Empowering remote communities,
ripple by ripple
Lehara is a registered UK charity (1200702) that empowers people in remote areas of tourism, so they can create a sustainable, ongoing impact in their own community
PURPOSE
Our community impact
Lehara’s vision is to provide locals with a skill that empowers them to bring in a sustainable income that they are proud of, while in turn, supporting the local community to thrive.
Ama Dablam
The Lehara operation has 3 phases:
1. Vocational Training Programme
Lehara’s Sports Massage school opened its doors on September 12th 2023, to 11 Nepalese trainees, all excited to learn how to become a sports massage therapist. The training took place over 2 weeks and covered:
- Anatomy and physiology
- Effective manual therapy techniques
- Good communication skills
The training was delivered by experienced graduates from the London School of Sports Massage. The course has been specifically devised for the Sherpa community to deliver treatment to trekkers in the Himalaya.
7 trainees passed the course and have all been offered permanent employment within Lehara’s Sports Massage service.
2. Sports Massage Service
Set to open in October 2023, ready for the Autumn trekking season, 60-minute massage sessions will be available in Namche and Dingboche to trekkers and climbers.
3. The Community Ripple Effect
The magic behind Lehara can be found within its positive Ripple effect felt across the community. Lehara plans to provide employment to 10 full time sports therapists and invest over $100,000 in the communities of the Khumbu Valley within its first year of operation.
OUR TEAM
Our team in Nepal and back in the UK are committed to ensuring Lehara is run and developed in line with Lehara’s ambition and core values. Meet the team, including our amazing qualified therapists here:
Our impact
While each qualified therapist earns their monthly salary, Lehara is investing an equivalent amount of money to the therapist’s chosen funding pot. These funding pots are:
- Advancing education
- Improving healthcare
- Protecting the environment
Local organisations or charities can apply for grants, where their initiative or goals meet Lehara’s overall charitable objectives. Therefore, not only is Lehara providing a regular and safe income for therapists, but it will be the financial support and investment for many community initiatives and charities across the Khumbu valley.
Responsible Travel
Lehara is committed to promoting responsible and sustainable travel where the trekkers, the trained local therapists and the wider communities of the Khumbu valley, all benefit wholeheartedly from the Nepalese trekking industry.
Lehara’s sports massage service will provide:
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An opportunity for tourism to generate wealth, with 100% invested within the local communities.
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Experience rich travel for trekkers
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A positive environmental impact
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An ethical not-for-profit enterprise that will benefit all of our key stakeholders.
- An ability to scale in a sustainable way
Lehara's story
The concept of Lehara, and the values that has guided its development, all started when our founder Lisa Jelly, listened to a podcast in 2021 on sustainable giving. By bringing together:
- the key principles of sustainable giving
- her experience of mobilising community healthcare services,
- her passion for high altitude trekking,
the idea of a Sports Massage Service for trekkers, delivered by locals, was born.
Lisa had already fallen in love with the values and selfless lifestyle of the Sherpa people of the Khumbu valley, which made the home of Lehara an easy one to choose.