Buddhi Maya Sherpa
Trekking guide and a founder of “Education for Sherpa Girls” near Namche Bazar, Nepal
Interviewed: May 2008
High above the Namche Bazaar in the Himalayas, I met Buddhi Maya Sherpa (38). “In Nepal, if you are a girl, you stay home until you get married and then leave your [parent’s] home. I wanted to show that even women could be educated and support their families.” Buddhi eventually studied German and became a trekking guide in the Himalayas. She also created an education program for Sherpa girls.
See the photos
Buddhi’s impact on Miho
Buddhi helped me realize that one of the reasons we don’t see more diverse women role models in the outdoor industry is because they have limited access both to education and to outdoor activities. This is the result of both cultural and socioeconomic factors. For these women, the challenge to gain recognition, respect and success in the outdoors is both a personal and a social one.
Buddhi inspired me to seek out and share the stories of women who work outdoors not for personal pleasure, nor even for their own livelihood, but on behalf of entire communities that struggle against social and environmental injustices.
