We are very much in favor of family adventures here at All Over the Map. And we are very much in favor of social activism as a family activity. So we were interested to hear about how one family from Nigeria took their activism to the ends of the earth. To the North Pole, in fact.
Og and Joy Amazu, along with their young daughters Aimee and Monica, travelled to the geographic North Pole from Barneo, where the parents skydived from 10,000 feet onto the ice, with Og then diving under the icecap to walk upside down on the actual site of the Geographic North Pole. They became the first Nigerians to reach the geographic North Pole.
The family took on this challenging adventure to remember the 219 Nigerian schoolgirls who were abducted last year by Boko Haram and to launch their philanthropic foundation Challenge 100.
Founded by Og and Joy Amazu, Challenge 100 is a foundation set up by the family, based on the three pillars of entrepreneurialism, philanthropy and family, with the aim of inspiring charitable acts in others.
“We are delighted to reach the North Pole and become the first Nigerians to do so. Raising awareness of Challenge 100 and launching the Foundation is our goal today and this really is the first step on our journey. However it is poignant that we achieve this a year since the tragic events in Chibok and we remember all those that are still effected by that tragedy,” said Og Amazu.
We find this family North Pole adventure really inspiring. Do you know of other travelers who have gone to extremes to bring attention to causes dear to them?
I love this story! It reminds me of Lewis Pugh, an ocean advocate and endurance swimmer (nicknamed the human polar bear) who was the first person ever to swim to the North Pole. He recently swam in the Antarctic as part of his campaign to urge leaders to make the Ross Sea into a marine protected area. Pretty amazing!