28/10/2024
Monday Motivation!!
Gitonga Wa Wandai has just returned from a trek in the Everest Basecamp with Joyce Gachiri and he did the piece below to honor her courage- here we go
Born 62 years ago, Joyce has been a phenomenal soul from the very beginning, growing up in a hilly Gathaithi village on the slopes of the Aberdares in Murangâa County.
An alumna of Tumu Tumu Girls, her journey to this premier school in Nyeri County marked her earliest memory of travelâback then, it felt like venturing to another country.
A former UN Programme Manager in the Development & Humanitarian field, Joyce traveled the world, working in some of the most challenging environments. She retired at 60 to focus on herself and her well-being, choosing travel, hiking, and mountaineering as her new path.
I met Joy in March on our Eburru hike, where sheâd come with her family. Sheâs passionate about the outdoors and has passed that love on, even hiking trails with her eight-year-old granddaughter, Joy. Over a hot lunch (yes, at Hikemaniak, we offer a sumptuous meal after the hike), she asked about our upcoming calendar, especially the Everest Basecamp Trek. At her age Everest basecamp would have been perfectly more than ok. But she is made of more - she wanted to go for the 6000m peak and we recommended Lobuche East peak. April was too soon, but she mentioned considering the October trek. A proud grandmother to two granddaughters,Joy and Nina, she spoke of them fondly and often. And when we reached the Everest Basecamp, she inscribed their names on the snowy slopes, wanting to share her joy and pride with them.
We began the journey in Kathmandu with a welcome dinner, and it dawned on meâI didnât really know this remarkable woman. I wondered how weâd get along for 12 days, just the two of us making conversation. But any reservations quickly disappeared. Twenty years my senior, Joy has taught me a lot. She walks with a firm, light step and speaks with precision, every word shaped perfectly by her midline diastema.
After Eburru, Joy visited our offices, where I met her with Florence Abigail to discuss her trek. In just two short years since retiring, she has already climbed all the major mountains of East Africa: Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, Mount Meru, Ol Donyo Lengai, the Rwenzoris in Uganda and other numerous trails. I knew then that I was in the presence of an extraordinary woman.
Throughout the trek, Joy was strong and steady. She didnât need to be babysatâalways keeping time and eager to go. She took short breaks but maintained a consistent pace. Even on Lobuche East Peak, when she mentioned sheâd had enough, she reassured me: âGitonga, Iâm still strong for the descent; itâs just my arms and feet that canât push the Jumar anymore.â True to her word, we had a smooth descent. At the crampon point, we celebrated with a photo shoot.
Joy turned out to be everything Iâd seen in her and more. I had the honor of hearing about her experiencesâworking away from family and friends in some of the harshest and complex environments, from natural disasters to human conflictâhunger, wars, earthquakes, floodsâall of which have shaped her into the incredible person she is today.
She draws much of her strength from her motherâs self drive,wisdom and kindness which inspired her career and continues to guide how she treats and connects with people.
This was not just a climb; it was a journey of learning and connection. I am honored to know you, Joyce, and to have shared this incredible trek and climb with you.
To more mountains!
Joyce Gachiri
