Lois Shaw, you’ve been at the school for years and have played a big role in weaving the dream that we want to hear about now. Tell us why “trailblazers” Victoria Hanne, Brenda Buchanan and Donna Chapman decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in January, in the name of Africa International University/NEGST?
By committing to this climb, these North American women, their friends and others on the team have already raised over $55,000, with much more pledged, to build the new Leah Ngini community center in the heart of our campus. The university sent them off to Mount Kilimanjaro in grand style with songs and blessings in chapel—the first of many climbers lined up to help build the center.

That’s great, Lois! Tell us more about the Leah Ngini Community Center.
The community center is to become the gateway building on campus, connecting us to community and to one another. We are known as “A school in the heart of Africa with Africa on its heart” and it is time for us to have a physical heart of our own—a hub or central gathering place for students, faculty, the community, guests and friends.

The school has needed this center for a long time. And now, as we have expanded to undergrad programs and new PhD and MA programs, more commuting students bring a greater need for the services a community center could provide. It has now become urgent that we get this gateway building built.

What would the community center do for the school?
Some needed amenities include:
• Seminar and conference rooms, as scholars and experts face the challenges of Africa’s realities such as AIDS, poverty, war and the need for reconciliation, women’s issues and post war trauma
• Wellness and fitness centers
• Student center, cafeteria and coffee shop for conversation and relaxation
• Post office and communications hub
• Copy and business center
• Board rooms and offices for student services
• The executive board room for upper management
• Venue to nurture the university as community
• Center for micro-finance, to help the poor access banking services
This center will allow us to fulfill our mission in a much more coordinated and far-reaching way.

Can three women build a community center for AIU/NEGST on their own?
This is going to be huge. We have women lined up to climb Kilimanjaro through 2011 to help us build the center.

Also, Mrs. Leah Ngini herself, the first female board member of our school, after whom the center will be named, has agreed to work simultaneously on an African initiative. She is encouraging business women in corporate Kenya to walk through Hell’s Gate National Park to raise funds.

And we have just received a verbal challenge that a group of men from the greater Washington, DC area may want to challenge the women, doing a men’s climb and trying to raise more than the women. We say, “Bring it on, men!”

With so much interest, we are audacious enough to believe this dream is coming true.

That’s ambitious. How did this major undertaking begin to take shape?
Yes, it is ambitious! But the need is agreed.

WOW Safaris is a fund raising, travel initiative for Africa International University that began in 2006. The dream was to bring together successful North American women seeking significance, and significant Africa women leaders seeking solutions. In other words, western women putting their heads together with AIU/NEGST alumni and students on grassroots projects.

Out of these projects, the desire arose to help AIU build the community center. The initiative grew as the women dreamed and the idea was born to raise 1 million US dollars to begin the center. The money would be raised by challenging corporate women from the West to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, raising money through sponsors.

The climbers work through a charity climbing foundation called Tusker. Tusker has helped organizations from all over the world climb Kilimanjaro for their causes.

Where are we now?
By January 2011, we believe we will reach the goal when the last 20 climbers will arrive and Climb Kili. Many people climb Kilimanjaro for personal reasons. Why not climb it for such a great cause? If you want to learn more, visit www.wowsafaris.org