Peter Hunt, a student at West Point Grey Academy in Vancouver, summitted Kilimanjaro in March 2006 as part of the Climb for HIV/AIDS. His feedback to a number of questions he was asked is below.

1. How did the climb change your life?

The climb has motivated me to be more involved in international affairs. Because I feel more prepared and educated on issues across the globe, I have been able to speak to others and inspire them. As a result of the  climb itself, I have changed my approach to fitness and and how I follow through with my goals. When it comes to sports, I feel I have greater focus and endurance to push myself. I have an example in my life that I can draw upon  in times of struggle.
 

2. What were three things you learnt about yourself from this initiative?

I learned that I can complete my goals as long as I stay organized, focused, and energized. With organization, deadlines can be met. With focus and energy, I am  motivated to complete tasks and inspire others. I also learned to push myself farther physically. The final push summit climb demanded a lot of me, but I stuck to it, one deep breath at a time.
 

3. What were other important learnings for you, from the essay, fund-raising, travel, climb, etc.?

As I have never tried to raise a high amount of money like this before, the fund-raising was huge part of my learning experience. I learned how to write letters, and more importantly, follow up on them. Furthermore, when planning the trip, I learned that there are no right nor final answers. Almost every decision requires negotiation and there are pros and cons for every option. The planning process took from October through to February, and yet there were still items to be ironed out in the last few weeks.
 

4. What was the best part of the whole exercise?

Without doubt, the best part was  learning to relate and connect with the people we met. Whether it be giving a speech to soon-to-be donors, or a presentation to younger children at school, the most satisfying part of the experience was sharing our vision with them. However, this was only half of the experience. The other half was meeting people in Africa.  Establishing contacts and connections in Tanzania was one of greatest highlights for me. Before we can make an impact on anyone, a level of communication and interaction must occur.  
 

5. Would you do it all over again?

Of course. Although this project required a lot of time, I would fully commit to it again. Going into the project, my knowledge of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic was limited, and I had little idea of the process. Now that I have taken part in the planning and completetion of this experience, I am especially grateful to have been part of it.
 

6. Would you recommend this initiative to others? If  so, why? If not, why not?

I would completely recommend this initiative. It is the type of experience that every teen should be a part of. I believe that this entire experience is about building respect for other people in the community, across Canada, and throughout the world. It is also about fuelling a desire to be of service to people less fortunate.