Sir Edmund Hillary

Sir Hillary is in many ways the modern day patron saint of Khumbu. After becoming the first person to climb Everest with Tenzing Norgay he became an instant celebrity. He didn't let stardom get to his humble nature and worked tirelessly towards what was perhaps the crowning glory of his career- the social upliftment of the Sherpas. Through his Himalayan Trust he helped build 30 schools, 2 hospitals, 12 medical clinics and 1 airport. To protect the environment, the trust has helped plant over a million saplings and installed 1 micro-hydro electric project. The trust also undertakes regular training programs for health professionals and teachers. And over a hundred scholarships are awarded every year. And boy has it shown? The Late Mingma Norbu Sherpa, an alumni of Khumjung School, was a preeminent conservationist and Dr. Kami Temba Sherpa who is currently the Medical Director at Khunde Hospital studied under the Trust's Scholarship program. And these are just two examples of the lives that were changed by Sir Hillary's selfless work in Khumbu. Sir Hillary's work is one of the most important reason why the Sherpas are one of the few ethnic groups in Nepal that rose beyond traditional social and economic confines. Hillary himself summed up his approach to social work as follows, "Whereas gratitude has something of inequality about it, goodwill is an active and growing idea that a proud man need not feel ashamed to entertain."