A FARNHAM student is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise money to help vulnerable children in Africa and Asia.

Nineteen-year-old Edward Eggleton, who grew up in Farnham where he attended Hale Primary School and All Hallows School and Sixth Form, is climbing the mountain later this year in aid of Hope for Children, a charity which provides shelter, education, healthcare and sanitation to children living in extreme poverty and seeks to reunite them with their families.

“I’ve been very lucky to have been born in an area where we take basics like enough food, clean water, healthcare and education for granted,” said Edward.

“When I was offered the chance to raise money by doing a sponsored trek up Mount Kilimanjaro I thought it would be a good way to help other people as well as challenging myself to do something outside my comfort zone.

“I’m also going to visit one of the projects that Hope for Children supports – the Amani Children’s Home which helps street children in Moshi and Arusha, two cities at the foot of Kilimanjaro.”

At the Amani centre, children who have been found living on the streets are given shelter, support and education. Dan Stobbs from Hope for Children told The Herald: “At the Amani Centre children are provided with temporary accommodation so that they can stay in a safe and loving environment where they can receive the help that they need. 

“Providing an education is key to our vision of breaking the cycle of poverty, and many street children are unable to enter mainstream education so they are enrolled onto Amani’s accelerated primary school curriculum.

“This takes them through seven years’ worth of education in just three years and the programme has a pass rate of 95 per cent - double the Tanzanian national average. 

“The children also receive support from a dedicated team of counsellors and social workers to help them recover from their experiences on the streets, and prepare them to be reunited with their extended families.”

Hope for Children was set up 21 years ago following the experience of Dr Bob Parsons OBE, when he was asked to help children orphaned or separated from their families as a result of the war in Rwanda. The charity works in nine countries and relies on public donations and the fundraising efforts of individuals like Edward.

“I am aiming to raise £3,000,” said Edward. “I shall be holding a number of fundraising events both in Farnham and in Nottingham where I’m now at university, and I’m also having to train for the climb. It’s not a steep climb but I’ll have to be fit and able to deal with the altitude. Altitude sickness is one of the biggest challenges.”

The first fundraising event will be a cake sale at the Farnham Herald office at 114-115 West Street, Farnham, on Tuesday, February 2, and also at the office of The Herald’s sister paper, The Surrey and Hants News at Tindle House, 35 High Street, Bordon, on Thursday, February 4. Call in for a cake.

To donate to Hope for Children, visit https://2016notts.everyday

hero.com/uk/edward-eggle

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For more about the charity visit http://hope-for-children.org