In August this summer, blind explorer Amar Latif will undertake his biggest physical challenge to date: to climb the infamous 5900m high Mt Kilimanjaro. He will be accompanied by two sighted companions who will verbalise what they are seeing to him, enabling him to feel his way up and down the mountain with every step he takes. Amar is undertaking this epic mission in aid of Rafiki Thabo Foundation, a charity which enables education for disadvantaged children across East Africa, many of whom are living with disabilities, of which Amar is a patron.
As with every expedition he goes on, Amar will use his other senses to experience just as rich of an adventure as his fellow sighted hikers, who include England Cerebral Palsy footballer Harry Baker, Everest world record holder Kami Rita Sherpa and Children’s presenter Maddie Moate, who he will teach to smell, hear and feel way along the climb too. The Kilimanjaro expedition will be led by Grand Slam Explorer Bob Bhania.
Amar’s own life has been fraught with challenges. Losing his sight as a child, he was denied access to many of his dreams, including being told that he could not travel. However, through equal education and opportunities afforded to him in the UK, he defied everything and founded a travel company which enables blind travellers to explore the world.
A statement from Rafiki Thabo Foundation said: “Amar is all too aware of how different his life could have been had he been born in his parent’s native Pakistan, where views towards disability are very different - hence his genuine connection to the work of Rafiki Thabo across East Africa. We believe this story about Amar and his Kilimanjaro climb is one worth telling. We want people to both learn about what it takes to climb a mountain as a blind explorer, and also to understand the reasons why Amar is driven to undertake such an extraordinary and physically demanding challenge – so that young people living with a disability in East Africa have the chance to get an education and follow their dreams in life too.”
The expedition takes place 18-31 August 2023. The team will be sharing daily updates on Amar’s progress up Kilimanjaro on their social media @RafikiThabo.
