Angela Yeung is at her mountain expeditions once again, this time with Ama Dablam on her radar in a height-defying effort to raise awareness on gender-based violence femicide:
Koshi Province, Nepal (02 October 2024) — Angela Yeung, the legend who made history as the first South African to climb Mount Manaslu at a striking height of 8,163 metres and founder of the Impilo Collection Foundation, is preparing herself for another test of altitudes and endurance with the South African flag on her back—climbing Ama Dablam.
Situated in the eastern Himalayan range of Koshi Province in Nepal, Angela’s climb is set to be another one for the books. But, it’ll also be a climb in which she carries the spirit of others—namely those who have been impacted by the gender-based violence femicide (GBVF).
Angela will be climbing the height of 6,812 metres all to raise awareness about the harrowing world that is GBVF—a mountain many women have to climb by no choice of their own. The brave climber hopes that her efforts will channel funds toward an education program that will empower and uplift women.
“I am ready to face the mountain we are all climbing; one that symbolises the path to a young woman’s voice, and her ultimate empowerment through education,” says Angela of climb set to take place from 9 October to 3 November.
“This journey is only but a small stepping stone to the same independence and self-reliance we are all fighting for.”
The Impilo Collection Foundation extends Angela’s hopes, largely through its #EmpowerHer campaign. The collection of nearly 9,000 bras was a representation of of the height of Mount Everest—a unique pursuit of activists everywhere who stand loudly and proudly against GBVF. The campaign’s display of thousands of bras at Joburg’s Constitution Hill, along with their distribution to GBV shelters two years prior left a huge impact—an impact Angela hopes will be felt once again atop Ama Dablam.
“Ama Dablam means ‘mother’s necklace which has been very much part of my inspiration to climb for my cause; the long ridges on each side are like the arms of a mother (Ama) protecting her child, and the hanging glacier is thought of as Dablam, which is the traditional double-pendant containing pictures of the gods, worn by Sherpa women,” Angela explains.
“Our quest for anti-GBVF demands the collective efforts of supporters, followers, climbers, and allies. My gratitude goes out to all those that are helping us raise mountains together. Collectively, we will make this vision for good an impactful reality, I know it!”
Those who become benefactors of Angela’s climb will be commemorated with a special keepsake of their solidarity that symbolises the metaphorical mountains, scaled together.
Everyone who wants to take a stand against GBVF is encouraged to support the campaign (you can find it here).
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