By selecting Sherpa Travel as your service provider, you will receive a truly authentic experience from dedicated staff who will serve you and enrich your appreciation of the culture, while you contribute to their livelihood for their families and their villages.
Sherpa Travel, Inc. will contribute 5% of the trip cost to Friends of Himalayan Sherpa People (FHSP), a 501C3 non-profit organization that supports Pikey Phapre Primary School in Phapre Village in Khijidemba-9, Okhaldunga, Nepal.
Since 2012 Wangdowa Sherpa and FHSP have conducted events to fundraise to build a five-classroom school in the village. Previously only a few boys walked many miles daily to attend school in another village. As support for the school grew, Wangdowa spent the next years volunteering his time to coordinate the project to build the school to provide quality education to the dirt-poor children there. In spring 2014, Wangdowa along with FHSP board members visited Phapre and celebrated with the village families the inauguration of the new school and opportunities for the boys and now girls to begin learning. FHSP and Wangdowa Sherpa have been funding teacher salaries and uniforms for the students.
Currently there are 72 students studying in grade 1-5. Pikey Phapre Primary School needs ongoing support for teacher salaries, school supplies such as writing pads, pens, dry eraser for white boards, and operations costs. The school needs a photo copier (priority), computer and printer (second priority).
Wangdowa Sherpa has been the inspiration and coordinator of the school project. He has been advocating with the District Education Department in Okhaldunga District, Khijidemba Village Development Council to provide funding for five teachers. Then the District Education Department funded two licensed teachers. FHSP is continuing support for the other teachers.
Disaster struck, on April 25, 2015 when the Nepal earthquake brought a devastating blow to Phapre area including the school building. 2018 December Pikey Phapre Primary School received about US$35,000 to construct an earthquake resilient three classroom Truss Building with the requirements contained in the design manual from Government of Nepal, National Reconstruction Authority, Central Level Project Implementation Unit (Edu.), District Level Project Implementation Unit (Edu.) Okhaldunga. In December 2018 Wangdowa prepared foundation for building the truss building that was then inspected by engineers and approved by Government of Nepal.
Wangdowa Sherpa has been elected Chairman of the School Management Committee (SMC) a three-year voluntary position. In his capacity as chairman of SMC, he has helped to build road to Phapre school as it was the requirement to get government support to rebuild the earthquake damaged school.
In winter and spring 2019, Wangdowa returned to Phapre village manage the project to build the three class room earthquake resilient building. His project leadership ranked and first place among 32 other schools awarded in the district. He received recognition and the school received a certification of completion from Government of Nepal, National Reconstruction Authority, Central Level Project Implementation Unit (Edu.), District Level Project Implementation Unit (Edu.), Okhaldunga.
With this success, in May 2019 Wangdowa along with headmaster of Pikey Phapre Primary School applied and lobbied for reconstruction of earthquake damaged toilet at Pikey Phapre Primary School. In June 2019 Pikey Phapre Primary School was awarded US$15,000 toilet project of three rooms (Boys/Handicapped/Girls) which is earthquake resilient.
In September 2019 Wangdowa Sherpa returned to Nepal to sign to formalized the toilet project and started construction and stopped in mid-December as freezing temperatures prevented cement setting.
Then in February 2020 Wangdowa returned to the village to finish the toilet project.
In the next three years, Phapre SMC would like to make Pikey Phapre Primary School a more functional school with copiers, computers, printers, a library and computer learning room. Our school has the rooms for the above. We need resources to help put them together.
In addition, we would like to invite volunteer teachers from English speaking countries to teach English and other skills at our school on short term sessions of one to two months.
With your support as a trip member, I contribute 5% of the trip cost to help the Pikey Phapre Primary School students build knowledge and skills to help them find a better future.
I am proud to be borne in the village and happy to be able to lead trips to enjoy life and make a difference in the village people’s lives wherever possible. For example, our FHSP and many past trip participants contributed funding to replace open fires in the homes of villagers with stoves that vent smoke outside of their dirt floor homes.
Travel with Sherpa Travel, and you will find the high quality of my trips where we focus on meeting your needs, your safety and enjoyment of the trip.
For more information, please write or call.
Wangdowa Sherpa
Founder / Director / Trip Leader
Sherpa Travel, Inc
Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 376,
Lee Vining, CA 93541
Phone: 760-709-6068
E-mail: info@sherpa-travel.com
Website: www.sherpa-travel.com
CST2100428-40