Namaste. I am Dawa F. Sherpa,

This October, I am taking on one of the biggest physical and mental challenges of my life: climbing Mera Peak — 6,476 meters (21,247 ft). And I would request you to be part of every step. I am dedicating this journey to a cause that’s deeply personal and profoundly meaningful to me.

I am raising funds to provide ice climbing training for 10 young Nepali women at the Khumbu Climbing Center in Solu Khumbu, Nepal, in January 2026. During this two-week course, they’ll gain vital skills in mountain safety and ice climbing, helping them build careers as mountain guides — and transform their futures in the mountains they call home.

This isn’t my first connection with the Khumbu Climbing Center. In 2022, I had the privilege of completing this same training myself. Since 2023, we have been supporting the KCC by recognizing and awarding two outstanding female students each year: one from the basic training program and one from the advanced, with prize money to support their continued growth in mountaineering. Now, we are aiming to expand that impact even further.

How You Can Help:

$1 = 1 meter closer to the summit — to supporting 20 future mountain guides in Nepal

100% of your donation goes directly to the cause

I am honored to be partnering with my dear friend Nancy Svendsen — director of the film about my mother, Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest — and her nonprofit, the Follow Your Dream Foundation, to make this initiative possible. All donations made through this GoFundMe are tax-deductible for contributions of $250 or more.

Your support will give these young women the tools to create brighter futures — for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Let’s rise together — one meter at a time.

With deep gratitude,

Dawa F. Sherpa

ps: I will be starting my trek on September 27th, and I would love for you to follow along on this journey through my instagram