HIMALAYAN DREAMS: THE STORY OF SOM TAMANG

On ANZAC Day 2015, a catastrophic earthquake destroyed everything Som Tamang had built. He’d devoted his life to protect children in his village in Nepal from human trafficking and premature marriage and now the school and hostel were in ruins. Kirsty Nancarrow interviewed Som at his Cairns home for the ABC as he prepared to return home to Batase to help. She followed the story in the aftermath but began to face her own crisis, battling mental health issues. As part of her own healing, she volunteered in Batase in late 2016, teaching in the makeshift school.
It was a life-saving experience for Kirsty, who re-evaluated everything and prioritised happiness. She returned to Batase in 2018, knowing she had to write Som’s biography. Himalayan Dreams is the true story of how Som, who was a child slave in Nepal, overcame extreme poverty, civil war, earthquakes, and a global pandemic to create a better life for Batase’s children, through education and employment in the Himalayan trekking industry. In her presentation, Kirsty will share her own journey transitioning from journalist to author, overcoming depression and PTSD. 

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