Senior managers are taking onxa0Mount Elgonxa0toxa0tackle poverty in Eastern Africa.
County Downxa0businessmanxa0Alan Gibson,xa0Chief Commercial Officerxa0atxa0Devenish, along with 12xa0otherxa0leading food industry figures will leave the UK to face a gruelling seven-day hike up and across Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano that straddles the Uganda-Kenya border, to raise funds for the international charity Farm Africa.
Alan, whoxa0lives inxa0Hillsborough, is flying out to take part in the Mount Elgon trek onxa0Friday 26 January. Along the way,xa0Alanxa0will visit Farm Africa projects in both Uganda and Kenya to see first-hand how the money they raise will positively impact the lives of farming families in eastern Africa.
Alan Gibson said: “Trekking across Mount Elgon isxa0axa0once-in-a-lifetime challenge. I am proud to be raising money for Farm Africa, whose incredible work supporting farmers in eastern Africa will provide me with the determination to conquer Mount Elgon.”
Upon arrival, the groupxa0will travel toxa0Tesoxa0sub-region inxa0eastern Uganda toxa0visitxa0Farm Africa’sxa0Sweetxa0potatoes for prosperityxa0project.xa0The food industry experts will meet local farmersxa0working with Farm Africa,xa0and gain an insight intoxa0how thexa0organisationxa0is helpingxa0local peoplexa0earn morexa0fromxa0their agricultural effortsxa0through improved production, post-harvest handlingxa0andxa0marketingxa0ofxa0vitamin Axa0rich orange-fleshedxa0sweet potatoes.
The group will then embark onxa0thexa0seven-day hike up Mount Elgon. Thexa0100-kilometrexa0route, which will has never been walked before,xa0will take them through thick montane forest,xa0intoxa0deep gorges and up the mountain’s four peaksxa0andxa0into Kenya.xa0The trek will be mentally and physically challenging, with the teamxa0sleeping in tents along the way, carrying heavy bags andxa0walking at highxa0altitudes.xa0Betweenxa0them,xa0the teamxa0aimsxa0to raise £100,000xa0for Farm Africa.
To wrap up their trip, the team will visitxa0Farm Africa’sxa0Growing Futuresxa0project. The visit willxa0enablexa0Alan Gibsonxa0to personally meet some of the young farmers who are being given support to develop profitable horticulture businesses, and see the difference the project is making to their lives.
Stefanie Pfeil, Farm Africa’s Director of External Relations, added: “We’re thrilled to have the dedicated support of the UK food industry for Farm Africa’s work bringing long-lasting change for farmers in eastern Africa. Ixa0extend our heartfelt thanks toxa0all the trekkersxa0forxa0taking on such a gruelling challenge to raise funds to help smallholder farmers grow more, sell more and sell for more, while protecting the environment for generations to come.”
