MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Dineo Dowd is a women of many titles. Each one as important as the next.
She’s a mother, a children’s book author, a traveler and a photographer. Wearing all these hats each day has shaped her into the woman she is today. But beneath all those hats, Dowd says it really all comes down to what she loves doing most, showing others the wonders of nature.
Born and raised in South Africa, Dowd has always loved being outside but she didn’t have access to much.
“Growing up in South Africa it wasn’t an option like ‘lets just go hiking’, it was something that I would see people doing and wish that was me.”
Her deep love for hiking and the outdoors really grew during the time she lived in Utah, she says it became a part of her everyday life shortly after that.
“I became and mom and then from there I just knew that I didn’t want my daughter growing up indoors and I just wanted her to get outside and enjoy nature.”
Nine years ago when her daughter Armani was born, being outdoors was a value instilled in her. Dowd said her daughter has never known anything other than that.
“The only life that she knows is getting outside and going hiking…we would just put her on our back and she didn’t have a choice when she was a baby,” adding now that she’s older she has a solid foundation.
Dowd praises the non-profit called “Hike it baby” for being so welcoming and accepting of her when she was a new mom.
“I cant even imagine what would have happened to me if I didn’t reach out…I just knew it that is the place that I want to be, these are the people to surround myself with.”
She adds it was tough because the outdoors was new to her.
“I didn’t know if I could carry a baby on a mountain or what but I learned to do all that with these people.”
Now she doesn’t carry a baby, but a backpack. She says now “I hold other women’s hands and we climb mountains,” together.
Being a part of the organization made her curious. She started researching state parks on her own and figuring out new hikes she wanted to take. Some of those hikes she even sought to take alone.
“I became confident in myself and there was a point where I started leading out these hikes and inviting other parents to come outside and join me,” says Dowd. From there, her next adventure took off.
Being outside is a tool she wants every mother to know about.
“New moms, they struggle a lot with depression and even if you are not a new mom you can have two or three kids and depression can still hit you,” being outside in nature help heal her and build her up.
““I was lucky enough, two years ago, I had a group of women who trusted me to plan out this trip and we had twenty people summit Mount Kilimanjaro, we all summited and when I got down that mountain I said ‘I am going to climb this mountain every year’,” and she has.
She said it’s made a really difference in the physical and mental health of these women and even herself. Something she notices often is the difference between her daughter and other kids her age. “
“There is a huge difference from someone the kids that stay in the house and the kids that are outdoorsy, and most of the time the kids that are indoor its not by their choice….its the parents.”
Dowd suggests “it’s one thing to sit on your phone and say ‘go outside’ but we need to take the kids outside,” reiterating that is the only way kids will learn to appreciate the outdoors, if it’s explored as a family. And that’s exactly what she has done with her family, explored together.
Turning her passion into a resource for families just like hers. Now the founder of Wisconsin Adventure Family, Dowd is a pillar of strength in the community and an inspiration for women everywhere.
No matter who you are or where you come from, her message is pretty universal.
“I just want everyone to trade their screentime, for their green time.”
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