Himalayan Dreams – Book signing

New book by award-winning former ABC journalist Kirsty Nancarrow highlights one man’s campaign for gender equality in rural Nepal

Himalayan Dreams: The Story of Som Tamang is the remarkable biography of a man with a singular
purpose: to improve the lives of girls in rural Nepal through education.
“As a child, Som watched girls disappear from his village and it was only when he became a slave
himself in Kathmandu at age 10 that he realised most were being trafficked to India for the sex trade,”
said author, Kirsty Nancarrow.
“Som was determined to stop this happening to his younger sister Phulmaya, and worked hard to fund
her education so she could pursue a career, rather than living a life of poverty as a farmer, marrying
and having children in her early teens.”
Som began funding the education of more children through his work as a Himalayan trekking guide
and established Friends of Himalayan Children after moving to Australia, where he became the first
person from Batase Village to earn a degree.
He later set up Take on Nepal, a trekking company focused on employing women guides, including
Phulmaya. Phulmaya has completed a Diploma of Pharmacy, a Bachelor of Social Work, and now also
calls Cairns home.

Author Kirsty Nancarrow was inspired to write Som’s story and share some of the stories of the girls he
has helped after volunteering as a teacher at Batase School in 2016.
“I first interviewed Som in Cairns for the ABC in 2015 following the Nepal earthquakes which killed
9000 people and destroyed Batase School and Friends of Himalayan Children’s hostel,” Kirsty said, “I
could see the impact Som’s work was having on the village children and I wanted to support his
campaign for gender equity and help Som realise his dream of extending Batase School to Grade 12.”
“While the Government of Nepal has taken steps to increase women’s rights in Nepal, there is still a
battle against strong cultural traditions in remote villages,” Som said, “Providing access to education,
training, and well-paid jobs, and changing community attitudes are essential to continue improving the
lives of women and girls in Nepal.”