Climbing mission for Nepal village

Nepal was devastated in the 2015 Earthquake. Photo / File

New Plymouth Mountain Bikers Club president Hasely Lobb is on a mission to help provide water for a village in Nepal, which was devastated during the 2015 earthquake.

A love for the country and its people has prompted Hasely to create the 8848m For Nepal challenge, which encourages people to climb 8848m - the height of Mt Everest - within the month of November to raise money for the Himalayan Trust's Musey Water Appeal.

Hasely, who was born and bred in Stratford, says participants from Taranaki, Wellington, Christchurch and Australia have come on board to complete the physical challenge which he hopes will raise $20,000.

The money is being raised through an Everyday Hero page online and will go to the Himalayan Trust which works to bring safe water to more communities in the Everest region.

Hasely says participants are encouraged to walk, run, climb, ride or jump the distance. Some of Hasely's missions to ascend the 8848m include walking the Mangorei Track to the Pouakai Hut, the Maude Track to Mangakotukutuku Falls, climbing Paritutu Rock and running up and down the Liardet Street steps 66 times.

He says participants have to climb an average of 295m per day to complete the challenge.
"I am trying to do something different every day as much as I possibly can.

"One lady has already finished it - she did it in around 12 days."

Musey is a small village with a population of 287. It is a 40-minute trek from Lukla - the gateway to the Everest region for trekkers and mountaineers. The earthquake in 2015 affected everyone in Musey,with many homes destroyed and the village water tank damaged beyond repair.

Since the earthquake, the community has been working hard to rebuild homes and get their lives back on track, and replacing the water tank is a priority. Most people in Musey depend on agriculture for their livelihood, so living without safe water has not only impacted daily life - without water for crops, it has also severely affected their incomes.

Hasely says the project will build on the success of the Lukla Drinking Water Project, a joint project between the Himalayan Trust, Action for Nepal and the community of Lukla, which was completed in 2014. The Lukla Drinking Water Project now supplies 200 homes and businesses, including many tourist lodges.

Hasely says he has always loved Nepal and has visited twice. In 2015 he didn't have the means to help out, hence his desire to help now.

"I would love to see this become an annual event so that we can keep on raising money."
To donate to the Himalayan Trust visit give.everydayhero.com/nz/8848-for-nepal