Emily Hopcian

DURGA: Forging a New Trail

Emily Hopcian

Durga Rawal, Soniya Rawal

"DURGA: Forging a New Trail" tells the story of 34-year-old Durga Rawal, the only guide of any gender from her village in northern Nepal. In a country where boys receive an education, men seek employment in larger cities and girls and women are often left to work on family farms and within their homes, Durga’s is a story of defying cultural, societal and familial expectations to pursue an independent life. It is a story of female empowerment and gender equality about a brave young woman who is forging her own trail.