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No peak too high to dare

for girls' sake: 'Sunrise' host Penny Lebyane will climb Mount Kilimanjaro Photo: Thulani Mbele
for girls' sake: 'Sunrise' host Penny Lebyane will climb Mount Kilimanjaro Photo: Thulani Mbele

When television presenter and seasoned radio personality Penny Lebyane climbs Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in about two weeks' time, she hopes to reconnect with her inner self and revive her spirituality.

Presenter of breakfast show Sunrise on e.tv, Lebyane, is among the 35 people who will climb Africa's highest mountain on July 14 as part of Track 4 Mandela.

The initiative is the brainchild of Imbumba Foundation, which runs a programme called Caring 4 Girls. They distribute sanitary pads and give puberty education at rural schools.

"This is a part of raising awareness that young girls in rural schools miss close to 50 days a year due to lack of access to sanitary pads," Lebyane says.

For her, the Kilimanjaro journey will force her to reconnect with herself.

She has experienced high and low moments in her life.

"It has been a 360 [degrees] turn for me spiritually, professionally, personally and mentally. I have struggled with depression and insecurities in the past."

Lebyane, 38, regards the climb as a passage to real womanhood.

"I am like going to a 'mountain' [initiation], it is a rite of passage. I will come back as a woman."

Other celebrities set to ascend the mountain are ProVerb, Mo G, Leanne Manas, Pat Pillay and executives from the banking and corporate worlds.

Lebyane started preparing for the climb in March, walking three times a week.

She started by walking for 3km from her house to a nearby gym.

The results have been amazing and visible with all the weight loss and trim body.

To intensify the training, she walks up and down the famous Westcliff stairs.

However, Lebyane did not start being a fitness fanatic this year. She has always enjoyed walking and running. For group exercise, the team does hiking trails together.

Lebyane has also been walking in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg - from Hyde Park to Houghton.

"I'm trying to be mentally ready to take those 19000 steps," she says.

As an ambassador of P&G South Africa, the company will sponsor every step she takes towards the initiative that cares for the young girls.

So, the higher she climbs, the more she contributes to young girls' lives.

bambalelep@sowetan.co.za

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