The Road to Recovery: A Survivor's Journey After Kenya's Westgate Mall Siege

Shamim Allu, who was shot five times during a militant Islamist attack on a Kenyan shopping mall ten years ago, has set a new goal for herself: to climb to Mount Everest Base Camp. Allu, 61, survived one of Kenya's deadliest jihadist attacks in September 2013, when militants from the al-Shabab group stormed the Westgate mall in Nairobi, leaving 67 dead and over 200 injured. Allu, who worked as a radio presenter at the time, was hosting a children's cooking competition on the mall's rooftop when the attack occurred. She was shot multiple times and rescued after four-and-a-half hours. Allu's injuries required a challenging and lengthy recovery, during which she was on crutches for two years. Inspired by Chinese climber Xia Boyu, who became the first double amputee to conquer Mount Everest, Allu decided to take up the challenge and climb the famous mountain. She frequently climbs Mount Kenya as part of her training and plans to reach Mount Everest Base Camp in November. Allu also aims to draw attention to environmental preservation, as she credits trees for saving her life during the attack. Another survivor of the Westgate attack, Valentine Kadzo, can relate to Allu's challenging recovery process, noting that the trauma still affects her to this day. Allu also started an initiative called Trees for Peace, partnering with organizations to plant trees across Kenya. She has already planted more than 5,000 trees and believes it has helped her in her healing process. Allu advises other attack survivors to never give up and refuse to be a victim.