Publicity in South African Afrikaans Newspaper

The Kili for Kids climb has received great press here in South Africa.  Below is a newspaper article that ran in a South African Afrikaans newspaper.

The headline says” Six climb Kilimanjaro to collect food for children”

The bit under the photo says” Mr Dave Oosthuizen and Cam Beeler, an American that is doing welfare/charity work in South Africa, training for their climbing expedition to the highest point on Kilimanjaro this week.”

PRESS RELEASE

Thursday, 21 January 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONQUERING KILI FOR KIDS

Six intrepid climbers are set to ascend Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania during the first week of February 2010 in a bid to raise R1.2 million for the Community Outreach Programme (COP) Trust. They will be led by businessman David Oosthuizen, a Trustee of COP Trust, and guiding company Wild Frontier.

The COP Trust is an organisation that provides an opportunity for corporates and ordinary South Africans to make a lasting and meaningful difference to the lives of their fellow citizens. Funds raised through the 'Climbing Kili for Kids' initiative will be used to provide education, food, medical attention and supervision for the children that attend the schools, which the COP Trust have built around South Africa, for a minimum of a year.

 Said Oosthuizen, COP Treasurer: "Charities around the world have run “Climbing Kili for Kids” promotions in the past and we saw it as a wonderful project to bring to South Africa.”

Vodacom, Nokia, and Allied Mobile have already pledged their support for the initiative. Vodacom will be donating R100 000 to the project, while Allied Mobile (South Africa's largest handset distributor) and Nokia will each donate R25 000.

Using Nokia handsets, Oosthuizen and the team will be able to report back on their progress all the way up to the summit using social networking platforms, blogs and video uploads. The other climbers include Mark Strachan, Product Manager at Altech UEC. Vernon Dove a successful businessman of baby diaper products. Brothers Cam and Jon Beeler (self-funded climber), USA citizens committed to volunteer work in South Africa developing and working on projects that are managed by the COP Trust including the support of the disadvantaged crèches.

The sixth climber, Mat Collard is a volunteer from the United Kingdom also working for the COP Trust. “I’m really excited about the prospect of climbing Kili as this is a fantastic concept and I hope we get all the support we need”, said Collard.

"Right now, my fellow climbers and I are in hard training in anticipation of the climb. We are really looking forward to summiting the highest point in Africa to show our commitment to the cause of feeding a percentage of our county’s underprivileged children during their school year. We are asking fellow South Africans to support us in the initiative by reaching 1000 people and/or corporates to pledge and commit a R125  or more a month for just 12 months”, concluded Oosthuizen.

To follow the climber’s daily updates up Kilimanjaro, one can do so on Twitter: http://twitter.com/kiliforkids, Facebook: “Kili for Kids” and blog spot: http://klimbingkiliforkids.blogspot.com/.

Further information about the initiative can be found at the above links. Details for people willing to donate, please go to: http://www.coptrust.org.za/GetInvolved.aspx. Simply access the website and donate via the Paypal account.  One may also donate directly through the following bank account: Standard Bank, Westville Branch 045426, Current Account 25250267.