Sir Edmund (also known as Sir Ed) and Louise Hillary founded the Himalayan Trust in the 1960s. Ever since then, their example has inspired New Zealanders to give their time, money and support to help the people of Nepal through the Himalayan Trust.
One such person is former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark who visited the region and has shared her exclusive story with MiNDFOOD.
This year is a milestone year that marks the 100th year since the birth of Sir Ed. As a patron of the Himalayan trust, Clark visited the Solukhumbu District of Nepal, also known as the Everest region.
To Sir Ed, his greatest achievement was not climbing Everest, but helping the people of Nepal. And it is through the support of everyday New Zealanders that this achievement lives on.
In the article penned by Clark, she shares her discovery of some of the many great initiatives of the Himalayan Trust, including works to improve the quality of education in the Everest region by providing training for teachers, educational resources for schools, and scholarships to enable children to complete their education.
There she met countless students who have attended the Hillary schools, including one medical doctor who benefited from scholarships provided by the trust. “He had to walk to the school in Khumjung each day – nearly three hours away,” she explains of the importance of education and the work that the trust does for the region.
Clark’s story is one of inspiration and in the spirit of Kiwi’s helping others. A must read!
To get your copy of the August issue of MiNDFOOD magazine, click here.
