Three Canadian co-operators took co-operation to the top of Africa, as they raised the International Year of Co-operatives flag on Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro.
Through their journey, they added CAD15,600 to the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF), exceeding their goal of CAD2012 per climber on their journey to highest peak in Africa — 19,341 feet above sea level.
Jo-Anne Ferguson, Lydia Phillips and Ingrid Fischer, who all work for the Canadian Co-operative Association, reached the summit on 31 August.
They received help from former Concentra Financial CEO, Myrna Bentley, who was also actively involved in the fundraising effort but was unable to participate in the climb for health reasons.
The team, which took over a year to plan their climb, explained on their blog of the journey: “CDF, in partnership with Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA), helps people to work their way out of poverty – we have seen it for ourselves.”
From the first glance of Mount Kilimanjaro on 25 September, they said: “We started to sense the reality of our challenge even though the mountain still seemed a long way away.”
The co-operators were joined by two guides, one assistant guide, a cook and 16 porters carrying camping and cooking equipment. They even found a co-op connection: “Our guide Raymond wore gaiters from Mountain Equipment Co-op!”
As they reached the top and held the flag high, they explained: “Now is the time we’d been anticipating for more than a year — unfurling the 2012 International Year of Co-operatives flag on the Top of Africa. We took our time with lots of photos of this memorable moment.”
Throughout the eight day hike to the top, they had seen both a blue moon and a full moon from the top of Africa. The team took the Lemoshe 8-day route, which is around 60km.
• Read more about the group's adventure on their blog.
