The True Spirit of Adventure
This weekend May 29th marks the 69th anniversary of my father Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary’s historic ascent of Chomolungma (Everest) in 1953. At that time, it was the closest that man had been to the moon. The lure of Chomolungma today remains insatiable. More than 325 permits were issued this spring to climb the mother Goddess, with a handsome yield of $3.3m for the Government of Nepal in licensing fees.
Heroic Heera
Heera, whose name means “diamond” in Nepali, was born with Spina Bifida, a serious neurological disorder. Her parents were desperate to help their young daughter, and went into debt in search of treatment for her — they even sold their land — but nothing worked.
Maghe Sankranti
Maghe is the tenth month of the Nepalese calendar, and Sankranti is the first day of Makarai (Capricorn). It is one of the most auspicious days and is much cause for celebration. However, until only nine years ago, it also marked the first day of servitude for many girls from the far west...
Sour, Spicy, & Sweet
It was 11am, and the monsoon deluge was finally abating as Charu and I cautiously made our way along the slippery mud track towards Sari and Devaki’s house. They are sisters. A few years ago, their father left them to work in the Middle East. His departure triggered something in their mother…
Alive and Kicking: Himani's Story
Himani is a high spirited, high-kicking STOP Girl Trafficking (and Taekwondo) student. Eight years ago, a cinderblock fell on her foot and badly damaged it, and her struggling mother couldn’t afford treatment. I met her this year and introduced her to…
The view from the Top!
On May 29th, 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and my father Tenzing Norgay made their historic ascent of Chomolungma (Mount Everest). 67 years later, in 2020, the Covid pandemic completely shut down the mountaineering season in Nepal.
Namdu: a loving tribute
Namdu Sherpani, one of the original guiding spirits of the AHF, passed away last week in Kathmandu, surrounded by family.
Happy Mother’s Day! Gratitude to all of you!
Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms, grandmas, aunties, big sisters, and anyone else stepping up to the role! We hope you are able to celebrate today with someone you love – even a phone call or video chat. Thank you for holding up at least half the sky! Meet some of AHF’s treasured momo-las (‘grandmas’)
USAID helps HRDC
Good news! AHF has been awarded a grant from the USAID American Schools and Hospitals Abroad Initiative for HRDC to equip their new OR and patient ward with modernized and state of the art medical equipment. Below is the full press release.
4.5 Million Meals Delivered
Walking through the cold winter winds, I began to realize how harsh and difficult life is in Mustang. This was the first time I was in Mustang in the winter, I had only seen it during the nice summer months. People looked wearier, maybe it was because of the sand and dust on their skin or the burden of the pandemic or both.