‘Adopt a Village’ Project Recruits Aid for Nepalese Hamlets
Natasha Lee
Staff Writer
Sherpa Technology Guides, a Lakeside-based computer support and consulting firm, recently launched a program aimed at giving aid to villages and their inhabitants in Nepal.
The program, “Adopt a Village,” pairs local businesses with villages in the Solu-Kumbu region of the Himalayas that lack basic necessities ranging from clothing to electricity.
Participating businesses choose from 10 villages and contribute monetarily to a specific aid project.
Each project is headed by an accredited nonprofit organization, such as the Himalayan Explorers Connection, until completion.
Businesses keep an ongoing relationship with their adopted village, receiving photos and updates.
“It lets them feel what an impact they’ve made from their donation,” said Mike Salomon, founder of Sherpa Technologies, who has worked with the Himalayan Explorers on several projects.
Salomon, an avid mountain and rock climber, started the program after being pinned to a 900-foot high ice wall during an ice storm near Mount Everest.
After the expedition’s guides were so giving to Salomon, nursing him back to health, he was inspired to do the same, he said.
Two weeks ago, “Full Focus,” a KPBS magazine show, spotlighted the company’s efforts to help a Sherpa village by building a bridge.
The 300-foot suspension bridge closes the gap between surrounding villages and allows children the opportunity to go to school.
Before the construction, children would have had a six-hour hike to school, and now the bridge has reduced the journey to an hour roundtrip.
According to Salomon, Nepal is the fifth-poorest country in the world and a little bit of money goes a long way.
“It’s very inexpensive to make a difference … small amounts of money help large amounts of people,” Salomon said.
Since starting the program two months ago, local advertising firm Mires has signed on and Salomon said he’s been receiving numerous inquiries.
Companies interested in participating in “Adopt a Village” can reach Salomon at (619) 286-1164 or log onto (www.sherpatechnology.com) for information.
