Hill climbers honour Martyrs Day with sand dunes challenge

As Malawians sombly come together to commemorate those who have died for the freedoms Malawi is enjoying today, the Hill Climbing Club (HCC) will be walking, running, and surmounting sand dunes in Salima as a way of honouring their great sacrifices.

The Hill climbers
Tone That Muscle
Lungu doing the run

HCC interim spokesperson, M’theto Lungu, told Nyasa Times that for one to sacrifice their life on behalf of others, including people they do not know and have never seen, is not a simple matter.

“Martyrdom cannot be taken for granted. What our brothers and sisters have done at various stages of our country’s existence, to stand up for what is rightfully for all Malawians, should not be taken for granted.

These are people who put their interests aside and rose up sacrificing their lives for what we are all enjoying today,” he said.

“On 3rd March, therefore, as a fitness and health-living club, we have decided to honour these selfless Malawians by braving heat along distance and steep sand hills as our show of respect and gratitude. HCC believes that only fit and mentally stable and healthy minded people can be the light to the collective oneness of any nation, and achieve greater socio-economic gains.

“Lazy minds retard development. Lazy bodies frustrate united action to a country’s achievements and greatness,” said Lungu.

The _*HCC Walk, Run n’ Dunes Martyrs Day Challenge*_ will start from Parachute Battalion Officers Mess at 6am and proceed to Mafco turnoff, past Zitsulo and Mafco main gate, before coming to the sand dunes.

“We expect the participants to climb the sand dunes from the front and descend at the beach for at least not more than ten laps. There will be motivators and first aiders to ensure that everybody achieves their exercise dreams.

At HCC, everybody is a winner and we ensure everybody enjoys the participation,” explained Lungu.

HCC motto is _Tone That Muscle_ and core objective is to motivate, engage, and encourage everybody to undertake any sports that helps enrich the mind, body and soul.

“Despite that our core activity is hill climbing and hiking, we encourage any forms of fitness exercises, be they indoor, outdoor, or adventurous and wild. We want to fight non communicable diseases that are rife today killing people, most of which can be avoided by building healthier bodies and minds.”

HCC will also elect office bearers and setup up an annual plan during the event.

HCC has in the past one year of it’s existence hiked Senga Hill in Salima oftimes, challenged Khwekhwelere escarpments twice, and defeated the Salima partial ‘chingerengere’ (circuit) and sand dunes. Other side activities include Kaunda to Likuni round about runs, Kaunda to Bunda turnoff walk n runs, fitness boot camps, and individual fitness engagements.

HCC has a _WhatsApp_ group with over 200 members mostly in Malawi but also in the United Kingdom, DRC, Botswana, Somalia, Asia, and the USA, syncronising efforts and providing technical advice to each other.

Participation fee for the forthcoming activity is K5,000 per head void of transport and refreshments – which are affordably available at the Parachute Battalion Officers Mess. HCC tshirts and caps are also available for sale as a corporate identify.

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concerned citizen
concerned citizen
5 years ago

We have a beautiful country called Malawi . I never knew that we have sand dunes in our country. We hear of sand dunes in other countries like Namibia, Botswana and else where. My plea is to the ministry responsible for tourism to vigorously promote such natural geographic features that we have in the country. People are traveling to Botswana , Namibia to see such features and climb the dunes. This is a money maker in tourism. A family friend visited our country and was shocked when he saw Lake Malawi and said, he didn’t believe his eyes that we… Read more »

True Malawian
True Malawian
5 years ago

There is indeed need to promote our tourism specialities. Companies must come out and bankroll people like HCC with their great ideas. This activity must be recognized by government and included in the tourism calendar.

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