Respicius is a mountain guide on Mount Kilimanjaro. He lives in Moshi, Tanzania with his wife, three daughters, two nephew,and niece. His 7 Summits quest began in 2004, when he was inspired to make the attempt by a fellow climber from Canada. To date he has climbed the highest mountain in Africa more than 100 times.

 Respicius’ story is an all-too-familiar tale of Africa. Born in 1971, Respicius is the ninth of ten children born to subsistence farmers from in the Kagera Region of Tanzania. His family moved often to search for fertile soils to grow their food so they could survive. This nomadic lifestyle and the need to help support the family resulted in many sacrifices. It was not until he was 15 that Respicius completed his primary school education and he was unable to attend secondary school because his family could not afford the school fees. In the midst of his teens, Respicius ventured out on his own, working odd jobs in mechanics, shop keeping and fish distribution. During this time of discovery, Respicius traveled to Moshi to visit a brother who was employed as a Park Ranger at Mount Kilimanjaro.

With his brother's help, Respicius soon began working as a porter on the Umbwe trail –the mountain`s most difficult route. As a porter, he was without adequate food, appropriate clothing or gear. 

"My first trek up the mountain was punishing on my body and spirit. I had borrowed a pair of rubber boots to protect my feet. Unfortunately, the boots were 3 sizes too small. I tried to relieve the pressure by heating the boots in the fire but with the cold, the excruciating pressure quickly returned. I chose to go barefoot for the final two days of the descent but it was too late. The damage had been done. I lost all the toe nails from both feet and lived in great pain for some time." 

Respicius left the mountain for a short while to care for his mother who was ill with breast cancer. After her death, he returned to Moshi determined to become a mountain guide and build a better life for himself and his family. Respicius first reached the summit of Kilimanjaro in 1998 at the age of 27. Since then, he has accompanied nearly 1,200 clients along the routes of the great mountain. In May 2005, his brother who first introduced him to Kilimanjaro fell victim to HIV/AIDS. With his sister-in-law having previously succumbed to the disease in 2001, Respicius and his family took over raising his brother's three children. 

While his family has been badly affected by AIDS, Respicius has overcome adversity to learn to be a mountain guide, become a partner in Mountain Climbing Adventures, and seek to be the first black African to attain the 7 Summits.