Why This Mission Matters: Every Step We Take Can Change a Life

As our departure for Kenya draws ever closer, the excitement (or maybe it's terror) is beginning to feel real. Very, very real indeed.

As you'll soon read, my training walks have become longer. Backpacks have become heavier. Early mornings have become more frequent. Every mile I walk in preparation for my upcoming trek is another reminder that Mount Kenya is no ordinary challenge. Yet, despite the physical preparation, I find myself thinking less about the mountain itself and more about the reason we're climbing it.

This expedition has never really been about reaching a summit. Fundamentally, it is about people. It is about hope and above all else, it is about helping young Kenyan girls remain in school, giving them the confidence, dignity and opportunity that every child deserves.

Preparing for the Climb

Speaking of training, my friends and I recently travelled to the stunning landscapes of the Eryri National Park in Wales - better known to many as Snowdonia - to continue our preparations.

Standing at the foot of the Watkin Path on a cloudy day in June, surrounded by ancient woodland and rugged Welsh mountains, we were again reminded that every significant journey begins with a single step. This was no exception. The Watkin Path is widely regarded as one of the toughest routes up Snowdon. Its steep climbs, uneven terrain and relentless gradients offered exactly the kind of challenge we were looking for. It tested our fitness, but perhaps more importantly, it tested our resilience.

Throughout the day we learned valuable lessons that will serve us well in Kenya. We practised using our hiking equipment, adjusted to carrying heavier packs, encouraged one another through the tougher sections and discovered that climbing mountains is rarely about speed, it's about perseverance, teamwork and taking one step after another.

As we reached each new viewpoint, stopping occasionally to catch our breath and take in all the spectacular scenery northern Wales has to offer, it was impossible not to appreciate how fortunate we were to be there. Mother nature is an incredible lady. Yet even in those moments, our thoughts and our conversations kept returning to Kenya.

At the start of the Watkin Path

Getting there!

We reached the summit, windswept but elated.

Snowdonia looks spectacular

Coming down is easier...just.

Every mile we walked in Wales represented another step towards something much bigger than ourselves. This trip wasn't simply training for a mountain. It was preparation for a larger mission about 4000 miles away in Africa.

More Than a Mountain & Why This Mission Matters To Me

When people hear that we're climbing Mount Kenya, they often ask how difficult it will be.

The honest answer I give is "very!"

Throughout the 5199 metre ascent, Mount Kenya has it all. Over several days we'll climb through arid farmland, dense forests and alpine landscapes. We'll contend with high altitude, unpredictable weather, tired legs and moments when every step demands determination.

My friends and I are in no doubt why this mission matters, but also well aware that there will certainly be times when we'll question how much further we can go, but however difficult those days become, one thing remains true. Eventually, we'll come home. The pain and exhaustion will subside. Our legs will recover and this hike up Africa's second highest mountain will become a happy memory for my friends and I. A story I tell my children, at parties or during one of my NetWalking events.

For many girls growing up in vulnerable communities across Kenya, however, the challenges they face are far from temporary. They wake up to them every single day. That perspective changes everything. Suddenly, this humungous mountain becomes much smaller than the mission.

The Barriers We Rarely Think About

For many of us, particularly those growing up here in the UK, education was something we simply expected. It was a normal part of childhood. We put on our school uniform each morning without giving it much thought. If we needed stationery, books or new shoes, somehow they appeared.

Most of us never questioned whether we would be able to attend school because of our circumstances. Yet for thousands of girls across Africa, education is far from guaranteed.

Sometimes the barrier is as simple as not owning the correct school uniform, or any uniform at all. In many Kenyan schools, uniforms are compulsory. Without one, a child may be unable to attend classes, even if they desperately want to learn.

Imagine wanting nothing more than to sit in a classroom, but knowing you cannot because your family simply cannot afford the clothes required. Now imagine carrying that disappointment day after day.

Education isn't denied because of ability. It is denied because of poverty. That is why providing a school uniform is so much more than supplying clothing. It is opening the classroom door, and keeping it open for everyone else.

The Hidden Challenge of Period Poverty

As if that wasn't hard enough, there is another barrier that is often less visible, but equally devastating. For many girls, reaching puberty brings with it a new challenge: managing menstruation without access to appropriate sanitary products.

An estimated 1 million school-age girls in Kenya miss up to four days of school every month due to period poverty. This lack of access to safe menstrual products (and proper sanitation) translates to at least 6 weeks of lost learning time in an academic year. We can change that.

Across parts of sub-Saharan Africa, many girls miss school during their periods because they simply don't have the hygiene products or facilities they need to manage them safely and with dignity.

Some stay at home for several days every month. Others attend school but live with anxiety, discomfort and embarrassment. Over the course of a year, those missed days accumulate into weeks, if not months, of lost education. Over several years, they can significantly affect confidence, attainment and even whether a girl completes her education at all.

It's difficult for many of us to imagine.

Something that should be an entirely normal part of growing up instead becomes a reason to miss lessons, fall behind classmates and lose confidence. I believe that no child should have to choose between her education and her dignity.

Why Dignity Kits Matter

One of the reasons WENDO's work is so important, and why I became a Trustee, is the practical support they provide, one of which being dignity kits.

At first glance, they may seem simple. A collection of essential hygiene products. Nothing flash or outlandish. A box of practical items. Things many of us purchase without a second thought. But since working with WENDO I've seen that their impact is truly extraordinary.

A dignity kit allows a girl to continue attending school during her period. Simple as that.

It reduces anxiety. It restores confidence. It helps protect her health. Most importantly, it reminds her that she matters.

The name of these kits isn't an accident, nor is it clever marketing. The word dignity is so important.

This isn't simply about providing products. It's about giving young women the confidence to participate fully in school life without shame or fear. It's about removing barriers that never should have existed in the first place.

Sometimes, life-changing support isn't complicated. Sometimes it's profoundly practical.

One Girl, One Opportunity

To put it into perspective, imagine a twelve-year-old girl in Kenya, let's call her Amina.

She loves mathematics, so much so that she dreams of becoming a teacher one day.

Every morning she walks several miles to school because she knows education offers the possibility of a different future.

Over time, as she grows up, her school uniform becomes too small. Her family cannot afford another one. Around the same time she begins her period, but has no access to appropriate sanitary products.

Slowly, she starts missing lessons. At first it's only a few days. Then a week. Then more.

As she loses connections with her friends, her confidence begins to fade, she starts to fall behind her classmates. The dream of becoming a teacher starts is gradually taken away. It doesn't add up.

Now imagine someone providing her with a school uniform and a dignity kit. Let's face it, nothing magical has happened. Her circumstances haven't changed overnight, but something important has.

She can return to school. She can learn alongside her friends. She can regain confidence. She can begin believing once again that her future is full of possibility.

This isn't simply about attending school. It's about restoring hope. Amina, and thousands of girls just like her across Kenya are the reason why my friends and I are walking up Mount Kenya in August and we need your help.

Why Educating Girls Changes Communities

Education has always been one of the most powerful tools for creating lasting change.

When girls remain in education, the benefits extend far beyond the classroom. Educated girls are more likely to enjoy better health, earn higher incomes, delay early marriage, support their families and invest in the next generation.

It's not just the girls themselves. Entire communities become stronger. Poverty begins to lose its grip. As it does, opportunity grows. Confidence grows. Leadership grows. The ripple effects continue for decades.

That is why WENDO's work focuses not only on meeting immediate needs, but on creating sustainable, long-term transformation. The charity exists to empower women and girls through practical support and initiatives that unlock potential rather than simply responding to crisis.

As a proud trustee of WENDO, I have seen how often genuine transformation begins with something surprisingly small. That could be a uniform. A dignity kit. An opportunity or as something as simple as a conversation. These small, yet practical acts of generosity become the foundations upon which futures are built.

Why We Climb

Every training walk my friends and I have done, including the one in Sicily I spoke about in the previous blog, has reminded me that mountains are climbed one step at a time.

The same is true of changing lives.

As much as we might like to think it does, no single donation changes the world. Just as no single dignity kit solves every problem. No single school uniform eliminates poverty.... but, put them together?

Together they become something incredibly powerful. Together they keep girls in education. Together they restore confidence. Together they remind young women that their dreams matter and that is exactly what this Mount Kenya challenge represents.

Every step we take up the mountain symbolises another step towards that opportunity.

Every pound raised helps remove another barrier. Every supporter becomes part of a story that stretches far beyond the summit, because no one climbs any mountain alone. Guides, teammates, supporters and donors like you all make the journey possible. I think the same is true of creating lasting change. It takes all of us.

Looking Beyond the Summit

As departure day approaches, I find myself feeling increasingly humbled (and a more than a little apprehensive). Reaching the summit will undoubtedly be an unforgettable achievement, but it isn't the destination that matters most.

The real success of this trek won't be measured by altitude gained or miles walked.

It will be measured by girls who remain in school. By confidence restored. By opportunities created. By futures rewritten.

When we stand on at the base of Mount Kenya looking up at what's ahead of us, I know the mountain will look immense, it will look insurmountable, but I also know something even greater lies beyond it. The possibility that every step we have taken has helped another young girl take her own steps towards a classroom, towards an education, towards independence and towards a future she chooses for herself.

That's a journey worth making, right?

Will You Walk With Us?

Although only a small group of us will physically climb Mount Kenya, this mission belongs to everyone who believes every girl deserves the chance to learn, grow and flourish. You don't have to climb the mountain to make a difference. You simply have to help by making the simple decision that someone's future is worth investing in.

Here's how you can help:

• Donate - Every contribution helps provide school uniforms, dignity kits and practical support that enables girls to stay in education. You can make your donation here. I appreciate that times are tough and money's tight for many people at the moment, so anything you can spare will be gratefully recieved and put to good use by the team at WENDO.

• Follow the Journey - Over the coming weeks I'll keep sharing our preparations, our experiences in Kenya once we land and the incredible work WENDO is doing alongside local communities. Follow me (and them) across social media.

• Share the Campaign - By reading this blog, you've heard my voice but it's YOUR voice that could introduce this mission to someone who also chooses to support it. I encourage you to share this blog or my fundraising page with as many people as possible ib your own network. Thank you in advance for doing so.

• Become Part of the Impact - The work WENDO does doesn't start or end with this walk and you can be a part of making the change last long into the future by getting involved. Take a look at WENDO's website and play your own part. Together we can ensure that more girls remain in school, grow in confidence and discover the opportunities they deserve.

I know that the climb (and the blisters) are temporary, but the impact can genuinely last a lifetime. Together, we climb. Together, we empower. Together, we create lasting change. Thank you.

The ascent keeps going. The next blog will be post-event and I can't wait to tell you all about it and thank you for all the support. It's never been more important to #BelieveInSuccess

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