Founded in 2003, KKC's mission is to increase the safety margin of Nepali climbers and high altitude workers by encouraging responsible climbing practices. Over the past fifteen years the Khumbu Climbing Center (KCC) has become a successful vocational program for indigenous people. Each winter for two weeks, technical climbing skills are taught along with English language, mountain safety, rescue, and wilderness first aid. KCC skills and knowledge are saving lives at the roof of the world. Nearly one thousand Nepali men and women have now attended KCC since its inception.

Nima Doma Sherpa, whose husband was killed in a climbing accident on Everest in 2014 is one of them. Nima Doma started to climb after her husband's death. She, along with another widow, Fur Diki Sherpa, sharted the Two Widows Everest Project with plans to summit Mt Everest in their late-husbands' honor and to raise awareness about the hardships that widow's in Nepal face. They both received training at KKC. Their training allowed them both to summit Everest in May if 2019 and to continue to climb and guide clients. Ongyel happened to be in the Khumbu region at the time of their Everest summit guiding a group of UVM students on and Everest Basecamp trek. Being there in the same area at the same time and hearing their stories after their sucessful summit bid was very powerful. US Sherpa has made gear donations to the center to help Nepali climbers and guides in training.

Ongyel was also lucky enough to meet, legendary American mountaineer and co-founder of the Khumbu Climbing Center, Conrad Anker, on a recent trip to Nepal and to receive a tour of the center from Conrad. KKC's mission is close to Ongyel's heart, having lost a cousin to a climbing accident in the Khumbu ice fall on Everest in 2014. The KCC provides mountaineering skills and rescue training to locals in the Khumbu region and through their work, the safety margin has improved. Ongyel's relatives and friends have been able to continue to work in the mountaineering industry with increased safety expertise. The KCC has helped them, and other like them, to refine their craft and continue to work in the industry that they love with less risk.