How does climbing Everest compare with winning a Nobel prize?

October 17, 2020 Good causes emergency response, everest, humanitarianism, hunger, nepal earthquake, united nations, world food programme 4 Comments

I’ve not won many things in my life. I don’t write the sort of books that will ever be considered for an award and I’ve never been good enough to win a prize for being clever. As for winning something really prestigious? Don’t be silly. But then this happened.

The tragedy of Armero: the 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz

January 29, 2020 History andes, colombia, emergency response, los nevados, nevado del ruiz, volcanoes 4 Comments

Today I’m going to tell you a moving story that I stumbled across while researching the mountains of Los Nevados after my trip to Colombia over the new year. It concerns a 13-year old girl called Omayra Sanchez whose plight came to worldwide attention following the eruption of Nevado del Ruiz in 1985.

What does the Nepal Mountaineering Association do?

November 25, 2015 Good causes ang tshering sherpa, dawa steven sherpa, emergency response, himalayas, history of mountaineering, mountain environment, nepal, nepal earthquake, nepal mountaineering association, tourism, trekking peaks, uiaa, world food programme 3 Comments

The Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) has recently lost a significant part of its annual income. In this week’s post I look at the NMA’s work to see what programmes will be affected and what this change is likely to mean for mountain tourism in Nepal.

Nepal earthquake gets the BBC Panorama treatment

June 24, 2015 Reviews and tributes climbing fatalities, ed douglas, emergency response, everest, everest base camp, gurkhas, mountain films, nepal, nepal earthquake 0 Comment

I was a little apprehensive when I heard there was a BBC Panorama documentary about the Nepal earthquake called Disaster on Everest, by a journalist who accompanied climbers to Base Camp. I need not have worried.

The house that can be carried on porter back

May 27, 2015 Good causes chance, dawa steven sherpa, emergency response, himalayan climate initiative, himalayas, nepal, nepal earthquake, porters 0 Comment

One of the best examples of Nepalese resourcefulness I’ve seen since the earthquake last month is the Himalayan Climate Initiative’s portable earthquake-proof house that can be carried to mountainous areas on porter back.

As climbers wring their hands about Everest, Nepal quietly rebuilds

May 6, 2015 Good causes asian trekking, chance, climbing fatalities, dawa steven sherpa, edita, emergency response, everest, everest base camp, himex, nepal, nepal earthquake, russell brice 3 Comments

While the climbing community were busy bickering about Everest, the Nepalese were quietly rebuilding their lives after the devastating earthquake. As trustee of a development charity I was given a privileged insight into what they’ve been up to.

Nepal earthquake: who should I donate to?

April 29, 2015 Good causes chance, community action nepal, disasters emergency committee, edita, emergency response, everest base camp, himalayan trust, himalayas, juniper fund, kathmandu, nepal, nepal earthquake, world food programme 5 Comments

People have been asking me to recommend a charity to help victims of the Nepal earthquake. It’s a difficult question, because it depends on personal preferences and priorities, but I know a little about Nepal, and though I’m no expert on disaster response, I’ll do my best to answer.