Empowering Women, Building Resilient Communities: The Three Sisters & Global Solutions’ Shared Vision
At Global Solutions, we are proud to share the story of the Three Sisters of Nepal — pioneers who transformed trekking into a pathway for women’s empowerment. Their model of courage and inclusion aligns closely with our own mission: building scalable systems where technology, equity, and sustainability work hand in hand. Through our GANESHA project, we are working together to show how local leadership and clean innovation can create impact that lasts.
Table of Contents
- Who Are the Three Sisters?
- Empowering Women of Nepal (EWN) – Origins & Mission
- From Trekking Guides to Trailblazers
- Tackling Poverty in West Nepal
- USAID Jal Jangal Project – Climate Awareness Meets Women’s Leadership
- Partnership with GANESHA – Linking Empowerment & Technology
6.1 GESI Workshops
6.2 Impact by Numbers: The GESI Workshop Effect
6.3 Chepang Community Tourism Hub
6.4 GANESHA Tech Integration - Why This Matters – Beyond Projects, Towards a Shared Future
- Conclusion – Pride, Partnership, and Pathways Forward
- Next Steps & Links
- TL;DR
Who Are the Three Sisters?
In the foothills of the Himalayas, three Nepali sisters – Lucky, Dicky, and Nicky Chhetri – saw something missing. Women trekkers sought guides who were women, yet none existed. So, they did something bold: they stepped forward themselves.
In doing so, they not only changed the face of trekking in Nepal, they opened a path that thousands of women would follow.
At Global Solutions, we are proud to stand alongside Lucky, Dicky, and Nicky — three extraordinary women whose passion has opened doors for others. Their courage and persistence mirror our own commitment to building systems that last, made possible through strategic partnerships and investments shaping the future of empowerment, inclusion, and resilience.
Empowering Women of Nepal (EWN) – Origins & Mission
In 1999, the sisters founded Empowering Women of Nepal (EWN), a pioneering non-profit dedicated to giving women access to training, education, and employment through adventure tourism.
Alongside it, they launched 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking, creating a bridge between training and real-world opportunity.
Together, they built something remarkable:
- Free skill-based training in health, hygiene, eco-tourism, environmental awareness, and English.
- Apprenticeships and employment as trekking guides.
- A safe and supportive space for women to build confidence, skills, and independence.
Since inception, EWN has trained over 3,000 women across multiple districts, catalysing economic independence and community leadership. Training programmes are intentionally inclusive, engaging young women, single mothers, and marginalised groups, ensuring the benefits extend to those most often left behind.
It wasn’t just training for work — it was training for life.
From Trekking Guides to Trailblazers
For many women in Nepal’s remote western districts — Jumla, Mugu, Humla, Dolpa, Kalikot — opportunities were scarce. Poverty was entrenched, and tradition often held women back from leadership roles.
The Three Sisters changed that. They showed that women could not only walk the trails of the Himalayas but also lead others along them.
Today, a woman trained by the Three Sisters isn’t just a trekking guide. She is a leader, a wage earner, and a role model in her community.
Tackling Poverty in West Nepal
These districts are rich in culture and natural resources but among the poorest in Nepal. Many residents lack access to education, healthcare, or energy.
EWN’s programmes don’t just create jobs — they spark self-reliance. They show women that they can build a livelihood from their culture and their land, while protecting both.
This is empowerment at its most practical: turning isolation into opportunity.
USAID Jal Jangal Project – Climate Awareness Meets Women’s Leadership
In 2024, the sisters expanded their work under the USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) Project, running a five-month programme in Kaski District.
Here, women gained skills not only in tourism but also in climate awareness, leadership, and conservation.
The outcome was profound: women left not only with practical tools but also with a renewed sense of agency. In places where climate change is not an abstract concept but a daily reality, women are now leading the conversation.
Partnership with GANESHA – Linking Empowerment & Technology
GANESHA, Global Solutions’ flagship clean technology initiative, is more than innovation; it is a pathway linking empowerment and sustainability.
As part of GANESHA, we partnered with the Three Sisters to facilitate the first-ever GESI (Gender Equality & Social Inclusion) Workshop for 25 Chepang women.
For many, it was the first time they had ever discussed rights, equality, and leadership openly.
The results were striking:
- Before: limited awareness of gender rights and equality.
- After: 100% knowledge of citizenship rights, with measurable growth in confidence.
Subsection 6.1
Impact by Numbers: The GESI Workshop Effect
The Chepang women of Mathilo Orbang showed remarkable transformation after just one workshop:
- Awareness of Gender Equality: jumped from near zero to full participation.
- Belief Women Can Lead: significant growth in confidence.
- Knowledge of Citizenship Rights: 100% awareness achieved.
The chart below shows pre- and post-workshop results.
Subsection 6.2
Chepang Community Tourism Hub
A field visit identified Mathilo Orbang as a future tourism hub:
- Assets: panoramic views, caves, rich Chepang culture.
- Challenge: a 6km trek from the highway, making access difficult.
- Solution: a community-owned guesthouse, ensuring that benefits are shared fairly and cultural privacy respected.
This is not charity — it’s a business model rooted in dignity and equity. The guesthouse is designed to generate sustainable income locally, while also demonstrating a replicable revenue model for tourism-driven rural development.
Subsection 6.3
GANESHA Tech Integration
Here’s where empowerment meets engineering.
- Clean Mobility (E-Vehicles): Solving the 6km access challenge, linking tourists directly to the community.
- Clean Energy (Battery Systems): Providing reliable, quiet power for guesthouses, cultural programmes, and visitor amenities.
The result is a holistic ecosystem where technology doesn’t replace tradition — it supports it. Through GANESHA’s tech-enabled solutions, communities reduce travel time significantly, improve access, and increase income.
Beyond community mobility, the benefits of GANESHA technology extend to the next generation. In Mathilo Orbang and Obrang, children currently walk nearly 6 km downhill to reach the nearest high school, as the local school only runs up to class 5. Although there is road access, no reliable transport exists. By enabling solar-powered vehicles, GANESHA creates a safe, practical way for children to continue their education — turning what was once a barrier into a pathway for opportunity.
Why This Matters – Beyond Projects, Towards a Shared Future
This story is more than local success; it’s a scalable, evidence-based model that aligns gender empowerment, climate action, and technological innovation — offering investors and policymakers a proven pathway to lasting impact.
For investors, NGOs, and policymakers, this isn’t just a local story. It’s a replicable model for inclusive development:
- Women empowered
- Communities resilient
- Technology future-ready
It shows how gender, sustainability, and innovation are not competing priorities but interlocking pillars.
And for us at Global Solutions, it shows why we choose partners like the Three Sisters: people who lead with passion, integrity, and purpose.
Conclusion – Pride, Partnership, and Pathways Forward
The Three Sisters began by guiding trekkers through the Himalayas. Today, they are guiding communities into a more equitable, sustainable future.
Together through GANESHA and our partners, we are crafting sustainable systems where technology amplifies tradition and investment fuels transformative growth. For funders and innovators seeking measurable impact, this is the moment to join a future-ready movement.
Our next phase is to extend this model across additional districts, using GANESHA’s technology platform as the scalable backbone for future partnerships.
We are proud to partner with the Three Sisters — together pioneering models that investors and partners can confidently support to drive transformative change.
And this is only the beginning. For those who want to invest in scalable, inclusive growth — in Nepal and beyond — the foundations are being laid right now.
Next Steps & Links
To learn more:
- Visit 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking
- Explore Project GANESHA
TL;DR
The Chhetri sisters—Lucky, Dicky, and Nicky—founded Empowering Women of Nepal (EWN) and 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking to create opportunities for disadvantaged women through adventure tourism. Their work has transformed thousands of lives, particularly in Nepal’s poorest districts.
Today, Global Solutions is proud to highlight their alignment with the GANESHA project, where clean technology, gender equality, and sustainable tourism come together to build resilient communities. GANESHA’s innovations are not only improving community access and income, but also giving children in Mathilo Orbang and Obrang safe, solar-powered transport to continue their education beyond primary school.
For investors, NGOs, and policymakers, this is both a story of empowerment — and an invitation to shape the next chapter.
