Believing that the celebration of women shouldn’t be left to one day, Intrepid’s Wouldn’t Be Here Without Her new storytelling campaign (launched on 8 March, IWD) is an ongoing celebration of the women shaping the future of travel.
The new webpage will be an opportunity for travellers to meet some of the intrepid women who didn’t just choose a path – they created it.
Here are some of the women included in the campaign:
Renu Sharma, Putting Women in the Driving Seat in India
When non-profit Access Development first put ads in the papers for women drivers to join their new female-led e-rickshaw driving initiative in Jaipur, they weren’t exactly deluged with applicants. That is until Renu signed up. Renu was determined to break into the country’s male dominated workforce, where women only contribute to 18 per cent of the country’s overall GDP. 10 years later, Renu has done just that and inspired other women to do the same.
Access Development’s Pink City Rickshaw Company seeks to empower low-income women with training and jobs in electric rickshaw driving in Jaipur. A job at PCRC can be lifechanging. From a financial standpoint, drivers can earn more than three times the country’s minimum daily wage, and the flexibility over their shifts allows women to balance work and family. The women also receive training on mechanical repairs, and many have gone on to purchase their own rickshaws and now run their own independent businesses.
Renu has played an instrumental role in breaking down stereotypes around the role of women in the workforce, advocating for financial independence and inspiring women to step behind the wheel to drive positive change. The Pink City Rickshaw Company now provides aspirational employment opportunities to 200 women in Jaipur, with Renu – now Chairwoman – proudly at the helm. Renu has completed over 1,300 tours, as well as expanding her remit to independently offer passengers point-to-point trips.
Hellen Nkuraiya – Fighting against FGM in Kenya
Hellen Nkuraiya was raised by a traditional Maasai family in Kenya. She suffered female genital mutilation (FGM) at just nine years old, and at the age of 12, she was married off by her father in exchange for 10 cows. After running away from her doleful fate as a child bride, Hellen was rescued and educated by a nun who asked her to continue helping girls who face a similar fate.
After completing her college education, Hellen was determined to address the challenges that affect women in the Maasai community. Long before FGM was made illegal in 2011, Hellen fought to save the young Maasai girls she encountered as a teacher. She was frequently beaten and forced to move schools until she created her own in 2009. Today, the Enkiteng Lepa (Purple Cow) school stands tall in small Tepesua community, built on the motto: ‘Don’t Exchange Girls For Cows, Give Them Education’, It provides for 200 at-risk young girls, who are given board, education and ultimately, options.
Hellen has faced her fair share of backlash within the community, even from her own family, who believe that she is trying to change the culture. However, Hellen’s desire is for culture and education to live side by side. She created a borehole in her village, to bargain with the Maasai men who are opposed to her. The men’s cattle can drink from the borehole, if they enrol their children at school. This means the school now also accepts boys and Hellen believes that it is important to also provide education to the local young men, as they can assist in creating positive change. Travellers can visit this community on Intrepid’s 7-day Premium Kenya and 8-day Kenya Wildlife Safari. Read more here.
Srishti Lama Tamang – Leading the Way for Women in Nepal
Srishti is forging a new path in Nepali society, becoming a trekking leader in an industry dominated by men. In Nepal, women and girls are often perceived as too weak take up the physically demanding job in trekking, instead being encouraged into housework and childcare. Being a guide or porter is challenging– they are required to carry heavy backpacks up and down the mountain and sometimes spend up to three weeks on a trek. There are very few female guides and porters working in the high mountains, yet Srishti is certain – and has proved- that women can do this work, they just need the opportunity.
Srishti got into trekking due to her love of Nepal’s mountains, being outside and meeting people from around the world. She worked her way up from porter to leader in just a few years, and her steely determination and unwavering resilience has earned her respect and admiration among her peers at Intrepid. Despite facing some criticism for her unconventional career choice, she has continued to push the boundaries and show what women are capable of, inspiring other women to follow in her footsteps.
In the last two years, Intrepid has more than doubled the percentage of female crew members in Nepal and shows no signs of slowing down. This includes 20 porters, 13 assistant guides and 6 leaders. A job as a porter or guide provides financial independence to women, as well as opportunities for progression and skill development. Srishti is paving the way, proving what’s possible and inspiring other women to follow in her footsteps.
Travellers can trek with Srishti, and other female leaders like her, on Intrepid’s Women’s Expedition in Nepal. Read more here.
Aneeqa Ali – Forging New Paths in Pakistan
Aneeqa Ali, an Intrepid tour leader and founder of travel company The Mad Hatters, is forging the way for women in Pakistan’s male-dominated tourism industry. Due to security issues, Pakistan has found itself off the tourist radar for some time. However, as it reemerges as a tourist destination, attracting more visitors with its awe-inspiring landscapes and rich history, Aneeqa is determined to make it easier for other people – especially women –to see Pakistan’s less-explored (and infinitely beautiful) locations too.
The majority of Pakistani women are discouraged from exploring their own country due to a combination of social norms and security issues. Similarly, foreign female travellers are confronted with both cultural and legal restrictions to navigate in the largely male-dominated tourism industry. During her own travels, Aneeqa realised that there are many gaps in Pakistan’s tourism industry, especially for women. She left her corporate job and decided to turn her passion for travelling into a career- and drive the change that she wanted to see in the world.
Aneeqa is committed to making travel in Pakistan more accessible to women – providing a safe and comfortable space for women to travel, while also creating economic opportunities for the people living in the most remote corners of Pakistan. Aneeqa works with female-owned suppliers and businesses and local female guides, weaving these experiences into the itineraries she’s designing. As a Pakistani woman with deep connections to local communities, she is proud to offer travellers a more immersive experience, while ensuring that the money spent by tourists go to the people who need it.
Nora Fitzgerald – A Winning Recipe for Women in Morocco
Nora Belahcen Fitzgerald founded the AMAL Association in 2012, with the aim to give disadvantaged women a way to earn their living through cooking. In a country where women make up only 21 percent of the labour force, it’s never been more important. Born in Marrakesh to American parents, Nora witnessed countless homeless women on the street begging for money and was determined to do something to make a positive difference. After studying in the US, she returned to Morocco to launch the AMAL Association, which means ‘hope’ in Arabic, providing disadvantaged women with a way to earn their living through cooking.
Nora started by teaching women to bake American staples, like cookies and brownies, which were sold in her family’s language centre in Marrakech. They were well received, and from that simple foundation, Nora has built an organization which trains young women to not only cook but attend to all the principles of a professional kitchen and catering service, allowing them to find work once their training is over.
To date, Nora and her team have trained over 300 women and there are now three Amal centres in Marrakesh, including her latest venture – a centre dedicated to supporting the deaf community. AMAL Association boasts an 80 per cent employment success rate for women after graduating from the programme, placing them in local restaurants, hotels and catering businesses. Nora has created so much more than just a cooking school – she has created a safe space and community where women can learn, grow and thrive, equipping them with the skills and tools for financial freedom and independence.
