Kilimanjaro- The Chairman of 748 Air Services and the Founder of Mama Ibado Charity, Mr. Ahmed Rashid Jibril, is all set to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain, in an inspiring initiative to support Kenya’s seniors in need.
Mr. Jibril was flagged off on Friday morning, August 2nd, 2024, ahead of the scheduled August 3rd climb to the roof of Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Following a month of intensive exercise and preparations, Mr. Jibril affirmed his readiness to climb and expressed high optimism about reaching the fundraising target and fulfilling his dream of reaching the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
“We want to succeed in reaching the summit, we also want to succeed in raising money for our seniors. Every step we take on Kilimanjaro is to honor our seniors. That is the purpose for which we have been preparing, keeping fit, and hoping to reach the top. Just like any goal, we want to succeed,” affrmed Mr. Jibril.
The initiative’s ultimate goal is raising about KES 14 Million (USD $100,000), which will provide essential food supplies for 1,000 seniors.
“To date we’ve raised 50 percent of that and we’re hoping to achieve the rest from well wishes and any contribution, whether it’s 100 shillings, 200 shillings, adds up to the amount. So our target is 14 million shillings,” said Mr. Jibril.
Over the past 13 years, this program has been a beacon of hope for many seniors, providing essential food rations, healthcare support, and improving living standards for needy seniors aged 60 years and above.
Two years ago, Mama Ibado Charity built 87 homes for the elderly in support by various donors where the Charity organisation went to the communities that these seniors live and committed where they stay, negotiated with the community, and were given the space to build the homes.
“We are strong believers trying to keep our elders in the community rather than separating them in homes. We acknowledge there are initiatives by the county governments and the central government in support of that but the problem with those initiatives they are not coordinated, they are piecemeal, they are not properly funded,” explained Mr Jibril.
He added, “Even in Inua Jami, one time they have money the next time they don’t have money. We’ve been supporting the elderly from 2011 and every commitment we’ve made from 2011 we have provided food rations every month for the people we’ve done. We’d like to do more but we also want to have sustainability.”
Mr. Jibril will be accompanied by the Kiligrit team, a group of senior citizens from diverse backgrounds and professions, who passionately advocate for restoring dignity among senior citizens.
The accompanying Kiligrit members with an average age of 65 years include Col (rtd) Hussein Ahmed Farah, Hussein Unshur Mohamed, Col (rtd) Abdulbari Abdulrahman, Mohamed Ibrahim Elmi,Ali Daud Mohamed, Mohamud Issak Duale, Abdikadir Sheikh Hassan, Hassan Sharif Al Beity,Omar Adan Hussein,Abdiwahid Biriq.
“We are mountain climbers and we think that that will attract a lot of fundraising and we are really praying and hoping that our climb to the mountain, which is not an easy job, is for the sake of the elderly and the success of Mama Ibado Charity,” said Col (rtd) Hussein Ahmed Farah.
Mama Ibado Charity’s Seniors Feeding Program has been operational since 2011, providing monthly food rations to 50 seniors and extending their impact to reach the current 1,000 seniors in Isiolo and Kakamega Counties.
Corporates, donors and Kenyans from all walks of life are still encouraged to contribute to this cause, by visiting www.mamaibado.org/Kilimanjaro or contact +254 706 566960.
