Kilimanjaro Kidz Education Foundation
Mungu akubariki na kukulinda daima – God bless and protect you always.
Click the image below to hear a video message from Amy.
With a group of 12 amazing women and 1 awesome guy/guide, we hiked the Tour Du Mont Blanc around a very tall mountain from France to Italy to Switzerland and back to France.
These adventures of ours all began with summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2019. And Kilimanjaro Kidz Education Foundation, born from that first trip, continues to provide generous and gracious learning opportunities for our Tanzanian families because they are surrounded by all of you.
Jambo! My name is Joel. I am 9 years old and I go to Bethel Primary School. Two of my siblings also go to private school because we have sponsors to help us!
This month we undertake the challenging task of paying tuition with the help of Board Member, Respicius, for all students living nearest to Moshi, and with the help of George, one of our parents who is a responsible business owner, for the students nearest to Arusha. With rising costs and a few sponsors discontinued, we are seeking extra help NOW to bridge the gap. $900 per year, just $75/month, covers not only the tuition for the year, but also health insurance, school supplies, uniforms, books, transportation to and from school, and two meals each day.
All one-time donations will go to help bridge the gap for our $600 annual sponsors who are not in a position to give more. And new students are raising their hands requesting help to get into private school.
If you haven’t yet sponsored and would like to, or you are a sponsor and want to give an extra one-time contribution, please visit the How You Can Help page and donate today! Our students, who range in age from 4 to 19, are so thankful for having their education secured, and removing a huge burden from their family’s daily concerns.
As you’re reading this message, I’ve finished up the bittersweet anniversary month of July.
Eight years ago, my life partner of almost 15 years, Minh, passed away from cancer. There could be plenty of “bitter” on that date. But my amazing friends, family, husband in heaven, husband on earth, and lifetime of adventures remind me of the “sweet” as well.
Minh and I traveled all over the world in our short 15 years together and built a huge memory bank of experiences together on which I draw very often. One place we didn’t travel to together was Africa. Always looking for the best deal, Minh wasn’t drawn to the price tag of an African safari and steered us toward Asia and the South Pacific for many of our treks instead.
About a year and a half after he passed, I decided to take an African trip to volunteer, to see the animals, and to meet some beautiful people of Tanzania. After an incredible time spent at the children’s home and on safari, I vowed, before boarding the plane back home, that I would be back to climb that big mountain in the distance, Mt. Kilimanjaro. I didn’t even remember those words of mine until seeing some Tanzanian friends 2+ years later at the beginning of our Kilimanjaro summiting adventure.
Since then, Amy, Dawna, and I have lived like crazy together. We’ve gone from Colorado 14ers to Peru’s Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu, across the continental divide, to my wedding, lived Amy’s dream of a non-profit that has grown beyond any expectations or hopes we had, and are looking toward Tour du Mont Blanc very soon!
Minh and I lived like crazy while he was alive. Who would have known that there would only be 39 short years of his life during which we could cram in all those places, people and food? But when July rolls around, and I could choose to dwell on what didn’t come to be in our life, I think of all of you.
What a marvelous opportunity we are giving together to our Tanzanian families for their children to live like crazy today in schools that are providing them with security, food for their brains and their bodies, and opportunities for options.
Thank you so much and keep living like crazy today with your family, friends, partners and us. We love you!
Stephanie Thai Buchanan
KKEF Board Secretary
Jambo! My name is Shadrack. I am 14 years old, and I go to St. Timothy English Medium School. My older brother and I both get to go to private school now because we have sponsors!
Our first school fee disbursements begin in September each year. With rising costs and a few sponsors discontinued, we are seeking extra help this fall to bridge the gap. $900 per year, just $75/month, covers not only the tuition for the year, but also health insurance, school supplies, uniforms, books, transportation to and from school, and two meals each day.
All one-time donations will go to help bridge the gap for our $600 annual sponsors who are not in a position to give more. And new students are raising their hands requesting help to get into private school.
If you haven’t yet sponsored and would like to, or you are a sponsor and want to give an extra one-time contribution, please visit the How You Can Help page and donate today! Our students, who range in age from 4 to 19, are so thankful for having their education secured, and removing a huge burden from their family’s daily concerns.
I’m sure Oprah wasn’t the first one to think that was a good idea, but she was the woman I faithfully came home to watch at the end of each workday.
For months, before I went to bed, I would list 5 things in my journal that I was grateful for that day. Eventually I would give up the habit until I hit a rough spot in my life, needed an attitude adjustment, and picked up the journal again.
Each time I came back to my growing list, my view of the world around me grew as well. Gratefulness in my life made colors richer, sounds crisper, good things better and bad things less bad. It made love deeper and sorrow not so sad. If you’ve never practiced this art from the school of Oprah, I encourage you to give it a try. 🙂
When I think of all that you have shared with Kilimanjaro Kidz Education Foundation, it brings me those same feelings I got from Oprah’s journaling exercise 20ish years ago. Amy, Dawna, JR, Stephanie, and Respicius (the KKEF Board) and the students and their families are living richer, deeper and blessed lives because of your willingness to go on this journey alongside Amy and her vision.
Thank you. We are so grateful!
Jambo! My name is Abigael. I am 12 years old, I am one of five children, and I go to St. Timo School. I like science and mathematics and I want to be a doctor; you can watch my video below.
Abigael (2nd from left), her family, and AmyWe have four children whose sponsors are no longer able to continue. Who do you know that would be willing to step in and help them continue? $900 per year, just $75/month, covers not only the tuition for the year, but also health insurance, school supplies, uniforms, books, transportation to and from school, and two meals each day. All one-time donations will go to help bridge the gap for our $600 annual sponsors who are not in a position to give more.
If you haven’t yet sponsored and would like to, or you are a sponsor and want to give an extra one-time contribution, please visit the How You Can Help page and donate today! Our students, who range in age from 4 to 19, are so thankful for having their education secured, and removing a huge burden from their family’s daily concerns.
In November of 2022, my husband and I planted tulips in honor of our Lucy dog who had passed away in the spring. This week, they started to pop up, and every day I find myself counting the new arrivals and speculating about what colors we put where and how many more might show up.
Today I had the chance for a walk in the sunshine with beautiful friends around MacIntosh Lake, a spot which many of us hold dear for different reasons. We came across free flowers on the path back home. Amy said that the gentleman who lives at this house along the greenway works at a local grocery store from where he brings home flowers at the end of the shift that would have otherwise been thrown away. We passed a young boy around age 16 carrying 2 bouquets while heading home from his dog walk. And each of us was happy to “save” one bunch of flowers to take a bit of sunshine to our houses.
Spring is my favorite season. I love the sun, the warmth and how we’re all coming out of hibernation and ready to enjoy life together. I hope that wherever you are, you are enjoying a world full of flowers, friends, and color. – Stephanie Thai Buchanan, Secretary of the Board
Jambo! My name is Emanuel. I am 18 years old and I go to Tumaini Foundation School. I have a great desire to be a success in life; you can click the image below to watch my video.
Emanuel and AmyWe have added health insurance for every student for just $25 per year, and school fees have climbed in the last year. Some secondary schools are growing by substantial amounts. And yet, for just $75/month, you are able to cover these expenses, including school supplies, uniforms, books, and transportation to and from school! Not to mention the school fees themselves and two meals each day.
If you haven’t yet sponsored and would like to, or you are a sponsor and want to give an extra one-time contribution, please visit the How You Can Help page and donate today! Our students, who range in age from 4 to 18, are so thankful for having their education secured, which includes two meals every school day, and removes a huge burden from their family’s daily concerns.
As I sit here writing to you, it is 8 degrees and snowing outside. I am tired of the cold. I am tired of snow. And I’m dreaming of longer days, tulips blooming, and hikes with friends. I realize that this is wishful thinking on my part as March is one of Colorado’s snowiest months!
Without wishful thinking, we would have never summited Mt. Kilimanjaro or celebrated on the top of Rainbow Mountain. Without wishful thinking we would have never crossed the Continental Divide in a day or endeavored to hike 110 miles around a very large European mountain (this year’s adventure).
Without wishful thinking, Amy would have never turned her desire to give back to our Tanzanian porters into founding Kilimanjaro Kidz Education Foundation. Without wishful thinking, KKEF would never have helped 60+ children and their families to achieve goals many of them never wished of before.
Seems like wishful thinking is pretty powerful! Maybe I’ll get the sunshine, budding flowers, and girlfriend treks soon after all. 💙You should try some wishful thinking too!
Jambo! My name is Adela. I am 16 years old and I go to Kibo Secondary School. I am grateful for my sponsorship.
Adela with her father, Ajuna, and Founder Amy StoehrClick the image and you can watch my video below.
We have added health insurance for every student for just $25 per year, and school fees have climbed in the last year. Some secondary schools are growing by substantial amounts. And yet, for just $75/month, you are able to cover these expenses, including school supplies, uniforms, books, and transportation to and from school! Not to mention the school fees themselves and two meals each day.
If you haven’t yet sponsored and would like to, or you are a sponsor and want to give an extra one-time contribution, please visit the How You Can Help page and donate today! Our students, who range in age from 4 to 18, are so thankful for having their education secured, which includes two meals every school day, and removes a huge burden from their family’s daily concerns.
