years as people in his local community of Karansi, Tanzania and Atlanta, Georgia have rallied around the unlikely young hero to provide love, shelter, financial support and medical care.
Kaanankira was born in rural Tanzania with a severe cleft palate. The birth defect made it difficult for him to eat or even breathe. His mother, after seeing her newborn son, knew she couldn’t care for him as she had no access to medical care. His aunt took the child in and provided safety and shelter in her one room home. Eliamulika gave him the name Kaanankira, in Swahili which means, “Stay with the Lord”.
Dave Burgess, president of Ubora, explained, “Children born with any type of disability are at risk of infanticide in some countries in east Africa due to ancient tribal customs. Thankfully, Kaanankira’s life was spared.”
Seeking help for the child, Eliamulika turned to Pastor Wariaeli Maphie of Karansi. Pastor Wariaeli had been instrumental in establishing a partnership between his village and Perimeter Church in Atlanta in 2001 for provision of humanitarian aid, which would eventually organize as the non-profit UboraTZ. Ubora which means “excellence” in Swahili, continues to serve the people and village of Karansi through five impact programs, including child sponsorship, education, business, health and community.
One week in 2005 a group of high school students and group leaders were visiting from Atlanta.
“On the last day of the trip, a woman brought up a baby to the school where we were,” said Dave Boy, who was leading the mission trip along with Wendy Williams. “The child had a severe cleft palate. We all felt compassion and an overwhelming need to do something. From the available funds we had on us, we collected enough money for the child to see a doctor, I believe it was $250.”
At that first doctor’s appointment, they learned Kaanankira was malnourished because he couldn’t get proper suction to breastfeed. He was also very sick with malaria.
On both sides of the Atlantic, teams mobilized to get Kaanankira the restorative surgery he needed. The team in Tanzania connected with the nonprofit Smile Train; Smile Train in turn located a European doctor who would be in the area and willing to do the surgery. The team in Atlanta raised the $1500 necessary to cover expenses related to the surgery for Kaanankira.
Kaanankira had successful palatoplasty to repair his cleft palate, with outstanding results. The child’s birth mother eventually took him back in.
In addition to his cleft palate, Kaanankira was severely malnourished and had malaria.
A beautiful physical transformation thanks to successful surgery.
Wendy Williams, a teacher and long-term volunteer and supporter of Ubora, returned to the village of Karansi in 2015 for a teacher-mentor mission trip. “On the way to worship, I often ask the children their names – just to repeat it and tell them how beautiful they are,” recalled Wendy. “As I looked in this little face, I saw the faint cleft-palate scar. I asked him, ‘Jina la ku ni nani?’ Very quietly he said something I thought could mean Kaanankira, but I wasn’t sure, so I asked his teacher and she confirmed that it was him. He didn’t know me and I didn’t want to frighten him, so I just stood in the field with my hands on his head and quietly wept over God’s amazing work in the life of this precious child.”
The Boys became Kaanankira’s sponsor. “It was such a tug on my heart when I saw him,” said Dave, “I knew he was meant to be our sponsored child.”
The monthly sponsorship fee covers all school-related expenses at Siha Leadership School, including two nutritious meals a day. Over the years, the Boys have communicated regularly with Kaanankira through written letters and Zoom calls, and have visited him multiple times. They continue to marvel at his development over the years.
When Kaanankira’s father died in 2014, home life once again would prove difficult for the boy. Rather than sending him to school, his mother often kept him home to tend to the cattle in the field.
Another David (Daudi in Swahili) would reach into Kaanankira’s life to lend a hand in his ongoing transformation. This time, it was Daudi Mbise, an SLS teacher at the time, who offered to take Kaanankira in and raise him as his own. Daudi soon married Martha, also a teacher at SLS, and the three became a family in 2017. Kaanankira began to do better in school with new found stability in his home life and the loving care of two parents.
Kaanankira’s family now includes a little brother, Delvis, and sister, Delvina. “In his letters, he is so thrilled that he has a little brother and sister,” said Karla Boy. “That has congealed him closer in the family. It just thrills my heart.”
The Standard 7 National Exams were held in September for all students in Tanzania. Martha and Daudi encouraged, prayed and coached Kaanankira in preparation for the test. “We worked on helping build his self confidence that he was capable, prepared and would do well on the exam,” said Martha.
“Not only did the entire class do very well on the exams, but we were especially proud of Kaanankira who scored a B on the exam,” reported Headmaster Daniel Lepapa.
“We thank God and are so glad for his performance,” said Martha. “Before that, we believed he could do it. We were praying for him every day.”
“Martha invested and believed in his ability to pass the 7th grade test,” said Dave Boy. “This is such a victory and something to be celebrated. The fact that he got a B is a big deal in Tanzania.”
Kaanankira is quite well known in his home of Karansi and also by many people in and around Atlanta associated with Ubora. “He’s always had so many people praying for him,” said Dave Burgess.
So, what’s next for Kaanankira? In January, he will enter secondary school in Tanzania.
He believes there is a call on his life, said Martha, “to be a great man, a pastor.”
“To watch his transformation has been such a blessing,” said Karla. “The biggest thing we noticed, in his early pictures up to age 4 or 7, there were not too many smiles. That has all changed. Now in every picture he has a big smile. He’s doing so much better than he was early in life.”
“Kaanankira believes that God has truly delivered him into wonderful opportunities,” said David Boy. “He sees that. It has been an amazing story.”
All smiles as Kaanankira celebrates graduation from Siha Leadership School in September, 2021, with his mother, Martha and siblings Delvis and Delvina.
Sowing Seeds of Love
George Peake sharing his heart and expertise (with assistance from a translator) in Karansi, Tanzania.
Georgia Farmer Lends Heart and Expertise to Local Farmers in Rural Tanzania
We all have gifts and talents we can offer to serve those in need! George Peake is a successful farmer in south Georgia. Encouraged to get involved to help farmers in rural Tanzania through Ubora by Lee Williams (who leads Ubora’s Business Impact program), George said “yes”. In this interview, George shares with Rena more about his first few days in Karansi, Tanzania. To learn more: https://uboratz.org
Division. Discord. Distrust. It’s not supposed to be this way. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Dave Burgess, Ubora’s president, shares insight on what he saw and experienced on a recent trip to Tanzania.
Celebrating graduation with Caren, my sponsored child, and her family.
By: Dave Burgess
President, UboraTZ
Ubora, the nonprofit organization I now lead, serves a community of people in the Siha District of Tanzania. Our work over the past 20 years has been a true partnership, where those from the US and Tanzania have grown and learned together.
The differences between our two cultures are vastly different in some ways, yet strangely similar in others. I’ve learned so much from my brothers and sisters in Tanzania and look forward to sharing more with you.
Caren, when we first started to get to know her, through child sponsorship.
Caren’s Story
I was in Tanzania in September for a number of reasons, including the graduation of primary school students from 7th grade at our Siha Leadership School. The celebration was extra special for me because my family’s sponsored child, Caren, was in this graduating class. We’ve sponsored Caren since she was in the first grade.
Over the years, we’ve corresponded regularly through letters and video chats. My family and I traveled to Tanzania several times to serve in the village where Caren lives and to visit her and her family.
There have been exchanges of small gifts. But the most meaningful exchanges were of love, hope, and genuine human connection. Our families became intertwined, and each visit ended with tears.
Graduation is a significant landmark in her culture. During the festivities, her father, normally a stoic man of few words, took me aside to express his gratitude - with both of us nearly in tears of happiness. Later, the rest of the family was in celebration mode! Caren’s 7th grade graduation, the first in the family, was a big deal. In the midst of the joy, I really felt like I was a part of Caren’s extended family.
This year’s graduating class at Siha Leadership School…featuring the young women of the class and Pastor Wariaeli. Photo credit: Lane Photography/Gary Leazer.
Caren’s story, and the story of our combined families, is just getting started. We are looking forward to this wonderful connection between two families as she moves into secondary school, college, and beyond.
Stepping Toward Unity
There is a lot of talk these days about the inherent division, discord, and distrust in society. But, there are many who know deep within their hearts that this is wrong. We’ve seen it and felt it in countless stories like the one between Caren’s family and my family. There are so many good organizations out there spreading this truth: that people of different cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds can flourish together--counter to what we hear in the press and on social media.
It has been increasingly difficult for Ubora to continue its work due to the negative impact of the virus on financial gifts, volunteerism, and our ability to travel.
Ubora and the many other churches, missions, and nonprofits who do the work of building connections need your support now more than ever. I urge you to help amplify these examples that show the world a different way than some of the things we hear today. Please consider supporting Ubora or any of the other great organizations that keep humanity’s light shining brightly.
There are always tears when we have to say goodbye!