A team of five friends from Frodsham, Chester and Warrington is preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro on 30 September to raise money for a charity that supports midwives and maternal care in Tanzania. The group has set an ambitious target of £20,000 to support Mamatoto, a UK-based organisation that works with Tanzanian health professionals.
Local fundraisers with a clear goal
The party, made up of friends aged between 35 and 45, say their fundraising is motivated by direct exposure to the charity’s work and its effect on communities with limited access to safe maternity services. They have combined hiking, gym sessions and general fitness training over recent months to prepare for the ascent.
"I'm in a fortunate position to be able to help, and after witnessing the impact of the charity's work up close, I wanted to take on a real challenge to support it — which is how the five of us ended up planning to climb Kilimanjaro."
The group comprises Marc Bott and four friends named Kieran, Mike, Paul and Ross. They aim to channel donations towards training traditional birth attendants, providing birth kits and strengthening relationships on the ground in rural Maasai areas where maternity provision is scarce.
Why Mamatoto’s work matters
Mamatoto brings together UK midwives and Tanzanian health professionals to deliver practical support focused on improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. In communities where formal maternity services are scarce, training local birth attendants and supplying basic equipment can make a measurable difference to the safety of childbirth for mothers and newborns.
- Climb date: 30 September
- Fundraising target: £20,000
- Climbers: Marc, Kieran, Mike, Paul and Ross
How readers can help
Those wishing to support the team can do so via their online fundraising page. Contributions will go to Mamatoto and are intended to fund training, equipment and birth kits used by traditional birth attendants in rural Tanzanian communities.
| Item | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Training | Improve skills of traditional birth attendants |
| Birth kits | Provide basic supplies for safer deliveries |
The climb combines a physical challenge with fundraising for maternal health, reflecting a growing trend among local groups using endurance events to support health charities abroad. Further details and a link to donate are available via the team’s fundraiser page.
