A woman holds her newborn baby in the maternity ward of the Kibong'oto Hospital.

Virtual Walk
AIDS Walk Africa 2007
Day 2 - Monday, March 12, 2007

Read Ramona's blog.

Pre-walk
Day 1  Day 2  Day 3  Day 4  Day 5

By Heather Mason Kiefer
Photos by Jon Hrusa

Suumu Heights Walk: 13.3 kilometers, or 8.26 miles

Highest elevation: 5,240 feet

At 7:15 this morning, we piled into 10 trucks and took off for an hour-long drive to Kibong'oto Hospital, the starting point for our first official day of walking. But before we started our trek, the day began with a special event: Kibong'oto just completed a renovation of several buildings thanks to Foundation funding. We were invited to a dedication celebrating the improvements.

Foundation President and CEO Pam Barnes (L) plants a tree as Prof. David Mwakyusa applauds.

After a tour through the new facilities, which included a renovated lab, pharmacy, and a state-of-the-art care and treatment center (CTC) with plenty of open space and private rooms for consultations, we gathered under a tent for the dedication. Several dignitaries spoke at the event, including Anja Giphart, the Foundation country director for Tanzania, and CEO Pam Barnes.

The guest of honor was Tanzania's Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor David Mwakyusa, who spoke movingly about the effects of HIV/AIDS here in Tanzania. Professor Mwakyusa stressed the need for expanded treatment, telling us there are currently 2 million people living with HIV in this country. He thanked the Foundation for its contribution to Kibong'oto Hospital and the country as a whole. The Minister then singled out the contribution of the walkers, stating, "In the faces of the charity walkers, I see the spirit of Elizabeth Glaser burning." We all had goose bumps.

Traditional musicians perform at the dedication ceremony for renovations of the Kibong'oto Hospital.

The event concluded with music and dancing by a group of local musicians, a ribbon-cutting in front of the CTC, and a tree-planting ceremony led by Pam and Professor Mwakyusa. Energized, we gathered outside the hospital gates and set off.

Finally, we were walking!

We'd been warned that the first walk was hilly and this proved to be an understatement. The route quickly transformed from gently rolling hills to back-breakingly steep climbs. For well over an hour we climbed higher, higher, and still higher. Between gasps, we hoped we were getting the hardest part of the walk out the way early.

The 2007 AIDS Walk Africa gets underway.

A woman carrying her baby waves to the walkers.

After stopping for a quick lunch at the top of a hill, we pressed on and soon reached "the height of the land" – and the

Ashley Wolfington (R) laughs as she shares a joke with pupils at the Suumu Primary School.

highest point of the entire walk — at 5,240 feet. We had climbed an amazing 1,100 feet since leaving Kibong'oto two and a half hours earlier. We hoped for a view of Mount Kilimanjaro, "the rooftop of Africa," but it was shrouded in clouds.
Then we began our sharp decent, which was easier on the lungs but harder on the knees. There were a few stumbles but no falls, and eventually we reached one of our resting places, the Suumu Primary School. We could see the kids peeking at us through the windows, and moments later they gathered outside for an impromptu song.

Children at the Suumu Primary School look on.

After the performance, two of our youngest walkers, Jill Hagey and Ramona Belfiore, explained AIDS Walk Africa to the children with the help of a translator. We all mingled with the children, shaking hands and taking photos. After eventually tearing ourselves away, we trooped downhill to complete the day’s walk. Before we knew it, we were climbing into the trucks at the bottom of the hill, ready for our long ride back to River Trees.

After a relaxing dinner, we had a quick briefing on tomorrow's walk (we're told it's flatter — here’s hoping!) and spent some time reflecting on the day. Several walkers agreed that the highlight of today's walk was witnessing the real-life impact of the Foundation, and seeing how much its work is appreciated by those on the ground. We're looking forward to more of these happy feelings in the days ahead!