Trekking and Ecotourism Training are Alleviating Poverty in West Nepal
This project's parent organization is Empowering Women of Nepal
It operates in Nepal
It uses Outdoor pursuits
Entered the Sport for the Environment Award
More about Trekking and Ecotourism Training are Alleviating Poverty in West Nepal
Empowering Women of Nepal (EWN) is a local NGO based in Pokhara, Nepal. Developed by women for women in cooperation with the trekking agency 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking (3Sisters), it aims to empower women, socially and economically, through tourism training, e.g. trekking guide training, eco-tourism, lodge management. EWN/3Sisters were founded by three Nepali sisters Lucky, Dicky and Nicky Chhetri, pioneers in the promotion of female trekking guides in the Himalayas. EWN/3Sisters provide practical, skill-based training programs combined with gainful employment opportunities, specifically focused on the trekking industry.
Responding to the gross inequality of women in Nepal, EWN offers unprecedented opportunities for Nepali women from poor, isolated mountainous regions in west Nepal to improve their quality of life. As tourism reaches these areas, EWN works with remote villages to help them become involved in tourism without losing their cultural identities or damaging the environment.
Local training programs in sustainable eco-tourism and lodge management teach environmental best practices and how to translate traditional food, culture, and lifestyle into attractive and sustainable eco-tourism, instead of perpetuating the uncontrolled growth which has characterized previous development in Nepal. Female trekking guide training ensures that 3Sisters provides trekkers with environmentally and culturally knowledgeable staff.