Fuel

The village being situated within a Nation Park has to comply with the rules laid down by the Department of National Parks, the local office being in Namche.

One aspect of park life is that there can be no felling of trees within the park and so wood for use as fuel is scarce. The main source of fuel therefore is dried yak dung. This burns remarkably well though does tend to leave behind a sticky residue. This restriction on the felling of trees also means that all building materials must be portered in from outside the nation park.

The introduction of electricity to Phortse in the near future although changing its remote feel will reduce the pressure on fuel requirements. (See Elelectrification)

Water

The village water supply is primarily from a cistern on the edge of the village fed by small bore pipe from a mountain stream several kilometres away. Phortse has no stream of its own running through the village. In the winter months however this pipe freezes and water must be collected from the Konar River some distance away and possibly the Dudh Koshi river 400m below the village at Phortse Tanga. It is hoped one day to put a series of water outlets and waist within the village.

Food

The diet in Phortse is quite limited. Although they have no direct aversion to eating meat, as a Bhudist people they cannot kill living animals and so live on an almost entirely vegetarian diet. This diet consists mostly of potatoes it would seem as it is the local crop of the village but with trade further down the valley other food stuffs such as rice, noodles, cabbages, onions are also found. Also they do not use the technology of clay ovens and so all food is either fried or boiled. Food in the market at Namche is quite expensive for Phortse people to buy, especially meat. A family may be able to buy a side of dried sheep or goat from a Tibetan trader, but it will hang for quite some months in the house with little slithers being taken off from time to time. Daal-bhaat (rice and lentil soup) and sherpa stew being most commonly consumed.

Education

Education is very important to the village and its children and much effort has been put in by the village along with outside support to improve education in the village. The previous projects to build teachers housing and repair the old school have done much to help and now with the new school buildings and return of ex-pupils from teaching college in Kathmandu it is hoped that the children of Phortse will get some of the best education to be had in the area.

Health

Phortse now has its own health worker within the village, who looks after the minor ailments in village life and there is a health centre next to the teaching accommodation. There is also a hospital in the nearby village of Khunde.

Religion