First Nepali woman to become an international mountain guide paves way for more female climbers

Born and raised in a high-altitude village in Nepal, Dawa Yangzum Sherpa succeeded in pursuing her mountaineering dream despite being told it was no job for a girl. The 33-year-old became the country’s first woman to receive a prestigious qualification from the Swiss-based International Federation of Mountain Guides in 2017, completing a rigorous course run by the group, considered the Ph.D. in mountaineering. The qualification was  earned by only around 6,000 people worldwide and just 50 men in Nepal at the time. After climbing some of the world’s toughest peaks and with this accomplishment, Sherpa now wants to inspire the next generation of female climbers.