Johannesburg - After months of preparations, the Trek4Mandela expedition has finally left for Tanzania on Wednesday morning in an effort to conquer Africa's highest point, Mount Kilimanjaro.The 23 climbers left the OR Tambo International Airport to Tanzania where they will start their climb on Friday.
The climb is in honor of former President Nelson Mandela and to raise funds to buy pads for girls so that they don't stay away from school whenever they are on their periods.
The founder of Imbuba Foundation, Richard Mabaso, said they hope to support 350 000 girls through the campaign. He hopes to reach 2 million girls by 2020.
One of the people on the expedition is fitness fanatic Letshego Zulu who could not finish the climb last year after her husband Gugu died after health complications.
"I am excited because I have personally been able to share the passion Richard Mabaso has. Only a pleasure to be standing here and spreading the word," she said.
Zulu is going on the expedition again this year in honor of Gugu.
"I am excited to go on this trip to honour the life of my late husband. I am looking forward to the energy on Friday morning. It will be one filled with many emotional moments and I will take it all in my stride."
Zulu thanked South Africans for supporting her after Gugu died.
Awande Dlamini from Independent Media said the Million Comfort aims to raise 10 million sanitary pads by Sunday and that so far the campaign had raised 4 million
"When we established the Million Comfort campaign we wanted to give young girls the opportunity to finish school without worrying about their menstrual cycle," she said.
Expedition leader Sibusiso Vilane, who has 15 years mountain climbing experience , equated the trek with "going to war".
"You don't know what will happen," he said.
Vilane said the team will have all the support they need including a doctor.
"To the climbers, it will not be easy. To the parents and friends we are leaving here; be patient with us and pray for us. We will do all in our powers to take care of your family and friends."
Sello Hatang from the Nelson Mandela Foundation said: " Today is about legacies. Legacies have to outlive those who helped build them. There are more male climbers than women and this is important because for patriarchy to fall, men must be at the center of campaigns like these."
Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, who came to send off the team, said it was only through commitment that barriers could be broken.
"We will make sanitary towels of about 1 million available at our schools. It is not only through social grants that we can solve our problems, it is through commitment."