Hiker Grant and a child supported by Street Child’s work (Image: Street Child)
Twelve strangers have braved gruelling conditions, altitude sickness and 17,000 feet of elevation to raise more than £20,000 for some of the world’s poorest children.
Assembled by Street Child, the team travelled around 4,500 miles from the UK to Nepal where the majestic Himalayas served as the backdrop for their challenge.
Over 11 days, they through forests and mountainous terrain to reach Everest Base Camp.
Gareth Dickson, 45, from , said: “It really is the altitude that gets you. It can hit you at any time. Even the strongest among us were affected by it.
“On that last day, the altitude presented a very different environment, you can’t breathe. You really did have to take it one step at a time.”
The team hiked to Everest base camp over 11 days (Image: Street Child)
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The group was led by Mark Maughan, Street Child’s Global Challenges Manager, Nepalese guide Kemala, and a group of porters.
Recalling the emotional moment when they reached the summit, Amy Tegg, 40, from Surrey, said: “When we got there I burst into tears. You wonder: am I going to be physically OK? Can I get there? Then you get to that moment – it’s impossible to describe.”
Around 40,000 people trek to Everest Base Camp every year. This group hoped the experience would prove life-changing not only for them but for the youngsters who will benefit from their fundraising.
Nepal ranks 146th out of 193 countries on the Human Development Index and has been beset by natural disasters in recent years, disrupting for millions of children.
A magnitude 5.7 struck Jajarkot District in the Karnali Province in November 2023. And more than 200 people died earlier this year when severe flash hit the capital, Kathmandu.
A child supported by the charity and team leader Mark Maughan (Image: Street Child)
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Before embarking on their hike, the group visited two schools in the Kathmandu Valley supported by Street Child.
Ash Laidler, 36, from Newcastle, was moved to tears by the experience. She said: “I had never seen kids so happy. The girls especially were so sassy and confident and the kids had such respect for the headteacher.
“I care deeply about education, and girls’ education, in particular. This is about creating long lasting change and giving people dignity and control over their own lives.”
Grant Bowman, 34, a finance manager from County Durham, said: “Education is so important. You don’t realise it at the time when you’re at school yourself, but it is one of the best times of your life, and you can take it for granted.
“I would like my daughter to see this one day, it would be a great life lesson.”
The funds raised will support projects which help kids access education (Image: Street Child)
Street Child expanded its operations to Nepal following devastating earthquakes in 2015 and has since shifted focus to improving access to education in vulnerable communities.
The charity supports school programmes across the country including one targeting 36,000 students across 600 schools in low-literacy regions of Karnali and Madhesh provinces.
Another project targets 400 married women and girls aged between 15 and 25, from the Musahar Dalit community which faces caste-based discrimination.
Grant said the unforgettable trip had brought together people of all ages and from different walks of life.
He added: “It’s nice to come away with a new sense of perspective on life. I have met and gotten to know people I would never have done if I had stayed at home.”
You can find out more and support Street Child’s work .