Abasetyhini abasebenzayo: "Ndinyuke iNtaba yeKilimilim"

Umxholo

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"Ndinyuke iNtaba iKilimanjaro" ayisiyiyo indlela abafundi abaphendula ngayo xa bebuzwa ukuba bachithe njani iholide yabo yasehlotyeni. Kodwa uSamantha Cohen oneminyaka eli-17 ubudala, oye wafikelela incopho ye-19,000-plus-foot kulo Julayi, akangomntu ophakamileyo kwisikolo samabanga aphakamileyo. Nangona emncinci, umfundi othe tye sele ephila indlela egqibeleleyo yendlela yokuphila ye-SHAPE.

Ukuthanda kwakhe ukwenza umthambo kwaqala xa wayeneminyaka esi-7 ubudala, xa wayebhalisa kwizifundo zokutyibiliza imizobo waza waqalisa ukukhuphisana ekuhlaleni.Kwiminyaka emine kamva, uSamantha wafumanisa umdaniso-ngqo we-jazz kunye ne-ballet-kwaye kungekudala wayeza kufikelela kwiiklasi ezili-12 veki nganye. Waye wabhalisa kwinkqubo yokudanisa. Nangona kunjalo, xa uSamantha waba neengxaki zamadolo kunyaka onesiqingatha odlulileyo kwaye wafumana unyango lomzimba, wakuthatha njengophawu lokubuyela umva.

Ndonwabile kakhulu ukudanisa kodwa ndaqonda ukuba ayisiyiyo yonke into endiyifunayo ebomini, utshilo. "Bendifuna ixesha lokuhamba ndiphonononge imisebenzi eyahlukeneyo." Ke yena waxhoma izihlangu zakhe zomdaniso waguqukela kwiyoga, ukuhamba ngebhayisikile yeqela, kunye neklasi yeZumba ngamanye amaxesha yokulungiselela ukomelela.

Ngalo lonke ixesha ejonge iindlela ezintsha zokugcina umzimba wakhe ubhitye kwaye ubambekile, uSamantha wabona ithuba lokuthatha inyathelo elikhulu ngaphandle kwendawo yakhe yokuthuthuzela kule ntwasahlobo idlulileyo. Emuva ngoMatshi, weva ukuba umhlobo wakhe ubhalisele ukunyuka iNtaba iKilimanjaro ehlotyeni kunye neqela labanye afunda nabo amabanga aphakamileyo.

Ngaphandle kwako konke ukhuphiswano lweembaleki lwangaphambili, uSamantha waqonda ukuba umsebenzi ozayo ngaphezulu kwakhe yayilirhamncwa elitsha. Ifumaneka eTanzania, iNtaba iKilimanjaro inyuka ngeenyawo ezingama-19,340 iyenza ingabi yeyona ncopho iphakamileyo yelizwekazi, kodwa ikwayeyona ntaba inde intle emhlabeni.

Nangona imiceli mngeni yayikukuqala-komoya, umoya uba mncinci kakhulu ekunyukeni kangangokuba ukugula okuphezulu kubaphatha uninzi lwabahambi ngeenyawo abangama-15,000 abazama ukunyuka minyaka le-uSamantha khange anqandeke. "Ndicinga ukuba ngendikhethe ukunyuka intaba encinci, nditsho eColorado," utshilo uSamantha, owathi ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo avela kubahlobo kunye namalungu osapho ahlala ekholelwa ukuba uya kukhwela intaba. "Kodwa oku yayikukuzinyanzela ukuba ndenze into engaqhelekanga."

Ngelixa wayeqeqeshelwa ukunyuka, uSamantha, ivolontiya elinomdla, wafunda malunga nephulo lesibhedlele samaSt. Emva kokubhalisa kunye nokudala iphepha kwiwebhusayithi yesibhedlele ukuqokelela imali, wanyusa phantse i-22,000 yeedola kwisiseko.

Ngale mpumelelo phantsi kwebhanti lakhe, u-Samantha unethemba lokuqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe wesisa kunye no-St. Jude ngelixa egqiba isikolo samabanga aphakamileyo kwaye afake isicelo kwikholeji. Nokuba uhambo lwakhe lwexesha elizayo lumsa phi, uSamantha uqinisekile ukuba uyakwazi ukugqiba nawuphi na umsebenzi awuthathayo. “Andingoyena mntu unamandla, kodwa ukuba kukho into oyifunayo, akukho sizathu sokuba ungaphumeleli,” utshilo. "Abantu banamandla kakhulu emzimbeni kunokuba beqonda. Kwaye idrive yam yomelele ngokwaneleyo ukundinceda ndiphumeze nantoni na."

Ukufunda ngakumbi okanye ukunikela kwimizamo eqhubekayo kaSamantha yokunceda iSibhedlele soPhando lwaBantwana iSt.Jude, jonga iphepha lakhe lokufumana imali. Ngolwazi oluthe kratya kuhambo luka-Samantha olukhuthazayo lokuya encotsheni yeNtaba ye-Kilimanjaro, qiniseka ukuba uyikhuphile ikopi yangoSeptemba ye-SHAPE, kwiindawo ezithengisa iindaba ngoMvulo, nge-19 ka-Agasti.

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