In 2013 I was lucky enough to head to the Himalayas and explore the mountains where I met up with a group of wonderful hikers and climbers from around the world. 

We were led by one of the local mountain guides, Tikendra. He spends weeks or months at a time away from his family -- taking on personal risk when leading groups on mountain treks -- in order to provide a quality life for his wife and son. Much of the hard work Tikendra puts in is to give his son the best education he can get so that he has many life opportunities down the road.

Due to Covid-19, travel to the area is significantly down. As a result, Tikendra and others like him have experienced a major loss of income, which is why I've started this Gofundme. The hope is that we can pull enough together to help him through what could be a very challenging 1-2 years for the travel industry. 

One of the traditions at the end of a trek is for all the mountaineers to donate equipment or cash to the guides in recognition of their work. I'm hoping this Gofundme can act as a much-needed substitute for that tradition and would deeply appreciate any contributions that people might be able to afford at this time. 

Tikendra is an incredibly kind, humble, and hard-working person. If you've ever been to the Himalayas, you know just how hard people like Tikendra work. And if you've never been but have an appreciate for nature and the outdoors, please also consider making a donation to support someone that deserves our support. 

Thank you in advance for your consideration. And thank you Tikendra for all the work that you do!