She climbed Mt Kilimanjaro aged 12. Now Hong Kong teen’s giving back to Tanzanian students

Climbing Africa’s highest peak inspired Emma Demopoulos, 13, to help Tanzanians. She’s set up an international mentoring programme for girls

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In December 2023, Emma Demopoulos (left, with her father), then aged 12, became the youngest person from Hong Kong to summit Mount Kilimanjaro. Photo: Emma Demopoulos

Published: 7:45am, 21 Dec 2024Updated: 8:02am, 21 Dec 2024

In December 2023, Emma Demopoulos, then aged just 12, became the youngest person from Hong Kong to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa’s highest peak.

At 5,895 metres (19,341 feet), Kilimanjaro is considered an extreme altitude mountain trek. Emma completed the climb with her father in eight days: six days up, and two days down.

While those tackling the world’s highest free-standing mountain do not require technical climbing skills, they do need a healthy average fitness level to reach the summit.

An “outdoorsy person”, Emma takes part in many sports that keep her fit, including tennis and running cross country.

Emma at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, East Africa. Photo: Emma Demopoulos

She was also inspired by Annabelle Bond, the British adventurer and activist known as the fastest woman climber in the world after reaching the summits of the highest peaks on all seven continents in just 360 days.

“I once met Annabelle and told her that we were planning to climb Kilimanjaro, and she said that was a great start, and I was really excited about that,” says Emma.