Sentebale supporter Yulia Syerova climbs Mont Blanc
On 16th July, one of Sentebale’s supporters, Yulia Syerova, successfully reached the summit of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps at 4,810m (15,780 ft), in aid of Sentebale.
Syerova first travelled to Lesotho in April 2019 and says she was taken in by the country’s beautiful terrain, but was shocked when she discovered the devastating effects of poverty in the mountainous Kingdom.
“What also struck me is how many children start working from a very young age and are unable to attend school. On my trip to Drakensberg mountains I met a couple of shepherds aged 8-15 years and it was sad to see them working in harsh conditions under strong winds and cold temperatures,” the young woman explains.
“As a mountains lover, I thought it would be great to climb the highest summit in the Alps, Mont Blanc, and to raise awareness and funds for Sentebale, a well-known charity helping vulnerable children in Lesotho.”
The climbing challenge was a beautiful, emotional and painful experience, says Syerova, who raised over £500 for Sentebale.
“Waking up at 3am and climbing snow slopes in minus -5°C to -12°C degrees under strong wind at the high altitude. It took me almost 17 hours to reach the summit and descend. But still I believe it’s incomparable with harsh conditions and difficult daily life of young shepherds working in mountainous regions of Lesotho.”
Syerova has documented her journey on social media and raised funds for Sentebale via her Virgin Money Giving page. “I’m very grateful to all my friends and colleagues who supported me in my challenge and donated to Sentebale. And I am looking forward to do something similar for Sentebale next year but definitely not Mont Blanc again!”
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