Mountaineering

Mbuzi Dume - Strong Goat

Mount Kilimandscharo (TZN)

Tom Belz faced the challenge of his life: The 31-year-old has gone through life with one leg and two crutches since contracting bone cancer as a child, scaled Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa’s highest mountain. The project demanded everything from Tom Belz and his companions, including blood, sweat and tears. He was given a new nickname due to his adventure: African mountain guides named him „Mbuzi Dume“, Swahili for „Strong goat“.

Since a bone cancer caused leg amputation at the age of eight, Tom Belz was repeatedly told all the things he was able to do and, above all, certainly can’t do due to his physical impairment. Climbing the highest mountain in Africa therefore was a dream come true for Tom Belz. After a long preparation time, including a successful training tour on the Äusseres Barrhorn (3,600 m) in the Swiss Alps, he started his big project on August 2nd at Lemosho Gate (2200m). On August 9th, 2018, after a seven days lasting ascent, Tom Belz finally stood on the summit of Kilimanjaro (5895m).

The teacher from Germany wanted to show both, himself and the world, what he was capable of. He also intended to encourage others with his own story. “By climbing Kilimanjaro, I wanted to prove that a physical impairment does not necessarily need to be a disability. When I was a young boy, it would have felt great if someone had told me that there was a crazy guy out there climbing mountains with just one leg. My personal success can now serve as an inspiration for others – that makes me feel very happy and proud.”