The XL Charity Challenge group who trekked to the base camp of Mount Everest in Nepal have helped to raise an impressive total of more than $170,000 for the Bermuda-based Kathmandu Kids Club. The Club raises funds for the Nepal projects of The ISIS Foundation, a Bermuda-registered charity which helps children in extreme poverty in Nepal and Uganda.

The eight XL employees — Lukas Ackermann (Zurich), Richard Goodger (London), Christine Doughty, Megan Kempe, Tonia Szeto, Roma Jedrysiak, Cherie Simons and Roddy Gray (all Bermuda), plus two other Bermuda participants, Jennie Lee O'Donnell and Nick Pewter, set out on the 57-mile, 14-day trek on March 6, 2008, eventually climbing to 17,600 feet.

XL Foundation matched the sums raised by XL employees and Gavin Arton, XL Capital Ltd's global director of corporate social responsibility, said the Foundation was pleased to have provided matching funds for the company's employee trekkers.

"It was a team effort to raise money for a great cause, and achieve personal physical performance goals. Congratulations to all on both accomplishments."

"We can't thank the team enough for their amazing efforts on behalf of the Kathmandu Kids Club," Kim Carter, president of the Kathmandu Kids Club, said. "It's one thing to raise money for a good cause, but quite another to do it the hard way, as they did.

"We are delighted that they got to witness firsthand some of the work being carried out by the ISIS Foundation in Nepal, and can see that every cent raised will be greatly appreciated and put to maximum use. We would also like to thank the XL Foundation for their generosity in donating additional funds."

In addition to trekking through some of the world's most spectacular mountain scenery, the team visited one of the ten ISIS children's homes in Kathmandu, which they were fundraising for.

There they were met by the 130 children, aged four to 17, who are cared for by ISIS, and welcomed with flower garlands and silk scarves called 'kata', which had been blessed by the local lama. The children then performed Nepali dances in colourful costumes, and shared a meal with the team before showing them proudly around their home.

Anyone wishing to donate money to the 2008 XL Charity Challenge should visit website www.justgiving.com. For further information about the Kathmandu Kids Club and the ISIS Foundation, visit their websites on www.kathmandukidsclub.com and www.isis.bm.