How a Hong Kong domestic helper is training to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for charity
Intrepid hiker Liza Avelino, 46, will scale the Tanzanian mountain in a latest test of her fitness and spirit
A Filipino domestic helper in Hong Kong is hoping to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise HK$150,000 for a local charity.
Fitness fanatic Liza Avelino, 46, who has worked in the city for more than 20 years, will leave Hong Kong on August 1, before embarking on her expedition 5,895 metres up the mountain from August 4 to 12.
“It is not easy; it is not an ordinary dream,” she said. “I am confident that I can do it. I think the height is okay, but I will just try to do it slowly. I am excited because I have never been to Africa.”
Avelino, originally from Davao City in southern Philippines, is an avid hiker who has climbed more than 10 major mountains across Asia – in the Philippines, Japan and South Korea.
She has also taken part in the 100km Hong Kong Oxfam Trailwalker in 2010 and 2011, finishing in under 35 hours each time.
