From Dr. Rick Nielsen
President
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions

I am co-founder of World of Difference (www.makeaworldofdifference.org), a non-profit foundation whose mission is to build schools for the underprivileged children in East Africa. These Foundation expeditions for building schools have taken me to East Africa annually for the past 22 years, with only one exception (2008 when the violence in Kenya precluded me from participating). I have known Bryson Mandari since 1994. As part of these expeditions we offer a side trip to participants to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. Over the past 15 years since I have known Bryson, he has guided all of our Foundation participants who desired to make this climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro. I am estimating that number to be around 225 people. Additionally, Bryson has facilitated expeditions and Kilimanjaro climbs for many of our personal friends and professional associates from the United States who desired to climb the mountain but who were not affiliated with the Foundation. I am estimating Bryson has taken at least 100 of our friends and associates to the summit of Kilimanjaro (in addition to the 225 people associated with our Foundation). Bryson has taken me personally (and members of our Foundation) to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro a total of 8 times. I have had first hand exposure to his leadership abilities, his interpersonal skills, and his commitment to seeing to it that members of the climbing expedition make it to the summit. Bryson will go out of his way to ensure that the participants have the most phenomenal experience of their lives and that they make the summit. Everyone LOVES Bryson Mandari. He is extremely personable, speaks excellent English, and is trustworthy. He will ensure safety of all those he leads up the mountain. Bryson also hand picks his assistant guides and porters and makes sure that only those most qualified participate on these climbs. The gear that the porters carry to the last base camp is safe in their care and Bryson will ensure that happens.

I HIGHLY recommend Bryson Mandari to you if you are planning to make a climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro. Bryson has several hundred climbs to the top of that mountain under his belt and is recognized by the Tanzanian government as one of the most capable and competent guides on that mountain. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about Bryson or have questions about climbing this mountain. I will be happy to accommodate your questions and help you better understand why a climb up the slopes of Kilimanjaro without Bryson is not really worth the time and money.

Dr. Rick (Ranger) Nielsen
498 East 10,000 South
Salem, Utah 84653 USA
801-423-1147 (home)
rnielsen@rmuohp.edu