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The Basics
How difficult is the challenge?
Every challenge is graded from easy to very hard, with moderate and hard in between. This challenge is graded easy.
How fit do I have to be?
Fairly fit, you need to be doing any form of physical activity at least once a week (football, squash, swimming etc are fine)
When will it take place?
We leave the UK on the 13th June 2009 and will be back in the UK by the 21st June 2009 insh'allah.
How much will it cost?
You'll have to pay an initial 250GBP deposit and then commit yourself to raising 2,250GBP
Every challenge is graded from easy to very hard, with moderate and hard in between. This challenge is graded easy. Fairly fit, you need to be doing any form of physical activity at least once a week (football, squash, swimming etc are fine)We leave the UK on the 13 June 2009 and will be back in the UK by the 21 June 2009 insh'allah.You'll have to pay an initial 250GBP deposit and then commit yourself to raising 2,250GBP Every challenge is graded from easy to very hard, with moderate and hard in between. This challenge is graded easy. Fairly fit, you need to be doing any form of physical activity at least once a week (football, squash, swimming etc are fine)We leave the UK on the 13 June 2009 and will be back in the UK by the 21 June 2009 insh'allah.You'll have to pay an initial 250GBP deposit and then commit yourself to raising 2,250GBP
HIV Aids
What is HIV?
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes AIDS. People with HIV are HIV positive and some will develop AIDS as a result of this. The HIV virus attacks the immune system of infected people. By weakening the immune system the HIV virus cannot be killed. A person who is infected with HIV may be healthy for many years and may not even know that they are ill. However, over time they will become increasingly vulnerable to many serious diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis and cancer.
What is AIDS?
A person is said to have AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome) when the number of immune cells in their body drops below a certain point. Because the immune system of the infected person is so weak at this point they will become ill with many serious diseases.
Is there a cure?
At the moment there is no cure for AIDS. People do not die from AIDS itself, but the severe weakening of the immune system that it causes means that they can die from a number of illnesses that their body can no longer fight. Antiretroviral medication (ARVs) can help to delay and in some cases prevent the onset of AIDS if a person has become infected with HIV. Many people who take ARVs can live a normal lifespan but many people, especially in the developing world still do not have access to them. Without drugs, the progression from infection to AIDS and death is usually about ten years. For people who are malnourished and weak, it can be even quicker.
Who does it affect?
HIV/AIDS can affect anyone regardless of gender, ethnicity or religion, although some people are more vulnerable than others. HIV is passed through the blood, bodily secretions and breast milk of an infected person to an uninfected individual. However, HIV cannot be transmitted through hugging, shaking hands, sharing cutlery or toilets or eating food prepared by an HIV-positive person.
How many people in the world are affected?
The HIV/AIDS crisis is considered a pandemic, which means that it has spread to every continent in the world. Current estimates by the United Nations suggest there are currently over 39.5 million people living with HIV in the world today. This number includes around 2.3 million children under the age of 15 who are living with the disease. Every year AIDS kills around 2.9 million people.
What is the impact on children?
Children are often those most seriously affected by HIV and AIDS. There are already 2.3 million children living with the disease, many of whom became infected before or during birth. There are over 12 million ‘AIDS orphans’ in sub-Saharan Africa alone. The large numbers of children who have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS or who are providing care to a sick parent is a massive problem in developing countries. In some parts of southern Africa, it is becomingly increasingly common for young children to be the head of the household. They are forced to give up their education to work to support their family or care for sick relatives. The HIV crisis has put a massive strain on the healthcare systems of many developing countries. Instead of being able to improve health facilities and train more doctors and nurses, governments have had to cope with growing numbers of HIV cases and the loss of many medical staff.
What impact does it have on people’s lives?
The impact of HIV upon the lives of individuals and the communities they live in is massive and wide-ranging. From falling life expectancy, to problems accessing water and increasing poverty levels, HIV affects every aspect of people’s lives. Because HIV leaves people weak and susceptible to illness, many affected people find it difficult to work. This can cause them to fall deeper into poverty and subsequently exacerbate the progression of the disease because they cannot afford food or suitable healthcare.
Despite being around for over 20 years, people living with HIV/AIDS still face massive discrimination from the communities they live in. This can cause many people to be reluctant to get tested or to seek medical care, quickening the progression of the disease. The stigma attached to HIV/AIDS also means that many people are denied access to basic services. Affected people may be barred by their community from using a communal water-pump, may be forced out of their home and may even be disowned by their family.
What is Islamic Relief doing?
Islamic Relief carries out various HIV projects that are appropriate and acceptable to the communities and countries we work with. In Mali, for example, we run the Center of Hope in the capital city of Bamako that provides free HIV testing, medical care and support to orphans and their mothers.
In Bangladesh we run a peer educator project that teaches young girls about various health issues, including HIV/AIDS and encourages them to spread their knowledge among their friends. All the girls have the permission of their parents to attend the sessions so we know we have the support of the community. Many of our health projects from Sudan to Indonesia also provide people with information and education about how to protect themselves against HIV.
Islamic Relief works in South Africa sponsoring children who have been orphaned by AIDS and who are looking after their family, or whose parents are too ill to care for them. We work in the regions of KwaZulu Natal, southern Gauteng and Western Cape and provide children with their food, schooling, medical care and shelter in addition to a monthly allowance. We give sponsored children a monthly food parcel so that they do not have to work or beg for food, which means they can continue at school. All children are given regular health checks by a private doctor to stop the on-set of any opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis or pneumonia.
What You'll do
The Sinai Desert is probably one of the most attractive walking areas in the world. The vast open spaces, ever changing scenery and extra-ordinary colours coupled with an abundance of clean, fresh air makes this a unique experience, which is bound to leave you with everlasting impressions.
The Sinai triangle, twice the size of Belgium, is part of the Sahara Belt. The dynamic interaction between rock and desert climate has created spectacular and varied desert scenery. Consequently, today it is one of the most attractive trekking areas in the world. It is a harsh environment, unique in its wild beauty. Its open spaces make it seem a million miles away from everyday life.
The challenge begins on Mount Sinai where, according to the Bible, Moses received the Ten Commandments. During the trek, we will encounter narrow wadis dotted with desert vegetation and a labyrinth of colourful canyons, which give way to rugged granite mountains. This is tough trekking across difficult terrain, camping out beneath the stars each night. It is a challenge that will earn every penny of the sponsorship you raise
Day 1
London to Cairo
Flight, with our walking companions, from London – Cairo, the capital of Egypt, where the clash between old and new, modern and traditional and East and West is evident. We arrive in the evening and transfer to a hotel.
Day 2
A 4 – 5 hour transfer to St Catherine’s in the Sinai Desert. En route, we cross the Suez Canal, one of the great feats of modern engineering.
Day 3
Climb Mt Sinai 4 – 5 hrs, Trek to Ein Hudra 6 km / 2 hours
We rise very early to climb Mt Sinai and reach the summit before sunrise. Mt Sinai (Jebel Musa) is 2265 m high and considered by most people as the spot where Moses received the Ten Commandments. After descending (ascent and descent takes about 5 hours), we transfer into the desert for lunch, after which we start trekking from the Rock of Inscriptions, the crossroads of ancient caravan routes. Some of the writings on this rock are in Greek, Arabic and Hebrew and date back to the 16th Century. We descend into the magnificent Wadi Hudra, which extends as far as the eye can see. Our route passes over part of the 40-year trek route taken by Moses some 3,000 years ago. We trek close to Nawamis, one of the burial sites of the Children of Israel and after two hours we reach our overnight stop at Ein Hudra – Bedouin tents in the wilderness.
Day 4
Ein Hudra – Ein Om Achmad 18 km / 8 - 9 hours
The day starts with an early rise and after breakfast we set out across terrain which is partly sandy and partly mountainous. A challenging day will bring us in the evening to Ein Om Achmad, the largest oasis in southern Sinai and home to hundreds of date trees.
Day 5
Ein Om Achmad – Bir Zayid 17 km / 8 - 9 hours
We leave the oasis and climb to an observation point some 350m above it. From there our route takes us over sandstone, sand and ever-changing mountainous terrain. We will really begin to absorb the beauty and feel the special atmosphere of a land formed and shaped by nature over millions of years. We descend to the oasis of Agola for a late lunch. The rest of the afternoon is spent walking along the riverbed of a wide wadi to Bir Zayid, for our overnight camp.
Day 6
Bir Zayid - Ras El Abrag 12 km / 6 - 7 hours
We start trekking along the hard surface of the breath-taking Wadi Elk Ein and around lunchtime, we reach Bir El Birya. Here, Moses found water for the Children of Israel only to discover it was too bitter to drink. We spend our last night under the stars at Ras El Abrag.
Day 7
Ras El Abrag – Red Sea 14 km / 5 - 6 hours
On this final trekking morning, we set off through the Coloured Canyon. We walk in single file along this most beautiful narrow sandstone canyon which boasts outstanding multi-coloured stones of every shape and size. We continue through the impressive Wadi Malacha and finish this trek of a lifetime at Ras El Sitan on the shores of the Red Sea. >From there we transfer to Nuweiba (30 minutes) on the coats of the Gulf of Aqaba and stay overnight in a hotel resort. We celebrate our achievement together at dinner.
Day 8
Cairo
The morning is spent at leisure in Nuweiba and after lunch, which is not included, we transfer to Heliopolis, the district of Cairo closest to the airport, for an overnight stay. The transfer takes about 6 hours.
Day 9
Cairo - London
What is a typical day?
While on trek we rise early and set off after breakfast normally walking for between 5 to 8 hours. There is plenty of time to rest and appreciate the superb views along the way and we will also stop for lunch en route and by mid afternoon we would have arrived at our stop for the night and you will have the rest of the day to relax or explore the area.
How will the altitude affect me?
Altitude sickness is caused by reduced levels of oxygen in the blood due to the lower atmospheric pressure at altitude-the effects can be felt from around 2,500m. Some trekkers will experience symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) which may include headache, disturbed sleep, loss of appetite, nausea and general lassitude. We bring a comprehensive medical kit including altitude drugs and oxygen saturation meter in case it is required.
How fit do I need to be?
A reasonable level of fitness is required due to the nature of this trek although anyone who leads a fairly active and moderately healthy lifestyle should be fine as long as they train regularly over a period of at least three months leading up to the expedition. While on the trek you will be exercising constantly for a number of days at altitude.
What happens if I can’t keep up or fall ill?
It is normal to have a discrepancy in walking ability within a group so we are prepared for this. The event is not a race and we encourage everyone to pace themselves and go at their own speed- there is always a member of staff sweeping behind the group so support will never be far away.
Do I need specialist kit?
A clothes and equipment checklist will be provided to you to- you will need to pack carefully as the weight allowance is only 20kg.
What is the terrain and scenery like?
We will be following established paths of stone and mud which are used regularly by the locals. The scenery is spectacular as we trek through wide valleys above the foothills to the highest mountain range in the world. Not only do we have superb mountain views each day, but we also pass villages, tea houses and forest areas, so there is plenty to see!
What do I carry during the day?
You will carry just a daypack with basic supplies including rainwear, water, camera and sun cream.
What’s the average age?
We get people of all ages on the Islamic Relief trips, although most will generally be between 20 and 55.
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