As many of you know, I have a special connection with Nepal. My father was a professional mountain climber and spent many years of his life climbing in the Himalayas. He died while summiting Mount Everest when I was five years old. 

One of my dad's closest friends and climbing partners is a Sherpa named Dawa. Dawa is the son of a yak farmer and grew up in a remote mountain village in Nepal. As a child, schooling was neither a priority nor accessible. To obtain an education, Dawa would tell his parents that he was grazing the yaks but would instead walk hours to the nearest school. Years later, in 2007, Dawa started Classrooms in the Clouds (CITC), a non-profit that builds schools and employs teachers in the Himalayas.

CITC has built schools all over the Khumbu region of Nepal and makes a point of employing female teachers (uncommon in Nepal). I had the opportunity to travel to many of these schools in 2015, a few months after a 7.8 earthquake struck the region, and teach first aid to the teachers. It was a multiple day trek between schools and was incredible to see the positive impact that these schools have had on the communities. 

For the next year, I plan to auction off one piece of pottery every week. 15% of the proceeds of every auction will directly support the amazing efforts of CITC.

Here are a few examples of what can be done with a relatively small donation:

• $9.50 - one day salary for a CITC teacher

• $12 - three Nepali schoolbooks

• $18 - three reusable menstrual kits for young women in school

• $35 - medical/first aid kit for entire school

• $120 - sink with a tap for drinkable water

For more information about CITC, or to donate directly, please check out the link below or follow them on Instagram @citcnepal. Thank you for supporting something so close to my heart!