Many people go home from the Himalayas wanting to help in some way. What are some good ways to do that?
Simplest is to make a donation to an aid organization. Some do excellent work but many are misguided. They build health clinics where no medical staff come, libraries that aren't used, water systems that aren't maintained - projects that don't make sense in the situation. In the blog I'll mention a few organizations that I know are worth supporting.
If you can offer time as well as cash it's much more satisfying to work directly with individuals or small communities. An amount of cash that's tiny to many travelers can transform the future for well-chosen people, and you can make a tremendous difference with your time alone. Here are a few examples:
Chupsang Nunnery - an example of what can be done just with some time.
Chupsang Nunnery has magnificent views from the hills above Sera, one of Lhasa's three great monasteries. I'm helping the nuns develop an educational service for guests that does not promote religion. With my marketing help they got their first half dozen guests in the Fall of 2007. Now you can help them by going there as a guest - follow the link to see how.
School Addition [add pictures and text about classrooms for Grades 4 and 5 to the school in Dhiren's village - example of what few thousand $ can do]
Sponsoring a Student [add pictures and text about Dhiren's sister and why a career for a Nepali woman is so hard to achieve and so important - example of what few hundred $ can do]
School Supplies - an example of what a few dozen $ can do
[verify size of donation and what it purchased]