Our Story

The SEHF was founded in 1974 by Zeke O’Connor and Sir Edmund Hillary. The two cemented a life-long friendship and partnership in service following a 1973 trip to Nepal, where Zeke was invited to join Sir Edmund on an expedition to Mount Everest Base Camp. Zeke visited Nepal over 40 times in his lifetime, and each time returned with a deeper understanding of the many needs of the Sherpa people and a stronger determination to further the efforts to support worthy projects in the mountain regions of Nepal. Today, the SEHF continues its work supporting and empowering the Sherpa people of Nepal in the areas of education, health and the environment