Climber Goes to New Heights to Deliver Books for Nepal.

News Editors

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 30, 2001

A San Francisco climber has summitted Nepal's Cho Oyu, the world's sixth-highest peak and a neighbor of Mt. Everest, in an effort to raise money to build new schools in rural Nepal. Tom Romary spent a month on the peak battling bad weather and icy slopes on his way to the summit at 26,906 feet. The thousands of dollars that Romary raised from his climb will fund construction of new school buildings in Nepal -- a country that has been plagued by decades of political instability, poverty and high illiteracy rates.

Romary, a 35-year-old former executive at online sporting goods retailer Fogdog.com, decided that the dot-com downturn presented a perfect opportunity to set off on an adventure trip with a purpose.

"Mountain climbing is very often about personal achievement and ego," said Romary. "Many climbers visit the Himalayas and leave nothing behind, other than perhaps their garbage on the mountain. I wanted this climb to have a positive legacy, one that would benefit the children of Nepal and the country's future."

Romary partnered with Books for Nepal, a San Francisco-based group founded by former Microsoft executive John Wood. Books for Nepal (www.booksfornepal.org) was formed in 1999 to fight the root causes of illiteracy in Nepal.

UN Development estimates show that 7 of 10 Nepali citizens are illiterate. This greatly affects the people's ability to rise up out of poverty. Books for Nepal aims to attack the problem by building schools and libraries in rural villages, and filling them with books.

"Nepal is one of the world's most beautiful countries. But beneath this beauty lurks the tragedy of poverty, high infant mortality, and an average life expectancy in the mid-50s," said Wood. "The political problems in Nepal, and lack of basic infrastructure, have historically minimized the prospects for foreign investment. Private philanthropy is one of the most significant ways to help this country improve its public education system."

Romary raised $10,000, enough funds to build two new schools with libraries. After the climb, Romary traveled to the villages where the new schools were being planned.

"I was blown away by the conditions of these schools -- dirt floors, crumbling walls, dark rooms with no windows. The teachers and kids I met are ecstatic about having new school buildings and new books," said Romary.

Background on Books for Nepal: Since its founding in 1999, Books for Nepal has built six schools in rural villages, shipped 30,000 books to the country, established over 50 libraries in rural villages, and given scholarships to 50 children from poor families. Four new schools will be started within the next month, and the group expects to ship 50,000 more books to Nepal before the end of the year.