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7 January 2008, 17:23. Aconcagua, all programs »

Dan Robinson, who works at Langley Air Force Base, will begin a 2-year humanitarian campaign this week.

British Royal Air Force pilot Dan Robinson, on El Dorado Peak in Washington, intends to climb the seven continents` highest summits and plant the ONE campaign flag at the top of each of them.
Dan Robinson rattled off jarring statistics about global poverty almost as quickly as he flies the U.S. Air Force`s F-22A Raptor supersonic stealth fighter.

"More than 1 billion people live in extreme poverty, subsisting on less than $1 a day," said the British Royal Air Force pilot, who works at Langley Air Force Base as the only non-American Raptor pilot.


"Every three seconds, a child dies because they are too poor to stay alive. And just in Africa, more than 12 million children have been orphaned by HIV and AIDS."

It`s daunting, Robinson said, to think about "the great injustices in the world and what needs to be done to right them."

But he aims to tackle each problem one mountain at a time.

The 31-year-old Royal Air Force flight lieutenant — equivalent to a U.S. Air Force captain — leaves this week for Argentina, where he will begin his attempt to climb the world`s Seven Summits, the highest peak on each continent.

"The aim is to raise awareness about the ONE Campaign," Robinson said. "The concept is I take the ONE Campaign symbol to the highest point on every continent."

The Washington-based ONE Campaign aims to raise "public awareness about the issues of global poverty, hunger, disease and efforts to fight such problems in the world`s poorest countries," according to www.one.org. It was established by the U2 rock rock singer Bono with money from the Gates Foundation.

It has more than 2.4 million members and has worked with more than "100 of America`s most well-known and respected nonprofit, advocacy and humanitarian organizations."

Robinson arrived at Langley in March 2006 as part of an exchange program between the United States and the United Kingdom, where he flew the F-3 Tornado.

The genesis of his Seven Summits mission, though, started before arriving at Langley.

Two years ago, Robinson was injured in an accident in a Tornado and was unable to fly for four months.

"Everything I thought I held dear to me was suddenly taken away," he said. "I realized I needed to do something to help the world, to do something of note."

Robinson started by becoming a member of the ONE Campaign. Before he could begin brainstorming how to make his worldly contribution, though, he went back to work and earned the opportunity to fly the Raptor at Langley.

"It was here that it came to me, what I was to do," he said. "I literally sat up in bed and knew to climb the Seven Summits."

It`s as daunting a task as facing extreme poverty head-on.

Asia`s Mount Everest towers at 29,035 feet. South America`s Aconcagua is 22,840 feet; North America`s Mount McKinley, 20,320 feet; Africa`s Kilimanjaro, 19,339 feet; Europe`s Mount Elbrus, 18,481 feet; Antarctica`s Vinson Massif, 16,067 feet; and the 16,023-foot Carstensz Pyramid in Papua, New Guinea, near Australia.

It`s also an expensive endeavor. It takes tens of thousands of dollars for transportation, training and gear to reach each peak.

But after writing to the ONE Campaign to let them know of his efforts, Robinson secured sponsorships from Hudson Trail Outfitters and a Williamsburg business.

Robinson is tackling the South American summit in Argentina first.

According to Alpine Ascents — the Seattle-based mountaineering company that Robinson will hike with — "there is a logical progression to accomplishing this feat."

Alpine Ascents suggests climbing Everest last, but Robinson wants to make a statement.

He hopes to make his last climb in 2010 and wave the ONE Campaign logo on top of Kilimanjaro in Africa — home of some of the world`s poorest nations.

"This is the right mission for me," Robinson said. "Poverty and the military are inextricably linked."

Quoting former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Robinson said, "The war against terror is bound up in the war against poverty."

"I really believe," he said, "our generation has the ability to solve this problem. We just need the will to do it."

Read more about Dan Robinson`s mission and how to support his cause at www.dan-robinson.com.
The ONE Campaign
To learn more about the ONE Campaign or to register as a member, check out www.one.org.