PLC Armidale graduate Chloe Chick will speak about her experiences in eastern Africa when she returns to her former school next week.
Ms Chick was the co-founder of the Peaks Foundation and will detail her life story since she graduated in 1996.
“I believe in women and girls reaching their highest potential,” Chloe said.
“After living and working in Tanzania, my business partner and I founded 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Africa, a mountain trekking expedition to climb three of East Africa’s highest peak in less than three weeks to raise funds for local non-profit organisations working in health, education and the environment.
“However, over time we both started to understand in more detail the challenges facing women,” she said.
“Together we established the Peaks Foundation in 2010, where we focused on the empowerment and promotion of women and girls.”
Ms Chick said the charity had invested more than $1 million in female-focused initiatives and had taken women from 15 years of age to 63 years of age on mountain-based expeditions across the globe.
In contemplating her final PLC Armidale Speech Day, departing Head of School Debra Kelliher said she was excited to be welcoming the former student back to the school.
“Chloe Chick exemplifies all that is a PLC Armidale graduate. She is caring, confident, and community-minded,” Mrs Kelliher said.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be welcoming a young women of her impeccable character, who is successful in every sense of the word and who has such extraordinary life experiences to share and inspire our current students.”
Ms Chick is also addressing a presentation to the wider Armidale community, where inspiring accounts of PLC students’ trip to Africa last year will be featured in the documentary Mountains Will Move.
The community is invited to come along to the Astra Arts Centre at PLC Armidale from 7.30pm on Wednesday 4 December, where entry is by donation to the Peaks Foundation and the School of St Jude.
