You would think anyone aiming to hike their way up one of the world’s highest mountains would be a keen adventurer, or at least have done their Duke of Edinburgh Award at school, but that’s not the case with Ellie Jewiss.

The 21-year-old university student, from Riversdale in Northfleet, will climb Mount Kilimanjaro in August, even though she has never been camping, which is a bit like going on Countdown having never read a dictionary.

Ellie isn’t letting her lack of experience faze her, though, such is her determination to raise thousands of pounds for charity by tackling the gruelling trek.

She is travelling to Tanzania as part of an expedition with Child­reach International, a charity that launches projects to help disadvantaged youngsters all over the globe.

“This is the first hiking thing I’ve ever done, so I’m throwing myself in at the deep end, but I like pushing myself to the limit,” said Ellie, who went to St George’s Church of England School in Gravesend.

“Two years ago I completed the London Marathon, so I think it’s a nice challenge to take on.”

Ellie decided she wanted to raise money for Childreach after the charity visited the University of Hertfordshire, where she is in the third and final year of a sports science degree.

She learned about some of the projects the charity is responsible for and will get to contribute to one of them directly during her time in east Africa.

“Childreach is a charity that helps provide for children and they have a project set up there where they teach them to grow their own crops,” said the former Gravesend Grammar School sixth-former.

“We had charities come to our university to give talks and we got to see that project. I am very excited to be helping this cause, especially as I will get the opportunity to visit their project in Tanzania before my six-day trek up Kilimanjaro.”

Ellie and a group of other hikers are due to fly out on August 15 and the hike up the mountain is followed by a two-day walk to get back down.

It is some challenge, which is why she is hoping to fit in a practice trip in Snowdonia, Wales, beforehand. She is also planning more fundraising activities, having set herself a target of £3,000.

There is £1,168 in the coffers already, and you can add to it by donating at mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/elliejewiss. You can also text ‘UNLOCK 193280’ to 70007 to donate £3.