Sherpa Widows To Climb Everest To Inspire Widows & Single Women

Furdiki and Nima Doma Sherpa, widows of two sherpa climbers, who died on Mount Everest, are now aiming to climb the peak to inspire widows and single women. 

"We are going to climb the mountain to close our pain and to honour our husbands by reaching the peak they could not." 

The two women will try to climb the world’s highest mountain to complete the unfinished conquest of their husbands, the duo told Reuters. 

Furdiki Sherpa's husband had died on the 29,035-ft mountain while fixing ropes for his foreign clients in 2013. This climb, which they will undertake in May, would be her joint bid with Nima Doma Sherpa, wife of another sherpa killed in an avalanche near the base camp in 2014. Around 16 sherpas were killed in the 2014 avalanche. 

Nima, 36, told the media how both Furdiki and she had completed training and scaled two smaller peaks. Eight of the world's 14 highest mountains are in Nepal and Everest is an accomplishment people, from across the world, aspire to get to.  

The two women wish to empower other women through their journey to show that there's nothing women cannot do.

Everest blogger Alan Arnette applauded the duo mentioning how these women are impeccable examples of strength and acceptance. "Women are more risk averse," he said. "But I think it's good these women are raising awareness that sherpa women are as strong as sherpa men."

“The death of my husband is not the end of my life."

Furdiki, like most sherpas, goes by her first name. She shared how the death of her husband led to a tormentous economic hardship. The 42-year-old, however, soon realised that she has the ability to take charge of her own life. She decided to fulfil a dream that was not only her husband's but hers, too. The mother of two children, has undertaken this mission to especially spread a message that "widows can accomplish even such hard adventures."

Everest has till now been climbed by 4,833 people since it was first scaled by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in 1953. 

Also Read: Empowering Quotes By Mountaineers Who Conquered Mt. Everest

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