Nepal Mountain Academy begins 15-day course to boost women's participation in adventure tourism
KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 19
A free residential training programme aimed at preparing female trekking guides has begun in Garma, Solukhumbu, under the coordination of the Nepal Mountain Academy (NMA).
According to training coordinator Dolma Lama, the course, is being conducted at the Academy's Garma-based office with the objective of enhancing women's leadership, improving self-employment opportunities and increasing female involvement in the adventure tourism sector.
Twenty-eight women from Solukhumbu, Sankhuwasabha, Sindhupalchok, Dhading, Kathmandu, Lamjung, Dolpa, Jhapa and Gorkha are participating in the training, which is being held in Solukhumbu for the first time, Lama added.
The 15-day programme was inaugurated on Tuesday in the presence of Solukhumbu District Coordination Officer Chandra Singh Shrestha, Solududhkunda Municipality's Administrative Chief Tukti Sherpa, Ward-7 Chairperson Sonam Sherpa, ward member Balakaji Karki, Principal of the Numbe Vocational Training Center Lakpa Rinji Sherpa and other local representatives.
Speaking at the event, guests expressed satisfaction that the Academy had begun operating training activities from Garma and called for similar skill-building programmes to be held regularly in the region.
NMA Executive Director Anil Kirati said the Academy, run under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, has been conducting academic courses such as Bachelor in Mountaineering (BMS), Master of Adventure Tourism Studies (MATS) and MSc in Mountain and Mountaineering Science (MSc MMS), along with various mountain-related training programmes.
Kirati added that although local governments were asked to recommend female participants from Solukhumbu only, the Academy had to include women from other districts due to an insufficient number of local applicants. He urged municipalities and rural municipalities to coordinate more actively in future to support such initiatives.
The training is organised in collaboration with the Sustainable Tourism Project (STP), jointly run by the Nepal Tourism Board and UNDP.
