The young refugees Qambar, Jomah-Khan, Sikou and Grace are here surrounded by freeride skier Léo Slemett.

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Abdul Saboor

  • Born of a citizens' movement in Haute-Savoie, the Yambi association tries to “integrate refugees through mountain activities”.

  • Five of them took on a major challenge: climb to the top of Mont-Blanc (4,810 m) on July 23.

  • The association has just launched a crowdfunfing operation to finance this ambitious project, in which we find in particular the freeriders Marion Haerty and Léon Slemett.

“See you at the top.

Grace, Qambar, Abdul, Jomah-Khan and Sikou intend to become the first refugees to successfully climb Mont-Blanc next summer.

Originally from Mali, Afghanistan and Ukraine, they will begin in April an intense preparation for hiking and mountaineering in order to be ready for July 23.

A crazy adventure launched alongside world freeride champions Marion Haerty (snowboard) and Léo Slemett (ski), high-mountain guides, but also Christine Janin, the first Frenchwoman to climb Everest.

She is the godmother of the Haut-Savoyard association Yambi, at the origin of this challenge to the highest peak in Western Europe (4,810 m).

For Yambi, sport and the mountains are “a key to integration for this youth”.

"In France, only 12% of refugees have a social link with a French citizen," recalls the association created by Annécienne Clélia Compas, and born out of a citizens' movement in Haute-Savoie.

"When I walk in the mountains, I have no more worries, I escape"

The main objective of this project is therefore to “forge links” between refugees and the local population through hikes in the Alps.

“When I walk in the mountains, I have no more worries, I escape,” says Sikou, a 23-year-old refugee from Mali.

The worries, I leave them in town.

"

In order to finance this unprecedented ascent of Mont-Blanc, which will be accompanied by a collaborative documentary and a photo exhibition, Yambi has just opened a crowdfunding campaign.

With more than ever in mind the association's motto for this “human adventure”: “ 

We climb together, we rise together

 ”.

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A crowdfunding targeting 28,000 euros in donations has been launched

For this ambitious project, Yambi intends to rely on a crowdfunding campaign opened via Helloasso.com.

This has so far raised nearly 8,000 euros out of the 28,000 euros targeted.

You can participate by clicking here.

  • Society

  • Mont-Blanc

  • Adventure

  • Annecy

  • Association

  • Refugees