Little things matter: Students offer an alternative as Covid-19 hits tourism-reliant Everest locals

Growing up in Monjo in Khumbu in the Everest region of Nepal, Pemba Sherpa, 25, always wondered where people that she would see passing her village carrying vegetables, rice and other goods came from. She would often help them, offering them a hot tea or water. But, deep inside, she wanted to know more about them and help them in a better way.

Most of these people came from villages below Khumbu, such as Chheskam, Bung and Jubing. They came up looking for jobs to sustain themselves. Some worked as labourers while others worked as porters. With limited opportunities in their home villages, they felt that going to Khumbu, which sees over 500 visitors a day during peak tourist season, was the right thing to do as it would help them earn a living, a better living.