Shakti Through Education: Every Step Up Kilimanjaro

This August (16–23), I will be trekking Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the Girls’ Education Project at the International Siddhashram Shakti Centre, a cause that is deeply personal to me.

As a 4th-year medical student, with an academic background in Medical Neuroscience and currently training with the Royal Navy, I am just over a year away from qualifying as a doctor. My own journey has been shaped by education, mentorship, and opportunity. I’ve been fortunate to grow up in an environment where learning was encouraged and supported, but I’m very aware that this is not the reality for many girls around the world.

In forest, tribal and other underserved communities across India, girls are still disproportionately denied access to education. In some areas, they are expected to prioritise household responsibilities from a young age, or their schooling is seen as less valuable than that of boys. This lack of opportunity doesn’t just affect the individual; it limits entire families and communities for generations.

Globally, an estimated 129 million girls are out of school, often due to poverty, cultural barriers, or lack of safe access to education. Despite being one of the most transformative investments we can make, girls’ education remains significantly underfunded. While much charitable giving goes towards infrastructure and religious development, initiatives focused on educating girls receive far less visibility and support, despite their profound long-term impact on families and communities.

Through Siddhashram’s Madhu Keshav Chhatralay, girls are given far more than schooling. They are provided safe accommodation, nutritious food, clothing, and tuition support, alongside value-based education, creating an environment where they can grow academically, spiritually, and personally. It gives them the chance to step beyond the socioeconomic limitations they were born into and build futures defined by choice, not circumstance.

My personal mission is to uplift girls facing structural and cultural barriers to education. There is a powerful saying, “If you educate a girl, you educate an entire family.” Educated girls go on to become educators, healthcare advocates, professionals, and leaders within their communities. They support younger siblings, improve family health literacy, and help break cycles of poverty. Supporting one girl’s education creates a ripple effect that can transform generations.

Trekking Kilimanjaro feels symbolic of this journey. It is a physical climb, but it also represents the uphill battle many of these girls face simply to access basic education. This will be one of the greatest physical challenges I’ve undertaken. I come into it with a strong background in endurance and service, having completed my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, trekked Ben Nevis and Snowdon, taken part in multiple charity bikeathons for organisations such as the Royal Marsden and Bloodwise, maintained competitive swimming, and gained my diving licence.

Alongside the trek, I will also be travelling to Tanzania for my medical elective, working in two hospitals and supporting a dog sanctuary and local schools, continuing my commitment to global health and community service.

Siddhashram’s work ensures that girls from vulnerable backgrounds receive holistic support academically, nutritionally, spiritually, and residentially, enabling them to grow into confident, independent women with strong values.

Your support will directly contribute to their education, safety, and future opportunities. Together, we can help ensure that the environment a girl is born into does not define the future she is allowed to build.

This climb may be mine physically, but its purpose belongs to every girl still fighting for the chance to learn. As I take each step up Kilimanjaro, I’ll be carrying their stories, their futures, and the hope that education will open doors they were never meant to walk through alone.