Help Machhindra Get Surgery and Support His Family

In 2019, Zlatka and I traveled to Nepal for a trek in the Himalayas. Our guide was Machhindra Adhikari.

Guiding travelers through the Himalayas is demanding, physical work. It requires long days on foot, navigating steep and uneven terrain, carrying the responsibility of guests’ safety, and drawing on a deep knowledge of the mountains and the local area. Machhindra was kind, dependable, and generous throughout our trek. What began as him being our trekking guide turned into a friendship.

For the past seven years, Machhindra has continued to stay in touch with us. He consistently reaches out with warmth and kindness. He is the type of person who makes others feel remembered. Now, Zlatka and I want to help make sure he and his family feel remembered, too.

Machhindra has been struggling with a serious and painful condition affecting his legs and feet. He has been receiving treatment for approximately two years, but the condition has caused major mobility problems and has made it difficult for him to work consistently. The work he knows—trekking and guiding visitors in the Himalayan region—is exactly the kind of physically demanding work he cannot safely do right now.

He has told us that he now needs an operation estimated at NPR 475,000, which is approximately US$3,100–$3,200, depending on the exchange rate. He has also explained that recovery-related expenses may increase after surgery, including medication, follow-up appointments, medical travel, and other care.

While he is unable to work, Machhindra is still trying to care for his family and keep his children in school. The family’s stated monthly expenses include:

• Son’s school fees: NPR 21,500 per month

• Daughter’s school fees: NPR 10,500 per month

• Family rent: NPR 17,500 per month

• Total listed monthly school and housing expenses: NPR 49,500 per month, or approximately US$324 per month

This fundraiser’s first priority is to help Machhindra access the operation he needs. Additional funds will support his recovery and help keep his family stable while he cannot work—covering medical care, medicines, transportation to appointments, rent, and school costs for his children.

We are setting a goal of US$7,500 to help cover the surgery, essential recovery expenses, and approximately one year of basic family support during his recovery. Any funds beyond the immediate surgery needs will be used carefully for documented recovery-related and family-stability costs.

Because GoFundMe does not send payouts directly to Nepal, I will receive donations through my U.S. bank account and transfer the funds to Machhindra in Nepal through a licensed remittance provider or, where possible, toward documented medical expenses. We will retain transfer records and share updates as funds are sent and used.

Machhindra helped us experience a part of the world that is both beautiful and demanding. He guided us with patience, knowledge, and care. Now, while he cannot walk the mountain trails and work as he once did, we hope to help him take the next steps toward treatment, recovery, and stability for his family.

Every donation—of any amount—will make a real difference. If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser is also a meaningful way to help.

Thank you for supporting Machhindra and his family.