Divya Gurung, the Nepalese Woman Who Overcame Her Fears to Become a Leader

“Even though I lacked the confidence, they had confidence in me.” – Divya Gurung, manager of the Naya Srijanshil Cooperative in Tepari, Nepal.

Divya Gurung never aspired to a leadership position, but now she has been the manager of the Naya Srijanshil Cooperative, which raises and sells goats, for four of its 8 years of existence.

In her community, women used to be isolated, confined to the home. “Just to introduce ourselves, it used to scare us,” she said.

But after consistent prodding of her peers, Gurung became the treasurer of her women’s group. Her natural leadership skills lifted her quickly through the ranks. Now, she manages a co-op of more than 1,000 members.