About CHANCE

The story of two orphaned sherpa boys

The background ...

Choo Gyaltsen – a 6 year old whose name has the meaning “small god” and his elder brother Chewang Hendu, the “blessed one” have a sad and chequered history, but with your support they have found a new CHANCE in life.

They come from Ghamedal Village – a remote village in the Solo Khumbu region of Nepal, an area most famous for the greatest peak in the world - Mount. Everest. The reality, however, of life here is something many of us do not know and perhaps can not imagine. These boys come from a family surviving from subsistence farming in one of the harshest environments in the world. Life here is tough, with 8 children they have no option but to grow up fast to help look after their siblings. The family lost their mother 3 years ago and they were left orphaned earlier this year after their father passed away in March.

The region where this Sherpa family live has suffered due to Maoist activity – a regime operating against the monarchy and the government in Nepal causing local schools to close as a result of terrorist threats.

What has CHANCE done? ...

CHANCE has therefore brought the children down from the mountains to go to a boarding school in Kathmandu. The school was specially selected as it is dedicated to educating children from the Himalayan mountainous regions within Nepal. This is extremely important to us here at CHANCE to ensure the children are kept in a familiar environment and kept in touch with their roots. The children they share a classroom and dormitory with are therefore the children of their neighbouring villages, they speak their dialect and share their interests.

They have received a life line. They will now be cared for in a home with children of their background, have the opportunity of schooling, be able to participate in a variety of sports such as cricket and swimming and extra curricular activities including folk music and nature conservation.

Due to the fact the boys have had a poor start in life, they are behind others in their physical and mental development. They were both admitted into school in year groups below their age – but with your support we hope they will be able to catch up and make the very most of their new CHANCE in life.

These brothers are sponsored by a group of people who cover the costs of their home, their food, their clothes, their education and medical care – To you all a BIG thank you!