Skip to main content

Transport

OHF Solution

Sherpa Stick

Challenge

In Nepal, it is common practice to see Nepali porters and villagers carry very heavy loads on their back. Mr Robert Kee, founder of OHF, observed that for majority of the journey, the terrain travelled by the Nepalese are relatively flat and non-rocky. The rocky terrains of the mountain paths only consisted about 10-30% of the full journey travelled.

Potential Solution

To solve this problem OHF Founder, Mr Robert Kee, developed the idea of a Sherpa Stick, named after the famous Sherpas, that would allow the Nepalis to drag the load rather than carry the load on their backs for extended periods of time. The initial prototype design of this Sherpa stick was done in 2019 and the preliminary trial test was done in Nepal. The Sherpa stick is confirmed to help support as much as 50% of the load and reducing the weight of the load considerably when it is on a flat non-rocky terrain due to the design of the wheel.

How it Works?

When using over a flat non-rocky terrain, the Sherpa stick allows the Nepali to wheel the load over the terrain like a trolley. By simply bending slightly forward, the Sherpa stick also allows the load to be carried over the rocky terrains sections of the mountain paths. If the terrain is extremely rocky, the Sherpa stick can be lifted up and the load can be carried across the terrain as per normal. When travelling down slope, the Sherpa stick can be used in a reversed manner and wheeled down the slope like a trolley.

OHF has since tested several prototypes and are working to produce hundreds of Sherpa sticks to be given to poor Nepali villagers living in the mountainous areas. We hope that with this new invention, we can help to lighten the load that these Nepalese carry on a daily basis, thus making a difference in their lives.

Our Experience

OHF’s prototype was difficult to use as it was hard to balance with just one wheel. The design of the Sherpa Stick needs to be modified so that the load rests higher up and the porter can feel the load on his shoulders for balancing. The concept of using a wheel to reduce the load is good but the Sherpa Stick needs to be redesigned so that it is acceptable to the local porters and villagers.