Sherpa who’s reached Everest summit 10 times leads Hong Kong charity hike
Event this Sunday to raise funds for rebuilding in Nepal following last year’s devastating earthquake. Teams of five or more can register on the day for 13km route starting in Central
Phurba Tenzing Sherpa has led expeditions to the summit of Mount Everest 10 times since 2007, but on July 24 he will find himself in unknown territory: on a Hong Kong peak.
The 27-year-old Nepali mountaineer is visiting the city for the first time as guest of honour for Hike for Nepal, a 13km charity hike to raise funds for rebuilding in Nepal, parts of which were hit by devastating earthquakes in April and May 2015 which left some 8,700 dead and at least 22,200 injured. Since then the country’s main industry - tourism – has taken a battering.
“Fundraising is personally the secondary aim for me,” Phurba said. “I’m here to spread the message, ‘We Will Rise’. I’m here to inform the world that Nepal will certainly rise up again and to tell the international community that Nepal is safe, our mountains are safe and foreigners should visit Nepal. Nepal is based on tourism; without tourists, there is no life for Nepalese.”
On his 10th Everest ascent on May 20 this year, Phurba planted the flag of the We Will Rise Foundation atop the 8,848-metre peak. The foundation, a charity launched soon after the earthquakes struck, has taken part in social activities to foster and strengthen the cooperative spirit of Nepalis at home and abroad to help rebuild.
