Bring the Internet to the Sherpa People of Khunde and Khumjung

Over 1,700 Sherpa people in the mountains of Nepal are facing challenges brought on by climate change and isolation. Located 4,000 meters above sea level, the villages of Khunde and Khumjung face extreme weather, threats to their livelihood, and the migration of their youth, who seek opportunities elsewhere.

The villagers need to create new opportunities so they can continue their way of life. The Internet can help get them there, but only if we do something now.

The Youth of Khunde and Khumjung

Many children and teachers must spend days of walking to get to the Khumjung school. With an Internet connection, students and teachers can access more educational materials, while broader access can give this generation more opportunities—so they can stay on the mountain rather than leaving their homes for jobs.

a brick block with flags hanging in the middle of the mountains
A New Path to Tourism

Climate change is having a profound effect on those who call the mountains home. With melting glaciers, landslides, and flooding, fewer tourists are visiting Nepal—while the job of a Sherpa is becoming more dangerous than ever. Internet access can help villages improve local tourism, drawing new people in.

a man wearing black doctor coat standing at the entrance of a Kunde hospital
Up-to-Date Medical Care

With a staff of two doctors and two nurses, the hospital in Khunde is the largest in the valley. Using the Internet, one local doctor consults with peers and researches the latest medical information online—a dramatic improvement from the medical school textbooks he relied on before. With more access, telemedicine could bring even more options to the isolated villages, including emergency assistance and specialist care.

How You Can Help Now

Join The Sherpas As They Build New Opportunities

We’re raising US$100,000 to bring high-speed Internet to the villages. Your gift will bring fiber and build digital skills so the Sherpa people can make the most of their connectivity.

How Your Donation Makes a Difference

Deploying a fiber network takes careful planning, the right people, and state-of-the-art equipment. Your donation supports the new network itself, plus everything else the Sherpa people will need to maintain and use it to digitally transform their lives. This includes:

  • Local capacity building
  • A telehealth clinic at the Khunde hospital
  • A Sherpa innovation lab to innovate in areas like farming techniques
  • Support for Sherpa Home Stay services, so trekkers and climbers can visit and stay in the villages
  • Supplementary educational opportunities for students
  • Deployment of a monitoring and security system using IP-based cameras
Donate Today

Image copyright: © João Aguiar/Internet Society