THE MOUNTAIN SPIRITS FUND IS ABOUT FAMILIES
Seasons greetings from Mountain Spirits Fund! 2021 has been another challenging year and we are very grateful for your generous support for our families in Nepal. Our trips to Nepal are made extraordinary because of the great staff we have there!. We are always blessed with the Nepali hospitality and hard work. These people are our family, they care for us on the trail and the Mountain Spirits Fund was created to reciprocate. Those of you who have traveled with us know this first hand. Thanks to your generosity we have been able to make a difference.
We have moved to a formal application process for allocating funding. Applications are reviewed by our board and funds allocated. With banks popping up in the most remote villages in Nepal, transferring funds has become quite easy and transparent.
Right now we are challenged with not only the usual needs (housing, education and healthcare) but BASIC life needs such as FOOD AND SHELTER. The streets of Kathmandu have been vacant for almost 2 years now due to the Covid-19 lock down and travel restrictions. Tourism continues to be at and standstill. Nepal is starting to open again slowly, but many of our Mountain Spirits family have been out of work for two years. Applications are piling up and funds dwindling
The good news is money goes a long way in Nepal!
$30 – Buys one bag of rice
$100 – Provides English lessons to open new job opportunities
$150 – Provides one month food, rent and expenses for a family in Kathmandu
$100 – Guide School increases earning and job opportunities
$500 – New roof on home
$1000 -University Tuition (one year)
Here are some of the people we have been able to help:
Bhim Magar is one of our super porters who greets you with a sincere smile every day. His son, had a rare cancer of his retina and required specialized care in India. MSF was able to assist Bhim with the cost of getting the care, needed to preserve his sight in his second eye. Now he is doing well and getting regular follow up care in Kathmandu. We have helped Bhim and family this year with the cost of living and the continuing hospital expenses.
Ramesh and Janga Rai Many of you know Janga well. His older brother, Ramesh, was on many of our trips always running ahead finding and organizing camps, always with a huge smile. Tragically, Ramesh passed away last fall from an illness that in the developed world, could easily have been prevented. MSF assisted with the cost of his funeral ($500) and to provide his family with food and housing for the monks during the funeral puja which lasts 40 days. Additional support was provided for his families needs of a new roof.
Roshni is a single mom who raised a son and daughter in Kathmandu while working in a shop nearby our favorite hotel. Roshni always graciously fed us samosa and tea in a cozy corner of her shop and treated us like family. The pandemic forced the closure of her small tourist shop and se and her daughter Nuri moved to Delhi to be near her sister’s family. Recently Roshni had an acute gall bladder attack which required urgent surgery ($500). Nuri is working to support Roshni, but was unable to pay the hospital expenses so MSF stepped in to help out.
Tsoksa’s shop in Pokhara was closed for nearly the entire year. Lisa has been selling her jewelry on eBay. Take advantage of Nepali prices at home! More is coming soon and there are many items not on line yet such as two very special coral and turquoise necklaces that came from families in the Tibetan Refugee Village near Pokhara. Proceeds from these sales go directly back to Pokhara. Contact Lisa Vaughn at lk.vaughn@gmail.com for questions and photos.
Items from Tsoksak’s shop can be found on eBay store: lisadidi2013
Please consider a year end contribution to Mountain Spirits Fund!
All donations will receive a 501c3 tax receipt for 2021
Contributions can be mailed to Mountain Spirits Fund
(Direct deposit also available)
PO Box 3689 – Hailey, ID 83333
E-mail – mountainspiritsfund@gmail.com
Your donation makes a difference ~ thank you for your supporting MSF! 🙏🏻
Donor Recipients 2021 (partial list)
Chime Lama Janga Rai Family of Ramesh Rai Dendi Sherpa Phuri Sherpa Mingma Sherpa WangChhu Sherpa Tek Bahadur Magar Bhim Magar Tanka Magar Roshni Purveen Bibek Magar Dambar Magar Tisha Tamrakar Dam Tamang Narayan Kunwar Harka Bahadur Hasta Magar San Bahadur Magar Sangey Sherpa Subash Magar Yam Bahadur Magar Tskoksa Lama
