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Our Vision
Sir Edmund wanted to create a charity that would work well on the ground . It had to have a real and immediate impact on the Sherpas daily lives. Since inception The Himalayan Trust has been governed by these 5 guiding principles:
1. To focus on basic infrastructure
Hillary wanted to give the Sherpas the basic resources to help them help themselves. So he supported projects that developed education, basic health, and forestry programmes to rejuvenate their natural resources.
2. To only do what was requested by the Sherpas
Hillary wanted to avoid giving things that weren't really wanted. He insisted that all projects originated from a specific request by a group or community of local people.
3. To involve the Sherpas themselves in the work - "Self Help"
As well as further demonstrating the relevance of a project, the Sherpas own involvement would make the money go further. So if they wanted a new school .... "Fine, the Trust will buy the materials, but you carry them in on your backs and help build it!".
4. To minimise all unnecessary costs
The Trust was to be staffed by volunteers. Overheads would (apart from a skeleton project management team on the ground) be eliminated.
5. Direct transfer of funds
The money would be carried direct to Nepal - originally by Hillary himself. there would be no leakage through the system... the money would flow literally from a fund raiser event directly to buy materials in Nepal.
These principles still hold true today, and we have expanded our work to use this approach to benefit the mountain people of Nepal. In particular, we have been particularly focussed on projects aiming to improve Education, Social Development, and the Environment
The Trustees are all volunteers. We receive no money and pay all our own travel costs to Nepal and elsewhere.
We believe that not only does the Trust have a wonderful cause, but it aims to achieve its goals in a unique way.
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