Inspiring resilience

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, May 19, 2026: One year after reaching within 250 metres of Everest’s summit but turning back due to congestion, frostbite risk, and limited oxygen, the Bouka family returns determined to raise the Malagasy flag on the world’s highest peak. Led by visionary entrepreneur Zouzar Bouka and his sons Raïs and Raj-Alexandre, the expedition embodies Malagasy resilience and the belief that every challenge has its own ‘Everest’.

“This is about finishing what we began,” said Zouzar Bouka. “Everest demands humility and perseverance. Last year taught us hard lessons. This year, we return united as a family carrying our love for Madagascar with us every step of the way.”

For the Bouka family, Everest is more than a climbing expedition; it is about carrying their heritage and identity to the summit. Zouzar's key value he seeks to instill in his sons and young people is meritocracy.

In environments where success can sometimes be influenced by factors other than merit, Everest represents the opposite. On the mountain, there are no shortcuts or deceit. Support and teamwork matter, but the mountain also enforces honesty. Ultimately, it’s your own feet that must take each step.

For all three individuals, this journey is about love, resilience, ambition, and possibility. Their story carries a message of hope: everyone has their defining challenge to conquer, and success lies in daring to take the journey as much as in reaching the summit. The family aims to inspire young people in Madagascar and across Africa to pursue their own goals with courage.

“This second attempt is about much more than reaching a summit,” said Raïs Bouka.

“It’s about perseverance. About not being afraid to face failure. This question - “Why speak before you’ve even succeeded?”- is often raised. But I think it reflects a bigger problem today, especially in the social media world. We only show victories, polished moments, and the success stories. We rarely show the effort, the setbacks, or what happens when things don’t go according to plan.

“It’s also about time spent with my father and my brother. As you grow older, life pulls people in different directions, and you realise those special moments together become rarer.”

Raj-Alexandre Bouka added, “Mountaineering has taught me the importance of trust. On Everest, we are constantly entrusting our lives to a single rope, sometimes anchored by others we have never met. That unconscious faith you place in your guide, teammates, and even strangers who fixed the lines ahead of you is deeply human.”

“Everest also teaches you radical humility. No matter how strong, prepared, or experienced you think you are, the mountain decides. One shifting weather system, one moment of complacency, and everything changes. I learned that true strength lies in knowing when to turn back, even when the summit is within sight.”

“Above all, these expeditions have shown me the irreplaceable value of presence. In a world that pulls us in a thousand directions, my father sacrificed countless hours, immense energy, and significant resources so we could stand together on the roof of the world, breathing thin air and chasing a shared dream. I feel like the luckiest person alive.”

The family has significant mountaineering experience. They have climbed across all seven continents, first beginning with Madagascar’s highest accessible peak, Pic Boby, in 2021. Since then, each adventure has improved their ability to reach their ultimate goal.

Mount Everest remains one of the most dangerous places on Earth, with over 340 deaths since the 1920s. In 2014, a serac collapse in the Khumbu Icefall killed 16 Sherpas, and in 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake triggered an avalanche that killed 22 people at Base Camp, the deadliest single event in Everest’s history.

In recent seasons, fatalities continue: 18 deaths in 2023, 9 in 2024, and 28 across 2024–2025 in the Himalayas.

The Boukas saw several dead people last year, all that had died 1-2 days prior.

This year, with the Everest season still relatively at its beginning stage, the mountain has caused 4 deaths. Shifting seracs, widening crevasses, and constantly collapsing ice walls have slowed progress and caused increased danger.

The Bouka family returns with humility and determination, aware of these risks.

Audiences can follow the expedition through updates and images shared on the family’s social media channels:

Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/4nEtnYe

Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/4nAQlQ1

YouTube: https://apo-opa.co/4eRNik5
 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Vision Madagascar NGO.
 

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Caption: Bouka Family Back to Conquer Everest (1)

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About the Bouka Family Everest Expedition 2026 :
The Bouka Family Everest Expedition 2026 brings together Zouzar Bouka and his sons Raïs and Raj-Alexandre in their second attempt to climb Mount

Everest. Zouzar Bouka is the founder of Vision Madagascar (ViMa), a diversified conglomerate with subsidiaries in real estate, energy, F&B distribution, procurement, hospitality, and wellness. He is also the licensed owner of WTC Antananarivo and WTCRAK. Beyond business, he is an experienced mountaineer who has climbed peaks across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and the Himalayas - from Kilimanjaro and Chimborazo to Everest, where he reached 6,800m in 2025.

Raïs Bouka is an accomplished young mountaineer who has captured peaks across Madagascar, Africa, the Americas, and the Himalayas, including Kilimanjaro and Lobuche. He reached 8,600m on Everest. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California, having studied Business with a minor in Cinematic Arts, graduating Magna Cum Laude.

Raj-Alexandre Bouka has climbed peaks across 6 continents, completing 4 of the Seven Summits. In 2025, he reached 8,600m on Everest and has continued to build experience on major summits worldwide. He is currently in his second gap year and cancelled his acceptance to NYU to pursue this journey, and will resume college in August.