On 5th September Mahomed Khatri will be amongst a party of York students embarking upon the significant challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Ascending almost six thousand metres is a colossal test in itself, but 22 year old Mahomed faces the added difficulty of being blind. The ascent to the 5,885m peak of Kibo, the highest point on Kilimanjaro, will test Mahomed’s courage, fitness and both his mental and physical strength.
However, it is all for a good cause, since Mahomed is raising money for Hope for Children, a charity which helps to cater for underprivileged children in Africa, Asia and Europe.
Mahomed told me: “I was initially hoping to raise money for guide dogs, but unfortunately that wasn’t on the list of charities we could represent. I’m happy though to help Hope for Children, and the money is for a really good cause. It will help children in Africa by giving them food, water, medical supplies and an education. I can relate to that, I’ve got family who live in Africa and I’ve been to India and seen how poor some people are, so I thought why not do something that can help them and at the same time have an experience of a lifetime.”
When you read the description on Mahomed’s donation page (www.hopeheroes.org/khatri), you realise both the enormity of the challenge that Mahomed is facing and, more importantly, how inspirational a man he truly is.
His page reads: ‘Walking over 50KM through inhospitable terrain… Extreme weather conditions from 30C to -25C in a matter of hours… Climbing Africa’s biggest mountain is not for the weak hearted… Now try doing it with your eyes closed! Scary? You can count on that. Being blind is not easy. However I will not let my disability stop me climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro this September.’
Mahomed, who studied PPE during his undergraduate years here at York and is currently completing a Masters in philosophy, lost his sight when he was 16. When asked about how problems with his sight arose he responded: “I lost my sight through numerous retinal detachments, starting from when I was eight or nine, and it slowly got worse until I eventually had no sight by the age of 16. It took a while to get used to and I’m still learning to cope with it today. Every day you find something different, something that you don’t expect which can throw you. But I’ve got some good friends around me and family, so that’s always useful.”
It is no surprise that the Guide Dogs charity is so close to Mahomed’s heart when you see his beautiful dog Vargo, a seven year old Labrador cross Golden Retriever. Vargo has helped to change Mahomed’s life for the better and he told me: “Having Vargo gives me a level of independence, so I can go to seminars or classes by myself, or go back home to Leicester myself. Anyone can go to the places they know, but with the dog you’ve got the added advantage of being able to explore unexplored places”.
Sadly though, Vargo won’t be accompanying Mahomed on his journey to Tanzania, Mahomed commented: “I just don’t want to be the first person in the world who leaves a dog turd on the summit of Kilimanjaro.”
The whole challenge, which lasts from 5th-23rd September, and incorporates six days of climbing, simply came about by picking up a RAG calendar, and quickly Mahomed was inspired to climb Kilimanjaro this September.
In his words, “I looked at it and thought it’s something different and I don’t know anyone else who’s done it. Here you go with the university, it’s a bit of an adventure and you have the fun of raising money; I might never get an opportunity like this again.
“I contemplated it for a couple of months and finally decided in January that I was going to do it. I just thought that for once being blind I could do something by myself, and I reckon that it would be a big step towards gaining confidence.”
Indeed Mahomed is an extraordinary individual. As well as taking on this enormous challenge, he is a keen sportsman, who has represented England’s blind cricket team and plays for Leicester blind football club. His story is one of how he has refused to allow his disability to hold him back, and hopefully it will serve to inspire others. “I want to show people who’ve got a disability that it’s not going to stop you doing something, if you want to do it.
“I wouldn’t have got this far without doing the initial things. You’ve got to start somewhere, even if it’s something little such as using your cane for the first time or going to the shops. It’s about little steps, and you eventually achieve something bigger. Nothing is impossible as long as you realise that there’s always someone that will help you, and it could come from the most unexpected place. There are loads of charities and networks at universities, schools, colleges, job centres and if you really want to do something, you’ll find a way of doing it.”
It is that attitude and determination, which stands Mahomed in strong stead ahead of his test in September and will help him to overcome any tribulations on his journey up Kilimanjaro.
When I enquired as to what he thought would be his greatest challenge he answered: “I’m probably still underestimating how hard it will be. I don’t know whether it will be the amount of walking we do, the incline, the altitude or whether I’ll be able to do it quite easily. I guess I’m only going to find out when I get there.
“The only thing that I’m a little bit concerned about at the moment, and focusing upon, is meeting the fundraising target. We’re required to raise £2650, and so far I’ve only raised a fraction of that. I’d love people to donate, because at the end of the day it doesn’t have to stop at £2650, that’s the minimum, everything we raise will all go towards a good cause.
“After the trip I’ll be going to the actual village in Kenya or Tanzania where the money has gone, to see how it has helped. It’ll be an experience.”
An experience it will be most certainly be, and one that Mahomed and all of those who make the trip to Tanzania will not forget. Mahomed truly is an inspirational figure, proving that you really can achieve anything if you have the right attitude.
When I asked him if he’d done anything like this before, he amusingly replied: “Well I’ve walked up to Heslington East once before, there’s a bit of a hill there. I guess the hardest part will be the vertical bits, but at least it’ll make me walk the dog more.”
In the future Mahomed desires to become a teacher, and has applied for a PGCE and is currently waiting for a response. Before all of that he has his masters to complete, and then of course the mere task of climbing one of the most formidable mountains on the planet.
If you want to help Mahomed and his charity, Hope for Children, then you can make a donation to this wonderful and inspirational cause until the end of August at:
Inspiring. How can I donate?
You can donate at http://www.hopeheroes.org/khatri