Sherpa Adventure Gear is pleased to announce that a young student has been chosen and is now receiving a full education through a scholarship honoring the company’s memory and friendship of alpinist Joe Puryear. Puryear, a highly accomplished climber from Leavenworth, Washington, died one year ago on October 27, 2010 while attempting to climb the remote 8,000-meter Tibetan peak of Labuche Kang.
The deserving student-a 7-year old Sherpa girl from Namche Bazaar-has started school at Rato Bangala School in Lalitpur, Nepal. She will be fully sponsored for tuition and board by Sherpa Adventure Gear from her elementary years through high school graduation. Rato Bangala is known for its academic excellence and commitment to cultivating students to be critical thinkers with an in-depth understanding of Nepal and its potential for the future.
The student was selected from a pool of 30 children in Namche Bazaar, the gateway to Everest. Children in this village typically attend school only until they are old enough to work to support their family.
“This scholarship honors our memory of Joe, his faithful friendship and support, and his love of the Himalayas and the Sherpa people,” said Tashi Sherpa, founder of Sherpa Adventure Gear. “Education is cherished but not accessible to many in Nepal. We believe it would have been Joe’s wish to help ensure the bright future and education of a Sherpa child.”
Sherpa Adventure Gear recently established a charitable organization called the Paldorje Education Foundation. The new foundation readily enables the company to contribute a portion of every sale of its apparel to scholarships and initiatives that directly support the well being, education and future of the Sherpa people.
