Hi Folks,
On May the 16th iam lucky enough to be heading off to everest ,having been invited by my good friend Ang zangbu Sherpa, and attending the 50th anniversary of his school that he attended as a child.
The school is located in the Kumbu area of the himalayas in Nepal ,the school was one of the first projects by Sir Edmund Hillary.
After being the first man to climb Everest ,Hillary was so humbled by the Sherpa people that he wanted to return and help them better their lives,he set up the Sir Edmund hillary foundation which to date has built now 30 schools ,hospitals and clinics from his ethos to improve education and health care for the sherpa people but while retaining their heritage and importantly sustaining their enviroment around them.
Ang as a boy was lucky enough to be choosen to attend the school and would trek from his village at 8,500feet to the school every day returning each evening a climb of 4000feet every day! Then for good measures he would have to spend his nights hearding yaks ,his upbringing in a harsh remote enviroment and is a world away from what you and i know,lacking many basic necessities that we take for granted every day.
Angs upbringing is an amazing story,he was lucky enough to become educated and went on to better himself.
Angs dream was to be a pilot after watching the planes flying in and out of the small airstrip of Lukla which was built by Hillary. After graduating from university in Katmandu Ang returned to the Kumbu region to work as a 'Sherpa' guide treking to everest raising money to further his education .
One day whilst leading a group of Amercians one man asked Ang what he would like to become. Ang told him of his dream to be a pilot ,the same man told him that he was in the aviation business in America and had a company call "Boeing"! the guy was only the CEO of the company. Himself and Ang become good friends and Ang moved to America to gain his pilots license and worked for Boeing as a pilot for 8 years. He then returned to Nepal to fufill his dream and flew the Katmandu to Lukla route daily for many years.
Ang is kindly helping me fufill a dream of mine to go to Everest. We are planninig to climb Gokyo ,Gokyo Ri,and Kalla Pattar, which have some of the best scenery in the world.Then onto Everest base camp returning to the school in kumjung on the 29th of May for world Everest day and the schools 50th Anniversary celebrations.
I would like to raise as much money as possible for the Himalyan trust, if it wasnt for the foundation myself and my family would never have met Ang who is an amazing guy.
Ang along with many other sherpa people would never have been educated and recived basic health care that we all take for granted. Ang fufilled his dream,and without Ang i wouldnt have been given this opportunity to fufill my dream on the 16th of May. Please give generously to help towards this worthwhile cause. EVERY PENNY RAISED goes direct to the foundation, all of my costs iam self funding,similar charity sponsored trips normally cost approx £2300.00 ,with only a small amount going to the charity.I would love to raise this amount to go direct to the foundation, its also good to know that the foundations staff are all voluntary and take no expenses from the charity.So every penny raised goes directly to were its needed.
Thank you for your help and wish me luck ... i may need it ....Kev x
Please dig deep and donate now.You never know who you might meet and help you fufill your dream!
