Sherpas and Everest
One of AHF’s first partners was The Himalayan Trust, founded by Sir Edmund Hillary. For 30 years, we worked together to improve lives in every corner of the Khumbu, giving thousands of children an education, supporting clinics and hospitals, and building infrastructure to improve life in high altitude villages. The late Sir Ed is no longer with us, but we are honored to continue this work with the Sherpa community.
In recent years, new challenges have emerged. Rising global temperatures are causing glaciers to melt at a rapid pace, threatening communities below. In 2024, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) sent a flood of nearly 100 million gallons of water rushing down a valley, devastating the village of Thame. Thankfully, everyone was able to evacuate in time, but the damage was extensive. There are other unstable glacial lakes growing high in the Himalaya, and it is not a question of if but when disaster will strike again.
covers a Sherpa's doctor visit at Khunde Hospital
As AHF supported Thame through its recovery, we partnered with the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) to launch a comprehensive disaster-preparedness and risk-mitigation initiative. Together, we are establishing early-warning systems, training community response teams, and helping villages develop coordinated emergency plans. This effort will protect people throughout Thame Valley and serve as a model for other vulnerable regions across Nepal and beyond.
