Seattle Mountaineer 2009 « Himalayan Women & Children's Foundation

Seattle Mountaineer 2009

By Brad Stracener
At 37, Ang Chhiring Sherpa (A.C. Sherpa) has achieved much since leaving Nepal for the United States as a 14-year-old. He has forged successful careers in the industries of hospitality, mountain trekking, dental consultation and real estate.

Seven years ago, he added another venture to his resume: giving what he has gained here back to his home country. His founding of the Himala¬yan Womens & Childrens Founda¬tion (HWCF) occurred after paying his childhood home a visit for the first time since moving to the states.

Seven Summits Show: Sat., May 23, at club headquarters

A.C. Sherpa will resume his quest of the seven highest summits of the seven continents when he travels to Alaska on May 25. On June 1 he will start climb¬ing Denali. Before he travels north, however, he will present a show about his foundations work in Nepal at The Mountaineers headquarters on Sat., May 23.

He is still looking for corporate sponsorships for his Seven Summits endeavor and is always looking for qualified volunteers to help HWCF with medical and dental care in Nepal. He and his team will be leaving Aug. 24 this year.

For more information about HWCF and A.C.s fundraising climbs, go to www.himalayansherpa.com.

“At first I was very excited so see my family and friends in the mountains.” But he admitted to feeling spoiled by all the shortcuts in the states.” It made the adjustment to being back in Nepal all the more difficult, he said.

A few days into his return, he traveled to the village in which he grew up. “There wasnt much change,” he said, “and the village still needed a lot of help.” Lacking still were a school, electricity and health care. “I saw chal¬lenges everywhere I walked.”

Walking itself posed a challenge to good and timely health care, such as dental hygiene. Because there are no cars, as well as a paucity of animal-driven carriers, walking is the primary means of travel. Many villagers have only Kathmandu to serve their medical needs, meaning days and days of walking for some.

Rated by the United Nations as the 33rd poorest nation in the world, Nepal is a victim to corruption and exploitation as well. A.C. points out, “Every year 10 girls disappear from my village.” He said they are likely being ex ploited by the prostitution industry in India, where 65 percent of the brothel workers are from Nepal. This has led to an increasing incidence of HIV when the women and children return to Nepal.

Many adolescent boys and young adults also flee to India, often after im¬pregnating teenaged girls in Nepal. They leave to find more lucrative sala¬ries in the military or the industry of illegal trafficking in what A.C. calls the “dumping ground,” India. The girls who remain in Nepal end up marry¬ing at age 13 or 14 and continue to grow up without an education.

He is hopeful that India will soon sign a treaty with Nepal so that his home country can be assured of independence and free of the lure of corruption in India. “And be more like Switzerland,” he stated.

In the meantime, he is planning to climb the seven highest mountains on the seven continents—not because he needs to take the agonizing thought of Nepals woes off his mind. Quite the opposite—the Seven Summits endeavor is intended to help raise money for the HWCF.

“Since we started,” he noted, “we have wanted to build mental health and dental clinics in three villages.” He would also like to be able to start a hydro project so that these remote areas can enjoy electricity. He said the HWCF needs to raise $370,000 to help complete these projects.

He plans to climb all seven mountains, plus one, within a year—his second being Denali (Mt. McKinley) later this month. He stood on the summit of Aconcagua in South America on Feb. 22. After Denali he will tackle Kili¬manjaro in Africa, Mt. Elbrus in Russia, Carstensz Pyramid and Kosciuszko in Australia (the tallest there is still disputed), and the Vinson Massif in Antarctica before climbing the granddaddy of them all, Everest.

He said much of his inspiration for helping his home country and climbing the highest summits comes from Sir Edmund Hillary, with whom A.C. once trekked. Hillary began a foundation after his historic climb of Everest that has been of great benefit to the Sherpa commu¬nities of the Himalayan region. Much like his strident career path, A.C. does not plan to simply rest on his laurels after helping Nepal.

Seattle Mountaineer 2009

Sponsors