Conquering their own Everest

by TONG SIAN CHOO

FROM ISSUE # 200 (August 2012) | IN THIS ISSUE
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The team with the two woman guides at the saddle after scaling Mt Elbrus. Ludmilla, the woman in green jacket is the first and only Russian woman to have climbed all seven summits.

 Nelson Mandela once said it always seems impossible until it's done. I found myself drawing parallels between my decision to come to Nepal and the sheer determination of the seven women to scale Mount Everest.

As I was waiting to interview this group of fascinating women, one of them brought along the newly arrived team's brand new T-shirts. They were so excited they changed into their new gears immediately.  "We want to appear in the papers wearing our team T-shirt," said one of the team members Shailee Basnet, laughing.

Maya proudly waves Nepali flag atop Elbrus

 In May 2008, Shailee and nine other team members made headlines by becoming the first female Nepali team to scale Everest. The 29-year-old was also the first female journalist to reach the peak.

The current team of seven climbers aspires to summit the seven highest mountains across seven continents. Having climbed Mt Kosciuszko in Australia and Mt Elbrus in Russia in 2010, the Nepali women mountaineers have four more to conquer.

[SC]The team - (left to right - top row) Pema Diki Sherpa, Shailee Basnet, Nimdoma Sherpa, (bottom row, left to right) Chuna Shrestha, Maya Gurung, Asha Kumari Singh. (not in pic - Pujan Achyara)

 It didn't take too long for me, a foreigner, to understand what kept these seven women together even four years after their Everest expedition. The genuine excitement they showed when they saw their team shirt and the visible sense of sisterhood confirm the bond they have shared over the years.

"We didn't want to go back to our normal lives after climbing Everest. Although we fight and disagree a lot, all of us want to achieve something big and special ever since we were young and our common goal keeps us together," said Shailee.

The idea of seven of them conquering seven peaks on seven continents was born during one of their regular gatherings on 1 January 2009.

Shailee and Diki make it to the Everest summit

 However, climbing mountains has been an uphill battle for the seven women. The decision to climb Everest spurred mixed reactions for Asha Kumari Singh, who is from Tarai where women are barely aware of their rights. The 24-year-old student said many of her relatives and neighbours told her that she was just a girl and she wouldn't be able to climb the highest mountain. Fortunately, her family was very supportive, which gave her the strength to pursue her dream.

Shailee and Diki climbing towards Everest summit as the day breaks

 "One thing that has changed (after Everest) is that people listen to us now," said Shailee.

Shailee says having ten women on Everest's peak is no easy feat. In Nepal, women are generally not encouraged to pursue their dreams, which in turn affects their self-esteem. The team has since visited over 100 schools in Nepal to share their Everest experience and motivate students to follow their ambitions. This is also the main reason why they want to continue scaling new heights.

[SC]The team - (top left, clockwise) Chunu Shrestha, Shailee Basnet, Nimdoma Sherpa, Maya Gurung, Asha Kumari Singh, Pema Diki Sherpa (not in pic - Pujan Achyara)

 The women's expedition resonates strongly with my personal journey. As a Singaporean who desires to step out of my comfort zone and work as an overseas journalist, I was afraid of the uncertainty that lay ahead. The lack of financial support was also a drawback. Just like the team, I thought I couldn't make it.

I will never forget the anecdote Shailee shared of a student who once told her: "If I want to do something, I don't need to have anything to start with, and I can still do it."