WNY woman summits Mount Kilimanjaro while raising funds for girls education

A Western New York woman has summited Africa’s tallest mountain, all while raising money for girls’ education.
Lauren Molenda of East Aurora reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro at 6:45 a.m. local time on Friday, March 18. She made the six-day ascent along with 11 other members of an international leadership group called Mountains and Marathons.
As part of her preparation for the trip, Lauren raised more than $25,000 for Girls Education Collaborative. The Buffalo-based non-profit operates a school for girls in Tanzania, the same country where “Mount Kili” sits.
“There’s a Buffalo tie, and there’s a Tanzania tie,” Molenda told 2 On Your Side last month. “It’s a wonderful organization that does really incredible things to further education equality in Africa.”