20/12/2025
Helping Pratika turn her dream into a career—and a life of dignity
Pratika is an 18-year-old from a remote village in Nepal. Until this year, she had only left her village once in her life. In November, we were able to take her trekking in The Himalayas with us which was an eye‑opening journey that sparked new confidence and possibility.
Pratika belongs to a Dalit community, a group historically marginalised by caste-based discrimination in Nepal and across South Asia. For generations, Dalit families have been denied opportunities most of us take for granted. Yet Pratika refuses to let that define her.
For the ten years we’ve known her, she has held a clear, determined ambition: to become a police officer—to serve, protect, and be a role model for other girls like her. In reality this would not happen because of the caste she is in.
On our trek in Langtang, Binay (owner of Sacred Himalaya) asked Pratika to support a trekker who preferred a gentler pace. She was exceptional—patient, kind, and deeply empathetic. Impressed, Binay offered her a chance to train as a guide. There are very few women guides in Nepal; this is a rare pathway to meaningful, respected work.
Pratika is thrilled and grateful for the job opportunity, and she sees it as a stepping stone to fulfilling her dream. We are going to support her via The Bookshed, to go to university for 4 years on a guiding course. with guiding experience, better English, and a university degree, she’ll have a far stronger chance of entering the police force.
Cost: ~£800 per year (about £66 per month)
Total commitment: £3,200 over four years
In the UK, £800 wouldn’t cover a month of tuition. In Nepal, it can change the course of a life.
We’re also supporting short-term English language training in Kathmandu to help her succeed as a guide while she studies. This combination—real work experience, English proficiency, and a degree—dramatically improves her prospects of joining the police.
We are aiming to break a cycle. Education is the most effective route out of caste-based marginalisation.
She will be a role model: A young woman from a Dalit community entering the police is powerful—visible proof that change is possible.
Guiding work means earning and learning, right now, not “one day.”
Please keep supporting the Bookshed and this fund: you’ll know that your generosity has opened a door that was once firmly closed.
Thank you for supporting The Book Shed and helping Pratika take the next step.
From village to university, from guide to graduate, from dream to duty. Xx