Four Oxford University students will be climbing Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, to celebrate the Nasio Trust’s 20th anniversary.

The Abingdon-based charity was founded in 2001 by CEO Nancy Hunt, and celebrates its 20th anniversary this month.

Nasio’s aim is to provide a solution to ending the cycle of poverty, through the provision of education, healthcare, psychosocial support, and the development of commerce through sustainable income-generating projects.

Hari Kope, Molly Hey, Marcus Allen and Airi Visser will be celebrating Nasio’s success by summiting Mount Kilimanjaro.

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The students are determined to support the charity by taking on this challenge, following in the footsteps of over 500 climbers who have climbed Kilimanjaro in support of Nasio in the last two decades.

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Hari, the climb lead, said: “What a time to be taking on a personal challenge when the world is in fear of travelling and taking risks!

We want to do something good in support of the Nasio Trust as they celebrate their 20th Anniversary.

“We look forward to wearing the Nasio T-shirt on the summit on August 30.”

They are excited to be doing the climb ahead of a talk by Stephen Venables, mountaineer, writer, broadcaster and public speaker, who will be speaking about his African climb expeditions to Nasio supporters later this year.

Mr Venables was the first Briton to climb Everest without supplementary oxygen, a feat which has been described as one of the supreme athletic tests known to man.

Last year volunteers for the charity helped to sanitise 50,000 people in rural parts of Africa to protect them during the pandemic.

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Team members worked with the Kenyan Ministry of Health and Government to fill a ‘critical gap’ in the provision of essential services including healthcare, clean water and sanitation.

Following the start of the pandemic the charity engaged 340 community health volunteers to spread awareness of the virus, symptoms, testing, treatment and prevention. Teams helped more than 50,000 people with a door-to-door Covid-19 campaign and set up hand washing stations across Mumias West market centres.

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The action involved at least 700 people, including 100 per educators and 60 Nasio staff. More than 100 hand washing facilities were donated to families, small businesses, churches and mosques and soap and sanitisers were provided. The charity recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with a party at Dorchester Abbey. Visit info@thenasiotrust.org.