An incredible 6-person team made it to the summit! In the words of Hariet, one of the EFAC Alumni on the team, on what motivated her to get to Uhuru Peak at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro,
“Because a child somewhere is lost and scared because their education might be cut short. 14-year-old me was that child, so I know better than anyone what that means. From this trip, 4 children will go through high school and university with EFAC.”
In 2025, Education For All Children (EFAC) embarked on a fundraising expedition up Africa’s highest mountain! EFAC is a holistic education-to-employment program supporting low income, high achieving Kenyan students through high school and post-secondary school and prepare them to enter the job market upon graduation.
The challenge of this expedition was increased with the goal of sponsoring Kenyan high school students selected for EFAC’s program, and the experience enhanced by connecting with the EFAC community. Let your inspiration to climb mountains positively impact others and learn about the surrounding culture and communities.
Two EFAC Alumni joined the team. Check out their reflections here:
Pictured above are Ivy and Hariet, summiting Mt Kenya during a training expedition with Lisa - a 16,000-foot climb to get them ready for Kili's 19,000!
TRIP DETAILS: January 16-27, 2025
This unique trip will create connections between the expedition teammates and many EFAC Scholars. Leading up to the trip, the climbers will be challenged to generate support for 19 high school scholarships and train for the mountain.
Once in Kenya, the group will meet some of the students and EFAC staff as well as take a student-led day hike. As your understanding of EFAC’s impact grows, we will head to Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro, accompanied by two EFAC alumni. Together we will experience the wonders and challenges of climbing a big mountain.
Take action by being 1 of only 10 Kilimanjaro climbers to join this fundraising expedition! Your participation impacts the future of bright, young Kenyans and gives them a path out of poverty.
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This 12-day/11-night trip will take place January 16-27, 2025.
— January 16: Arrive in Nairobi, Kenya
— January 17: Visit students in schools around Nairobi and meet with EFAC Kenya team
— January 18: Acclimatization hike in the Ngong Hills lead by EFAC Scholars
— January 19: Drive from Nairobi, Kenya to Arusha, Tanzania, about a 5-hour scenic drive
-- Kilimanjaro Expedition, Days 4-10 --
— January 20: Climb Day 1: Start the Machame Route, a 6 night and 7 day climb up Kilimanjaro. Depart from the Machame Gate (5,900’) and walk through the forest to Machame Camp (9,800’).
— January 21: Climb Day 2: Leave the forest behind as we trek across the Shira Plateau arriving at Shira Camp (12,600’).
— January 22: Climb Day 3: An acclimatization day with an ascent up and over Lava Tower (15,000’) and then descend to Barranco Camp (12,950’): “climb high and sleep low.”
— January 23: Climb Day 4: A short acclimatization day with the option to rest or do walks from camp at the Karanga Valley (13,000’).
— January 24: Climb Day 5: A short steep day with time to rest at Barafu Camp (15,100’) before the final climb.
— January 25: Climb Day 6: A midnight-wakeup starts summit day! A slow ascent through the dark and into sunrise brings you to Uhuru Peak (19,341’) and you’ve summited Kilimanjaro! Then begins the long descent to just above tree line and camp Mweka (10,200’).
Fun Fact: Uhuru means ‘Freedom’ in Swahili.— January 26: Climb Day 7: Another long descent ending at the Mweka Gate (5,400’) with transportation to hot showers and a nice dinner to celebrate the journey!
— January 27: Departure day
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This trip is being run by Lisa Van Sciver, who is the daughter of EFAC’s founders and has been mountain guiding for 15 years. For the Kilimanjaro expedition portion of the trip, she will be using a local Tanzanian base guide service. The trip expenses and fundraising will be run through the organization Education For All Children.
ABOUT THE TRIP LEADER: LISA VAN SCIVER
The daughter of EFAC’s founders, Lisa Van Sciver was raised to follow her passions. She began climbing in high school, and once she completed college Lisa moved to the Tetons, where she still calls home. In the late 2000s, she started guiding mountains such as the Grand Teton and Denali, the highest mountain in North America. Lisa then spent the next 15 years developing her technical and risk management skills as a mountain guide and avalanche forecaster.
In the winter, Lisa worked at the Jackson Hole ski area as a ski patroller and avalanche forecaster before moving into a position with the Grand Teton National Park as the first GTNP snow ranger. In the snow ranger position, she wrote public avalanche forecasts for the Bridger Teton Avalanche Center. The other half of the year, she guides mountains and technical rock climbs across the western U.S. She has pursued certification with the American Mountain Guide Association completing both the Ski and Rock disciplines and continues on the Alpine track. Beyond all the experiences and credentials, Lisa treats every trip with respect and always strives to make the journey fun, safe, and adventurous.
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While Kilimanjaro is a non-technical climb, and climbers will only be carrying a daypack, there are still many advanced skills needed for this mountain. The skill of pacing one’s self is essential when climbing and acclimatizing at altitude.
Trip participants should be comfortable hiking 3,000+ feet for 4-8 hours several days in a row.
Individuals will also need good self-care, such as a way to maintain healthy feet, a plan for exposure to the elements, and the ability to stay well hydrated and fueled. Expeditions, especially at altitude, wear on the climbers both mentally and physically, so everyone is expected to show up fit and psyched!
For further questions, a fitness plan, or prep climbs, contact Lisa Van Sciver: climb@efac.org
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Fundraising Commitment:
To join this trip, there is a commitment to sponsor at least one student for their entire high school education at $4,000 for each participant. Although 1 student is the commitment, 2 students is the goal, and 3 students is the increased challenge. How impactful can you make your climb? Let’s Elevate Education and make the sky the limit - literally!Trip Cost:
The cost of the trip is $5,300 per person. This includes transportation, lodging, meals during the climb, and the Kilimanjaro expedition.*Excludes: Airfare to and from Africa, meals, travel insurance, and visas.
Sign up below for more information or questions regarding the trip!
With limited spots, don’t miss your chance for this trip of a lifetime!