Tenzing Hillary Airport(Lukla)

In 1964, Lukla airport was built by Himalayan Trust. The objective of the airport at that time was to ease the transportation of supplies for the Himalayan Trust schools and hospital as those days, delivery of supplies required more than 3 weeks of hard trek by the porters from Kathmandu. But today, this airport brings more than 25,000 tourists in a year which helped to bring economic revolution for the people in the Everest region.The government of Nepal has decided to rename Lukla airport as “Tenzing-Hillary airport” in memory of these two Everest heroic figures.

Himalayan Trust also supports emergency needs of the local people. Whenever, bridges and foot trails are washed away by monsoon floods and landslides disturbing the lives of the local people, Himalayan Trust joins hands with the local community for the restoration and repairing of such bridges and trails. The government of Nepal declared to name the trail beyond Lukla to Everest Base Camp as “Tenzing- Hillary route to honour them.

EMERGENCY WORK UNDERTAKEN BY THE HIMALAYAN TRUST NEPAL

In response to the earthquake disaster in the Solukhumbu district, Himalayan Trust Nepal held an emergency meeting on April 29thto evaluates the situation of Solukhumbu, to identify immediate long-term priorities. Himalayan Trust Nepal coordinated with partner organizations, District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC), District Education Office (DEO), Chief District Officer (CDO), donor agencies and local school management committees to respond to the disaster from frequent shocks.
On 10th May another HTN meeting was held as a follow up on the discussions of the previous meeting. The desired outcome of the discussion was to appoint a Project Manager and engineers on fixed term contract; discuss the current situation with DDMC, CDO and DEO. HTN are to coordinate reconstruction from Salleri up to the top of the Khumbu region. There will be a single report for the rebuilding effort and it is expected that additional support staff will be required.
For immediate relief,total of 992 tarpaulins were delivered to earthquake victims in Solukhumbu. In the first week of June, a number of sleeping bags and tents were also sent to the most affected area of Solukhumbu district. The HTN also coordinated with other local stakeholders for distribution of relief materials.

Mr. Jeff Cane, Ms. Rachael Carter and Mr. Lhakpa Sherpa visited the spots to assess the preliminary damages of the Himalayan Trust supported cluster schools in the Khumbu and Solu regions. A project manager, Dr. Mingma Norbu Sherpa, civil engineers Mr. Rup Bahadur Rawal and Mr. Sunil Shrestha and Himalayan Trust Nepal Training Coordinator Mr. Mahendra Bahadur Kathet, Mr. Ishworman Rai and HT district coordinator Nava Bhujel worked very hard walking for many days to reach valley of Solukhumbu district to assess the damages, create plans for Temporary Learning Classes (TLC) and prepare structural designs for future reconstruction project.
As per the team’s assessment, most houses were destroyed in Thame and Thameteng. All people were engaged in rebuilding and repairing of their homes to have completed before the start ofmonsoon season. Thame, Phortse, Pangboche and Monju witnessed acute shortages of skilled laborers causing delays in the repairing of school. Because of this, school ran classes for a number of weeks in tents. The demand for skilled, semi skilled and general workers were huge not only in Solukhumbu but throughout Nepal.

EMERGENCY RELIEF MATERIALS

The immediate needs were tarpaulins and tents for schools and the residents of Solukhumbu. The meeting of the Himalayan Trust decided to send the relief materials as soon as possible. Tents and tarpaulins were in high demand and ran out of stock in Kathmandu. The HTN managed to get few hundred tarpaulins. Over 200 tarpaulins were supplied to the District Disaster Management Committee in Solu; 630 tarpaulins were sent to Kunde Khumjung Relief Group for distribution in three VDC of Chaurikharka, Namche and Khumjung; 150 tarpaulins from Himalayan Trust Nepal and 150 tarpaulins from Himalayan Disaster Relief Volunteer Group through Jemima Diki Sherpa were sent to Junbesi to be distributed by Himalayan Yeti Club of Junbesi in and around the area of Junbesi, Beni, Bakanje and Thuptencholing. Relief materials received from Himalayan Trust (NZMFAT) were distributed to Goli Gompa, Kunde Hospital, Khumjung School, Junbesi, Garma handicapped school, Sotang School, resident of Waku, resident of Kerung and Lukla Gompa monks. The materials were distributed by representative of REED Nepal and Himalayan Trust Nepal through District Disaster Management Committee in Solu.

OUTPUTS

1. Thirty-two schools were assessed, 12 schools got TLCs and 10 schools received support to repair damaged blocks.
2. A coordination meeting was conducted in DEO and contract with DEO was signed for building TLC, repair damaged blocks and conduct structural survey.
3. Could make a field visit with the District Education Officer Mr. Bir Bahadur Khadka to Lukla Lower Secondary and Mahendra Jyoti Higher Secondary Schools.
4. Also held a coordination meeting of Surke Primary and Janasewa Lower Secondary Schools at Lukla for the immediate management and future rebuilding planning of the schools.

Building and maintenance of Temporary Learning Class (TLC/Toilets)