11/06/2026
https://donorbox.org/rising-for-mothers-the-kilimanjaro-maternity-climb
Yesterday, my husband and I completed one of our first training hikes for our Mount Kilimanjaro fundraising challenge.
We're climbing Kilimanjaro to raise funds for maternal healthcare in rural Tanzania.
Now, at 8.7 kilometres on foot, nearly two hours of walking, and 153 metres of elevation gain, Mount Brown is definitely not Kilimanjaro.
But standing at the lookout yesterday, one thing became very clear.
Kilimanjaro is not going to be easy.
Still, every meaningful journey starts with a first step.
For us, this journey actually started long before we put on our hiking boots.
Last year, we got married.
Like many newlyweds, we talked about how we wanted to spend our honeymoon.
Most people choose beaches, cocktails, and couples' massages.
We decided to do something a little different.
In September 2026, we'll travel to Tanzania with members of our team and several volunteers.
Before heading to Kilimanjaro, we'll spend two weeks in Kamanga and Mwanza.
For my husband, it will be his first time meeting what I often call my "other family" - the incredible team in Tanzania that I've worked alongside for more than a decade.
He's heard the stories for years.
He's spent days helping collect medical equipment for our projects.
But this will be his first opportunity to experience it all firsthand.
Then we'll begin the climb.
But this campaign isn't really about a mountain.
It's about power.
The new maternity ward at Kamanga Health Centre is now in the final stages of construction.
Once completed, it will allow us to care for even more mothers and newborns.
But buildings alone don't save lives.
Reliable power does.
In Tanzania, electricity can be unpredictable.
When it rains, the power can go out.
When it doesn't rain, the power can still go out.
Power cuts can last for hours, sometimes days.
But babies don't wait for the electricity to come back.
Labour doesn't pause because the grid is offline.
Healthcare continues regardless.
Years ago, before we installed our current solar system, a patient arrived after a serious car accident.
The power was out.
Our team had no choice but to stitch that patient's wounds using the light from a mobile phone torch.
The patient received the care they needed because our staff are incredibly resourceful and committed.
But it should never have to happen that way.
Solar power is not an optional extra.
It's not a luxury.
It's critical healthcare infrastructure.
Reliable solar power means lights stay on during labour and delivery.
It means essential equipment keeps working.
It means healthcare workers can focus on their patients instead of worrying about the next power outage.
And recently, we received another reminder of just how important that reliability is.
The motherboard in our current solar system has failed and now needs replacing.
Infrastructure requires maintenance.
Systems need upgrading.
Reliable healthcare depends on reliable power.
That's why we launched Rising for Mothers.
Our goal is to raise funds to strengthen and expand the solar power system supporting the new maternity ward.
We've set a fundraising target of $20,000 and have already raised just over $2,000.
The reality is that the final need may be closer to $30,000.
As we begin training for Kilimanjaro, we know the mountain ahead is significant.
But the challenge facing rural healthcare is even greater.
Every training walk brings us one step closer to the summit.
Every contribution brings us one step closer to reliable power.
And every step we take together helps create a future where mothers arriving at Kamanga Health Centre can depend on safe, uninterrupted care.
Day or night.
Rain or shine.
Thank you for walking this journey with us.
https://youtu.be/igtNdaU_BUU
Yesterday, my husband and I completed one of our first training hik...
