Celebrating International Women's Day

Our Partnership with Room to Read

Sherpa was founded in 2003 by Tashi Sherpa and his family with the intention of helping the communities and people of Sherpa’s birthplace – Nepal. We are a small brand committed to making a big impact. Many children in Nepal, especially girls, grow up deprived of basic education and we are passionate about changing this. This is why we partnered with Room to Read – the organisation that we donate a day of school to for each item sold.

Through our partnership with Room to Read, our donations support literacy and Girls Education Programs, empowering students to advocate for themselves and secure their futures. Room to Read have already helped over 32 million children across 21 countries by publishing books in local languages, training educators and supporting girls throughout secondary school. In Nepal alone, Room to Read have already helped by:

• Providing over 10 million books to Government funded schools
• Establishing nearly 5,000 libraries
• Developing over 350 children’s storybooks in Nepali language
• Constructing nearly 2,000 school buildings
• Supporting nearly 10,000 girls through the Girls Education Programme.

Room to Read’s Girls Education Program:

Studies have shown that educated women are healthier, more likely to have smaller and healthier families, have lower health risks and higher wages. They are also more likely to marry later and educate their own children – ending the cycle of illiteracy. Because of this, Room to Read developed their Girls Education Program which uses 4 key components to help girls through secondary education safely. This includes:

Life skills education: Done through classes, workshops and extra-curricular activities, this helps to build competency in areas like resilience, leadership, collaboration, critical thinking and decision making – skills that will help them throughout their lives.

Mentorship: Mentorship sessions, both individual and group-centered, focus on supporting girls' psychological, cognitive, and emotional well-being. These sessions help to monitor risk factors that could contribute to school dropout, while also offering guidance to the girls and their families. By addressing the challenges of adolescence, the mentorship helps empower the girls to make more informed decisions.

Family, School and Community Engagement: By hosting workshops and events, Room to Read raises awareness about the social norms, expectations, and challenges that can significantly impact a girl’s ability to stay in school. This allows Room to Read to better address students' needs and respond quickly during crises that create barriers to learning.

Material Support: Providing need-based support for school costs such as safe transportation, tuition fees, school supplies and uniforms to ensure that families do not have to choose between food and education.

The Girls Education Program has supported and empowered so many girls, but one student in particular is very inspiring; Diksha, a young girl from Nepal has used the skills she learnt from Room to Read to stand up for gender equality.

Diksha’s Story

Diksha grew up feeling different, she was teased by other children in her village because her skin was a darker shade than theirs. Her mother pressured her to use whitening cream in order to fit in. She would look into her mirror and ask herself, “How can I feel so beautiful on the inside, but not see it on the outside?”. Her older sister was angered by the discrimination in her family so took Diksha to a field of flowers and said to her, “Look, you are just another colour in the midst of all these blossoms.” This helped Diksha to understand that she was beautiful inside and out. This began Diksha’s journey to self-confidence and acceptance.

One day, Diksha noticed that her friend, Sita, was not in school. This was because Sita’s family believed in a tradition that prohibited girls from going to school when they were menstruating. They forced Sita to sleep in the animal shed when she was on her period.

Diksha had learnt in the Girls Education Program that no one should be made to feel ashamed of their bodies, so she took her Room to Read life skills notebook and went to confront Sita’s grandmother. This took a lot of courage as it is very unusual for a young person to confront an elder, but Diksha knew it was the right thing to do.

Diksha’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of developing self confidence and using it to uplift others. She plans to work for girl’s equality when she’s older and her determination to stand up for what is right, despite it being unusual is inspirational.

Diksha is one of the remarkable changmakers featured in Room to Read’s She Creates Change, which is the first nonprofit-led animated short film promoting gender equality through the stories of young women around the world from historically low-income communities.

Room to Read’s gender equality program has already supported more than 3.7 million girls and, thanks to the help of our customers, we are able to contribute to the amazing charity of Room to Read, helping to empower so many students and girls to make more informed choices, stay in school longer and end the cycle if generational illiteracy. Sherpa will continue to donate a day of school to children in Nepal with every product purchased. Donate a day of school by shopping our women’s collection here.

Click here to find out more about our work to support women in Nepal.