Earlier this year our supporters helped provide medical and hygiene supplies to vulnerable, remote communities in the Solukhumbu District (Everest region). You gave these communities the resources needed to hold off an outbreak for as long as possible. Thank you so much.

But as we all know from our experience here in New Zealand, this is a tricky virus. Despite the best preventative measures, it’s only a matter of time before it finds a way through.

In October, a 73-year-old Sherpa man from the village of Namche, a main stop on the Everest trail, became seriously ill and was transferred to Kathmandu for treatment. He tested positive for COVID-19. Subsequent testing in the Namche area found nine further positive cases. Sadly, the 73-year-old man has now died in Kathmandu.

The village of Namche in Solukhumbu District.

The people of Solukhumbu are frightened. If the infection continues to spread, the PPE and medical supplies we distributed earlier this year will run out. With the harsh Himalayan winter looming, the added danger of serious respiratory illness and onset of seasonal flu could put unbearable burden on the already strained healthcare providers.

Your donation will give healthcare workers the tools they need to save lives.

Your donation will provide PPE, masks, hand sanitizer, oxygen machines and other critical supplies to give vulnerable communities the best chance of beating this virus.

Beyond COVID-19, Solukhumbu families face a challenging recovery. Around 80% of people in Solukhumbu are reliant on tourism for income. With no international visitors, many families have completely lost their livelihoods. To make matters worse, disease has spoiled much of the staple potato crop this season, so food shortage is a major issue. Some families have savings to soften the blow, but people in low-wage jobs like porters, labourers, cooks, and helpers are especially impacted.