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Jessica Biel has reached the peak -- and no, we don’t mean the peak of her career (even though with her role in next month's romantic comedy ensemble film, Valentine’s Day, she’s clearly climbing Hollywood’s ranks). Biel, 27, has reached an actual mountain peak: the summit of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, which, at 19,340 feet, is Africa’s highest mountain.
Along with fellow climbers Emile Hirsch and Isabel Lucas, Biel hopes to raise awareness about the need for clean water worldwide. The grueling six-day trek included a photo atop Kilimanjaro with the Summit on the Summit group holding a large “SEND WATER” banner.
Biel and the others braved icy trails in single-digit temperatures and, according to People.com, had only 45 minutes to rest at the mountain's peak without risking dangerous exposure to the inhospitable conditions.
The expedition was the brainchild of singer and producer Kenna, who says his father suffered from waterborne diseases as a child in Ethiopia. But, as Biel discovered, it’s not just Africans who are suffering a deadly shortage of drinkable H2O -- the crisis affects people worldwide. The actress said she was "astonished" to learn that more than a billion people across the globe have no access to clean water. "This is a basic human necessity that needs to be addressed now," Biel said in a statement, calling the lack of clean water “life-threatening.”
What cause would inspire you to climb a mountain for days? Chime in below!
