By Darren Gilbert
At 19, an age at which most youngsters are still trying to figure out their life, Fitchen has already found his purpose. Upon reading that, you’d think he has it easy. To find one’s purpose at such a young age is somewhat of an accomplishment. However, one needs to put it all into perspective. For Fitchen, finding his purpose was the result of an upsetting trip to the doctor.
In 2003, aged 9, Fitchen was diagnosed with epilepsy. “That was a huge blow to my self-confidence,” admits Fitchen. “All I wanted to do was sleep over at my friends’ houses but I couldn’t. It resulted in me falling into depression for a few years. But then I found hiking and the mountain[s]. And I began to set myself goals.”
One of those goals was to climb Kilimanjaro, a feat which he accomplished before he turned 16. “After going up, I knew that I had caught the climbing bug. I got back and I said right, let’s get ready for the next one.” Little did he realise that the next one would be as part of the Mike Horn Pangaea Young Explorer Expedition to the Himalayas. “That was mind-blowing. I was the youngest on the team and you could say that I still didn’t know what mountains were.”
It was a trip that, along with 6000m virgin peak climbs, involved research on the Baltoro Glacier and the effects of climate change on the mountainous region. 10 days after he arrived back, he departed for Europe’s highest peak, Mount Elbrus. It seemed that Fitchen had it made. However, like all self-seeking goals, something had to come to a head. Mount Elbrus became the climb that changed Fitchen’s perspective forever.
“My partner collapsed at the summit and we spent 10 hours trying to get off the mountain,” says Fitchen. “It was during this time that I started to notice that there was trash all over these basecamps. And this is not just Mount Elbrus. It’s everywhere. There are many mountaineers who think that because they pay to be there, they don’t [have to] care. They will litter or climb over dead bodies just to get to the summit. Now, I’m all for people that push for their own goals. But you have to value other climbers’ lives as well as the environment. I knew that it wasn’t a scene that I wanted to a part of and I faced a dilemma.”
How do you keep climbing around the world but in a responsible way? The answer came in the form of My KAPE, an umbrella organisation of sustainable expeditions and community empowering projects founded and lead by Fitchen himself. “Look, I really want to climb mountains. But there needed to be something else.” And this is where his organisation comes in. “My KAPE is more than just climbing mountains,” says Fitchen. “It’s about getting involved with communities and promoting awareness as much as possible. I also think that this is the evolution of expeditions. It is time that a new generation takes a stand to [undertake expeditions] in a way which has minimal impact on the environment.”
Fitchen has already started the process, having completed a 14 000km trip to Mount Kenya in 2012. Now, he is organising his follow-up mission. Just as epic as the first, his second has been dubbed Kape 2 Atacama and includes participation in the 2014 Cape to Rio boat race before an eight month journey around South America where Fitchen will be climbing a number of peaks while reaching out to communities along the way.
“I really want [this] to be hands on. [So] we will be going into the community and not just to build a school but to work with the kids and try to contribute as much as possible,” says Fitchen. “We want to share our ideas on how to deal with and solve problems because it needs to be noted that what we are doing is not just a South African thing. Just like global warming is not a South African thing. We are trying to create a global community where everyone can learn from everyone.”
It’s a noble goal that Fitchen is chasing and one that is certainly achievable so long as there is someone interested in lending a hand. “There is this doom and gloom right now around the world,” notes Fitchen. “I call it the ‘Al Gore effect’. The world is falling apart and everyone thinks they are screwed. But actually there are individuals and organisations around the world that are passionate about saving.”
Former US president, John F. Kennedy, once said: “It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little – do what you can. One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.” One only needs to look at Kai Fitchen and My KAPE to know it’s possible.
Fitchen is looking for partners to get involved in his Kape 2 Atacama expedition. If you’re interested in playing a part or just want to know more about the expedition, visit www.mykape.com or find My KAPE on Facebook. You can also email [email protected].