The nation: Africa

The mission: to fund water supply to a Zimbabwe orphanage

The expedition: Kilimanjaro, 5895m

The team: Karen McCreadie, Justine Curtis, Jade Richardson

On the full moon of July 30, 2004, three Aussie girls made the summit of Kilimanjaro, the world's highest free-standing mountian. It was a surprising result; none were climbers, the expedition was made in a hurry, it had required the raising of more than $30 000, & Kili sees more deaths than any other mountain.

Motivated by a dare and inspired by the work of two women - one farmer's wife in Zimbabwe who was making a stand for orphaned children in her war and Aids ravaged country, Ezelle Schimper, & one Aussie, Jules Routledge, who supports her - the girls made the expedition to inspire others to support the brave children at Lirhanzo Orphanage.

Reaching the dizzy summit of Kilimanjaro took a heavy toll. The team suffered all the 'nasties' of altitude; nausea, ferocious weather, doubt, fear of failure & even the fear of succeeding as their bodies and spirits struggled in thin air and bitter conditions. But their summit also inspired others to give. Funds from this expedition are changing the lives of children who will soon drink from taps, water seedlings, cool their bodies & refresh livestock with the water we provided.

Girls on Top proves we are all capable of more than we imagine.

With generous support from sponsors Jurlique, Mountains Designs, South African Airways & hundreds of friends, family, workmates, media and amazed on-lookers, the expedition was a great success and the seed for a new way for women to test their limits, lead and support each other. But not without a price. Girls on Top 2004 learnt that intense personal challenge, the trials of bring a dream to reality & the changes this can cause in one's life test our very foundations.

What did we learn? Though we may struggle to achieve our goals, & though these tests may separate our truths from out illusions, women striving in earnest can change more lives than their own.