The First Qatari Women to Reach Mt. Kilimanjaro May Surprise You

Six young female climbers became the first Qatari women to reach the 5,895 meter peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro this month in Tanzania. It was not a personal challenge, nor an adventurous expedition: the main purpose was to raise funds for education in Gaza.

Together with six other male counterparts, the group of women set off to Kilimajaro on October 2, as part of the Elevate to Educate Me expedition organized by Reach out to Asia (ROTA) which aimed to raise QR 1 million to rebuild schools in Palestine’s besieged strip, Doha News reported.

“I want to promote the culture of social responsibility across borders and allow people’s horizons to expand beyond the limits of what surrounds them,” said Dana Al Anzy, a member of ROTA’s Youth Advisory board.

Al Anzy also took the challenge to “motivate other women to pursue their dreams and ambitions,” The Peninsula reported. By the end of the expedition, the team had collectively raised over QR 2 million to build and revamp 22 schools in Gaza, through ROTA’s “My Education… My Hope” campaign.

“Qatar’s women have made it to the top of Africa. After 7 days of mental, physical and emotional struggles varying between missing my family during Eid, twisting my wrist on the second day of the climb and being oxygenated for lacking oxygen at 4,600 meters – Your prayers and support kept me going at -15 degrees on the 7 hour climb over a stormy night up to the summit,” she posted on Instagram that day.

For more information: Visit the Elevate to Educate website