Empowering Young Nepali Girls Through Mountain Hiking, Environmental and Cultural Education
The main objective of Pokharise project was to provide a young Nepali girl with an immersive 10 days cultural, environmental and hiking experience in mountainous area. Also the project was designed with the vision of establishment environmental clubs in school from where girls participated in the project.
This recently completed project was started from September 2nd and ended at September 11th, 2023. It was a joint project implemented by Kathmandu Environmental Education Project (KEEP) and supported by Pokharise (3 Geneva Graduate Institute Students) and their names are EmmePerreve,Maëlle Lécureuil, Eva Luvisotto. They came Nepal to be in the Pokharise Project and we successfully completed the Pokharise project recently on 11th September, 2023. In this Project we went to Pokhara and Lawang village for cultural and environmental education. Also Trekking from Lawang to Dhampus was part of activities on hiking day. Total of 12 girls were the part of the project from Kathmandu and Kavre along with 1 guardian teacher from each school. Shree MangalSecondary School, Kritipur and Shree BindhawasiniSecondary School, Kavre were the school from where girls were selected for the project of an age group between 13-16. Cultural day was performed by visiting tea garden, wearing Gurung cultural dresses, and attending cultural program performed by villagers of Lawang gaun at night. Similarly, hiking day was different and it was 21.58 km hike from Lawang to Dhampus and back to Lawang. It was very different activities for young girls and they experienced the nature, and natural beauty during trek. Last was environmental day where girls were made engaged in learning and activities performance about the basic knowledge on environment and environmental conservation. The whole Logistic and accommodation of the project was coordinated by lead guide Hira Malla and along with another assistance guide.The official program was ended with feedback session especially from young girls who were the main participants of the project and embracing them and Pokharise and schools with certificate of participation and appreciation respectively at KEEP Nepal’s office, Kathmandu.
