Um Hong Gil Foundation builds hospital, monastery in Mt Everest region
SOLUKHUMBU: A Korea-based organsiation has offered millions of rupees in the Mt Everest region to build educational, health and cultural sites in the Solukhumbu district.
According to Phurba Gyaltsen Sherpa, the chairman of fund raising committee, the Korea-based Um Hong Gil Human Foundation has supported the mountain communities to establish a well-equipped hospital in Namche bazaar of the district to support local communities as well as the trekkers, hikers and mountaineers in the region.
A group of donors including Founder of the Foundation Um Hong Gil and General Secretary Hong Ok Sung and entire village representatives had participated in the handing over ceremony of the hospital early last week.
“The main goal of the hospital project is to provide quality health service to more than 8,000 residents in Chaurikharka, Namche and Khumjung Village Development Committee and increase number of trekkers and mountaineers with their support team,” said Sherpa, adding that the project was jointly implemented by the foundation and the locals’ committee of Namche VDC.
It’s a great help from Um Hone Gil who is also the world renowned climber, he added.
“The primary beneficiaries of the project are more than 8,000 local people while the secondary beneficiaries of the project will be more than 15,000 seasonal migrant workers, more than 35,000 trekkers and mountaineers along with over 80,000 - support team who visits the region annually,” shared Sherpa.
Total estimated budget of the project was US$ 230,000 as per a MoU signed between Um Hong Gil Human Foundation and The Mountain Medicine Institute (Namche Clinic) while the foundation agreed to pay US$ 150,000 for the construction of the clinic and the Namche Clinic will invest around US$ 80, 000 on buying medical equipment and so on, Sherpa said. G
il who supported Khumbu people has successfully made 16 successful ascents to the mountains above 8,000 m including Mt Everest for the third time.
Gil also announced to reconstruct Thaktey Dorje Fotang Monastery in Gumela, which was destroyed during the devastating 2015 earthquakes.
“The monastery management committee has appointed engineers Saurav Sheresta for architect design and Durga Sherestha for the detailed financial estimation of reconstruction work, further informed Sherpa.
