Durga's journey from porter to pioneer

BY HARI KRISHNA AIDI,Mugu, Jan. 6: Tourism entrepreneur Durga Laxmi Rawal has successfully created employment opportunities for young men and women in the tourism sector, rising from working as a porter to becoming a trekking guide and business owner.

Rawal said that a long journey of struggle has enabled her to reach her current position. She was born in 1984 as the middle daughter toTop Bahadur Rawal and Lati Rawal in Bhamwada village, Chhayanath Rara Municipality-4, Mugu district.

About two decades ago, it was uncommon for girls in remote districts to receive education. Despite these challenges, she managed to study up to Grade 3 at Setiwada Primary School alongside her brother. However, due to household responsibilities such as farming, caring for livestock, and domestic work, she was forced to discontinue her studies midway.

With a desire to become self-reliant and develop her skills, Rawal completed a three-month Maternal and Child Health Worker training at a technical institute in Jumla in 2005.During the training, she was introduced to trekking-related information, which inspired her to further develop her skills and pursue self-employment. In 2006, with travel expenses provided by her elder sister, she travelled to Pokhara. 

After arriving there, she completed a one-month basic trekking training and, for the first time, joined the Annapurna Base Camp trek as a porter.

She recalled that during this 11-day trek, a female trekking guide looked down on her throughout the journey, labelling her as an uneducated girl from a remote area. However, on subsequent treks in the Annapurna region, she received friendly and supportive treatment from other guides, which significantly boosted her confidence.

After three years of dedicated effort, she earned the responsibility of working as a trekking guide. Since then, she has spent 19 consecutive years guiding tourists across various trekking routes.

Over the past four years, intending to provide employment opportunities to young people from Nepal’s rural areas, Rawal has been operating her business in Pokhara after registering Durga Female Trek Nepal.

Through Durga Female Trek, she plans to develop and promote new trekking routes in remote Himalayan districts such as Mugu, Humla, Jumla, and Dolpa, contributing to sustainable tourism and local employment.