Happy International Women's Day!! In honor of women everywhere and with the incredible efforts of the Gender Across Borders blog to have constant blogging on thoughts about equal rights, the latest post is still true to the nature of the blog - adventure travel - by writing about an opportunity that will help chisel away inequality in Nepal.
"Empowering Women of Nepal (EWN) is a non-governmental organization registered in 1999 under the social organization act 2034 of the Nepal Government. It was founded by the three Nepalese sisters Lucky, Dicky and Nicky Chhetri, pioneers in the promotion of female trekking guides in the Himalayas." The organization's goal is to improve the lives of disadvantaged women in Nepal - which they do through THREE SISTERS ADVENTURE.
The organization Empowering Women of Nepal aims to relieve poverty and empower women specifically through tourism. The founders, three sisters, believe that all women have strength and talents but because of the patriarchal nature of society and isolation in the mountains, women never have the opportunity to develop their own skills. Empowering Women of Nepal trains women to become trekking guides, opening an entire new career path for women. Empowering Women of Nepal and other organizations like it across Nepal and other countries are a wonderful way for travelers to experience a more unique, authentic and contributive international experience.
The way to continue empowering Three Sisters Adventure is to become a volunteer in their office. They run two one-month trekking guide training programs each year - one in January/February and the other in August/September, and encourage volunteers to arrive at least a month before training starts to allow for time to familiarize themselves with their specially designed English curriculum and prepare training materials. Your time will also be well spent with grant writing, web site design and in some cases, be an assistant trainer (outdoor experience, especially climbing, is necessary).
If all human beings consciously choose to become educated travelers who are invested in their temporary communities, social and environmental problems will suddenly be visible and can be addressed. Does this necessarily mean that one trek with EWN in Nepal will empower all Nepalese women? Of course not. But it does mean that one trek with EWN will mean you, educated traveler, has contributed to the spirit of one or two Nepalese women. It means that
you will have a genuine trek from guides for whom the Himalayas is their backyard. It means that you have integrity and social consciousness.
Happy Women's Day!
Read more on Three Sister's National Geographic Geotourism Win here and here
