Friends,

 

In 2014, Kimberly, my brother, Tim, his wife, Lenore and I spent a month trekking in Nepal. In order to trek around Manaslu and into the Tsum Valley, we were required to hire a guide,  We found Pradip Tamang on line and met with him in Kathmandu to discuss the trek. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we made. Pradip is an outstanding guide and became a friend that we have kept in touch with since.

 

Not surprisingly, the Covid pandemic has had a devastating effect on the tourism industry in Nepal, and Pradip has not been spared. He has essentially been without work since the start of the pandemic and has recently been hit with a double whammy when his son was diagnosed with rheumatic arthritis that has required two hip replacements. Uncharacteristically, Pradip recently reached out to us asking for help. He spent his savings on the first hip surgery and is looking at a $5000 bill for the second, which is scheduled to occur in a month. I realize that $5000 seems like pennies for a hip replacement in the US, but it’s a ton of money in Nepal where the average annual income is $870.

 

I know some of you have been to Nepal, and I hope others can sympathize with Pradip’s situation and might be able to help out. $20 goes a long way in Nepal! Thanks for anything you can do.

 

Benj