Humanitarian Work Of Himalayan Expeditions

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30215, 21 August 1963, Page 17

Humanitarian Work Of Himalayan Expeditions

The humanitarian work of his recent expeditions to the Himalayas establishing schools and medical facilities and other amenities for the Sherpa villages—had given him as much satisfaction as the outstanding climbing of the region, said Sir Edmund Hillary last evening. Sir Edmund Hillary was giving the W. A. Kennedy lecture to the Canterbury Mountaineering Club. He spoke on and showed colour slides of the lates‘ expedition, which included New Zealand and American climbers. and which established two more schools and a medical centre, and provided other facilities for villages in the Khumbu area of Nepal. It had been most pleasing to note the contribution which the schools and other projects built for the Sherpas on previous expeditions had made to the well-being of the villagers. Sir Edmund Hillary said. There was a big attendance of children at the school which had been built in Khumjung. and the two schools which were built during the latest expedition, in Thami and Tambochi, would contribute further to the education of the Sherpas. Sir Edmund Hillary said he had appointed the teacher at the school in Khumjung, which was built two years ago, as inspector of the three schools in the Khumbu area "I had never appointed an inspector of school, before; it gives one a good feeling.” Some parents attended the school as well as their children, because of their desire to be educated, he said. Two years ago the children could not read nor write, but now

many of the children could read and write both Nepali and English competently. The aid programmes which the expeditions had carried out for the Sherpa villages were aimed at providing an education for as many persons as possible, so that they could be helped with more practical problems of agriculture and health. The introduction of the potato had made a large contribution to the stability of the Sherpas, he said. There was sufficient food for the people, but there was no doubt that with medical and other aid the numbers of the Sherpas would increase considerably.