AIDAN CLEGG

When Aidan Clegg decided to do something different for Hand in Hand International, we did not know he would go to such heights. He raised nearly GBP 20,000 by doing a sponsored climb of the Matterhorn in Switzerland.

Asked why he decided to take on such a challenge, Aidan explained, “As an economist, I have always been intrigued by the power of micro-loans to alleviate poverty. The Hand in Hand model, however, takes this power to the next level and I was hugely impressed by this and the application of the team, and the number of people who could be permanently helped by them. But what could I do to contribute? Having taken on the challenge of climbing the Matterhorn after a bet while skiing, I thought I would add to it by raising funds for Hand in Hand as well. Several months later, after intensive training, I found myself on top of the world, over 4,000 metres high and I had won my bet and raised enough money to adopt an entire village and do a watershed project.”