The solidarity of mountaineers

FOH's co-founder Russell Brice (photo) is a professional climber and it was through his travels and expeditions in the Himalayas that he got to know the poor living conditions of many Nepalese people.

His experience is by no means unique. There is a long-running relationship between mountaineers and charity, probably due to the special ties that bind these men to nature and to the other men involved in the same expedition. Cooperation and like-mindedness are vital to survive in the sport of climbing, and they are necessary tools for those who try to improve the standard of living of people in the developing world.

This article describes the activity of First Steps Himalaya, a New Zealand-based NGO that provides play-based learning to children in Nepal rural areas. New Zealand's most famous climber and the first man on top of Mt. Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary, was also involved in charity for the better part of his life