Author talk with Kirsty Nancarrow

Come along and hear Kirsty talk about her book 'Himalayan Dreams: The Story of Som Tamang'

Maybe Kirsty's name is familiar to you? Kirsty lived in Mparntwe /Alice Springs from 1999-2001 and again from 2003-2010 working as an ABC News and Current Affairs reporter with ABC Alice Springs and also IAD and CDU

'Himalayan Dreams: The Story of Som Tamang' is the remarkable story of how a child slave moved mountains to save a generation in Nepal. Som's life is a testament to the incredible strength of the human spirit, the enduring power of hope, and a singular purpose - to protect girls in Nepal from trafficking and child marriage. Be inspired by Som's journey as he overcomes extreme poverty, child slavery, a tiger attack, a critical head injury, civil war, and deadly earthquakes to carve out a brighter future for generations to come through education, and employment in the Himalayan trekking industry.

In Kirsty's own words:

"I first interviewed Som for ABC News in 2015, following the deadly Nepal earthquake on Anzac Day. Som also lives in Cairns, and runs humanitarian organisation Friends of Himalayan Children, female-focused trekking company Take on Nepal, and the fair trade shop Himalayan Dreams. I was struck by his sense of calm, compassion for his community and later, his story. I decided to write Som's biography after volunteering for a month as a journalism teacher in his village, Batase, 18 months after the school and his childrens' hostel were destroyed by the 2015 earthquakes. I could see the difference Som's work was making in the lives of these rural Nepalese children and I felt compelled to share it with the world."

"In Himalayan Dreams: The Story of Som Tamang, you'll also read a little of my own story, those of other volunteers, and the stories of several young women whose lives have been set on a new and positive path through Som's intervention. I hope by reading this book, you are inspired to visit Nepal and support Som's humanitarian work in Batase."