More about me
Q. Home?
A. Okhaldhunga,patle,warda no: 4,Nepal, this is a remote village in the Solu region of Nepal. Nowadays I live in Kathmandu most of the time.
Q: Describe your mountaineering background:
A: A lot of my family are working for expeditions, but for a woman it's quite unusual to do this. I wanted to make a difference and a uncle of mine introduced me in a trekking office. Before I was climbing I was a weightlifter (featherweight) and got a third place in the national championships, this was enough to prove I was strong. They send me to a couple of mountaineering courses and since then I am working for this trekking office. Spring 2003 I did my first big climb on Chulu east, a trekking peak close to the Annapurna's. The same year in autumn I summited Ama Dablam as the first Nepali woman, then my climbing career took off. I did expeditions on Pumori, Cho Oyu, Shishapangma , Lothse and twice on Everest.
Now I am also working as a instuctor for the NMA (nepaleese Mountaineering association) and I am hoping to finish the ENSA school in Chamonix, with their exchange program.
Q. And when you’re not doing that?
A. Of course I am relaxing and spending time with my family. I also work as a secretary for two NGO's I started with my friends. One is the "the high altitude workers fund" this NGO wants to improve the conditions Sherpa's have to work in and pay's the medical bills if Sherpa's get injured doing their job. Most insurance doesn't cover this and when a Sherpa dies his family usually gets a huge financial problem. The other one is "Everest helpless children service centre" this NGO helps woman who are left behind by their husbands and single woman. In Nepal it's impossible to marry again and most of these woman have no education. We try to educate them so they can start a small business, also we pay school fees for their children and provide teachers and learning aids at schools in remote villages who are forgotten by the government. In my village I work for the "Mount Everest Foundation" we are building a health post and a school here. This way people who live here don't have to go to Kathmandu anymore this is a three days walk and a 18 hour bus drive!
Q. What’s your proudest moment?
A. When I became first Nepali women to summit Ama Dablam and showed that Nepal woman can make a difference.
Q. Who or what inspires you?
A. Pasang Lamu Sherpa because she was the first Nepali Women who summited Mount Everest. She is the great example for all the Nepalese women; she showed if you have a dream anything is possible!
Q. What are your future plans/goals?
A. Continue climbing and use this as a tool to change the way of thinking in Nepal. The position of woman in Nepal is very traditional, normally they marry very young and get children. They have no chance to get a proper education and a career!
I also want to climb more, because I love the mountains. Maybe K2 and Kanchenjunga will be the next step.
Q. Favourite bit of Rab kit?
A. Right now the Quantum 600 sleeping bag
Q. Why?
A. Very light and still warm.
Q. Other sponsors?
A. Aku shoes, Osprey packs, Outware trading, outdoordesigns
Athlete Blog
January 2008
Maya has just returned from a climbing course for women in the Annapurna region where she worked as an instructor and climbed "Tent Peak" 5663m for training.
In the spring Maya will be leading an Everest 8848m and Lhotse 8501m expedition together with Arnold Coster. The plan is to summit both peaks.
This summer she will go to the ENSA in Chamonix if the exchange program works out and finish her guiding program or she will be leading a Mustag Ata 7546m exp in China with Arnold Coster.
After this Arnold and Maya want to take some holiday and climb Kongur (7719m) alpine style and do some alpine climbing in China!
Back to work in the Autumn, Maya will lead expeditions on Shishapangma (8013m) and Ama Dablam (6856m) with Arnold. back to adventures page |
