Two Friends. One Mountain. One Goal.
01.02.2026
Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain. Its ice-capped summit towers above the vast plains of East Africa. Two friends met through development projects in Kenya. One works on the ground as a project manager, the other became involved as a supporter. Together, they want to conquer the summit from 25 January to 1 February 2026 – with one shared vision: to bring education and nourishment to the Maasai children of Olempoor. Let’s make it grow: the Garden of Future in Olempoor!
The Kilimanjaro Challenge in pictures:
Growing Together: Education, Nutrition, and a bright Future
Marcus Kraemer and Paul Karanja share a passion for mountain climbing. But beyond that, they share a deeper calling: to create change and foster justice in this world.
The Maasai community of Olempoor is situated in southern Kenya. Three years ago, the community began to build its first school—the only one for many miles around. Nearly 80 percent of the children arrive at school each day without food. Kajiado County is one of Kenya’s driest regions. Most families depend on herding livestock, but recurring droughts have killed roughly 80 percent of the animals in recent years.
Hunger makes learning almost impossible. Children struggle to concentrate, and their physical and mental development is at risk. That is why the parents and teachers of Olempoor want to establish a school garden: to grow food for the children and teach them the principles of organic farming. To make this dream become true, they need a borehole to access water, fencing to protect the crops, and tools and seeds. Parents and teachers are ready to work side by side—and the children will learn hands-on how to grow their own healthy food.
To support this vision, Paul Karanja and Marcus Kraemer are launching the Kilimanjaro Challenge. With every step toward the summit, they raise awareness and invite sponsors to help bring Olempoor’s “Garden of Future” to life.
Every donation goes directly and entirely to Olempoor. Supporters can choose to pledge a contribution for each day of the climb—or make a one-time donation to the project.