Mountain tales with a unity of purpose: KPCC team climbs Mount Longonot

By Petterson Njogu & Edel Q. Mwende

March 4, 2023: On a crisp morning, a team of fifty (50) staff from KNH Prime Care Centre (KPCC) took a day trip to Mt. Longonot. Among them were doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, patient porters, and finance officers just to mention a few.

The 2,776-metre-high mountain is a stratovolcano located Southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya. Its name is derived from the Maasai word “Oloonong’ot”, meaning “mountains of many spurs” or “steep ridges.”

Mt. Longonot has a 3.1 km trail that runs from the park entrance up to the crater rim and continues in a 7.2 km loop encircling the crater. The whole tour (gate-around the rim-gate) of 13.5 km takes about 4-5 hours allowing for necessary rest breaks- parts of the trail are heavily eroded and very steep.

The journey began at the KNH Administration Block at 7:30 am in the 52-seater KNH Staff bus which headed to the destination through the Mai Mahiu-Rironi highway. The Mau escarpment of the Great Rift Valley was scenic and this provided a refreshing stop-over for the teams to say cheese and take a picture. In about one hour and thirty minutes, we arrived at Mt. Longonot. The team prepared for the hike with warm-up exercises and stretches and at exactly 10 am, the excursion began. The 3.1km climb from the gate to the rim (Oloonongot crater point) was a true test of endurance and team spirit that nobody warned the team about.

The one-hour climb to the rim was not without its challenges- with hikers encountering various obstacles like scorching weather conditions and physical exhaustion. However, the team remained determined and kept pushing forward, one step at a time. Despite the challenges, the team kept each other motivated and never lost sight of their goal.

At this point, the team members began to tease each other to trek the 7.2km rim, most expecting that the teams were too tired to continue. “Let’s go,” said the team energizers. Pro hiker secret tip: Go to the right once you reach the rim to avoid a treacherous downhill from the peak.

The team embarked on this journey to enhance team building and promote a culture of togetherness within KPCC. As they climbed higher and higher, the team cheered each other on, shared stories and laughter, and supported each other through every obstacle.

The thrill to hoist the KPCC flag at the coveted “Kilele Ngamia” or Longonot Summit (the highest point of Mr. Longonot) made the struggle worthwhile. The summit seemed to be mocking us “dare if you can!” but the climb brought the team the realization that any challenge looks daunting only before you begin solving it.

The team began the descent which was more daunting than the ascent with slippery trails. Nevertheless, there were zebras, giraffes, and buffaloes in the park, the vast crater floor, and Lake Naivasha as one walked around the rim of the crater and these made the hike more enthralling and provided a great chance to catch a breath.

“The journey has not been kind but this proves that together, anything is possible,” said one hiker Ms. Carol Serenge. “I shed tears along the way but these stunning views and the incredible experience has brought the KPCC team even closer. All was worth it.” A jolly Ms. Carol concluded.

As the team made their way back down the mountain after the 3-hour circuit, it was evident that the activity did not only create memories that will last a lifetime but also brought them closer together strengthening their bonds as colleagues and friends.

Most of the final descent was a race downhill with not much muscle energy left. In addition, it began to rain and this cooled our heels.

The lessons learnt during the climb would carry over to everyone’s workstation nurturing a culture of teamwork and outstanding performance.

Expressing gratitude to the organizers, Senior Director, KPCC-Dr. John Ngigi remarked that the hike was not just about scaling the mountain, but also fostering a culture of togetherness and collaboration within the group. “Let’s build a stronger bond with unity of purpose as part of the culture change that the Hospital so much aspires to bring about for good service delivery.”

Ms. Catherine Ng’ang’a was honoured at a farewell party, during which a cake-cutting ceremony was held. Joining her in the celebration was KPCC Snr. Director Dr. John Ngigi (2nd from left). Also in attendance were (from L-R); Ms. Doris Kimbui, Manager Nursing & Clinical Services- KPCC; Ms Hamina Muua, Manager Finance & Admin- KPCC & Ms Cathy Nzioka, Housekeeping HoU at KPCC

PHOTO | STEVE ARWA

MAIN PHOTO | STEVE ARWA A section of KNH Prime Care staff commemorate a successful climb to the top of Mt. Longonot with a photo. Congratulations to the team on this amazing achievement!