The CEO of Swan River, Man.-based Swan Valley Credit Union is taking his charitable efforts to the roof of Africa.

Ken Doleman plans to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the highest free-standing mountain in the world, this month. He’s more than halfway toward his goal of raising $19,340 — $1 for each foot that Kilimanjaro’s peak is above sea level — for the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada.

CDF works alongside the Canadian Co-operative Association, which partners with credit unions in Asia, Africa and the Americas to help underprivileged people build better lives for themselves.

Doleman says the genesis of his trek was the people he met this past year in Uganda, when he was volunteering for CDF, providing advice, suggestions and guidance to a number of credit unions in the country.

“I’m doing it in order to pay back the inspiration I received from them,” he says, “their sense of hope, their sense of purpose and the positive way in which they face the challenges of everyday life.”

Doleman says it is appropriate that he climb the mountain for charity because Kilimanjaro’s highest of three peaks is called “Uhuru,” which is Swahili for freedom.

“My climb,” he says, “is a metaphor for overcoming the obstacle of poverty.”

Doleman leaves for Uganda on Feb. 16 before heading to Tanzania three days later. His ascent of Kilimanjaro, which will begin on Feb. 20, is scheduled to take about four days. Once Doleman reaches the summit, he plans on planting the “hands and globe” credit union flag there. He also intends to make a few cellphone calls to let people know he made it.

Doleman knows the climb will stretch his physical and mental limits. He’s preparing with lots of cross-country skiing and climbing up and down the stairs at the local fairgrounds.

“It’s a real challenge for me,” he says. “It’s an ordinary person facing a real challenge to draw attention to the kinds of challenges faced by those trapped by poverty.”

Doleman is confident of reaching his fundraising goal, and much more. For every $1 raised, the Canadian International Development Agency will contribute another $3.

“Each donation is a seed of possibility sown to create a better future for the disadvantaged,” Doleman says. “You can count how many seeds there are in an apple, but you can’t count how many apples there are in a seed.”

Once he has descended the mountain, Doleman’s work won’t quite be done. He’s going to spend another three weeks, along with 10 other Canadian credit union volunteers, continuing to assist the credit union system in Uganda and Malawi. IE