Exchange And Empower
The Exchange and Empower (ENE) program is a collaboration between Hong Kong Trail Running Women group. The program aims to provide talented young female runners in Nepal the opportunity to broaden their horizons, experience different lifestyles, and share their stories and culture with others.
The program provides Training and Education Grant. In 2018 and 2019, the grant supported 10 girls altogether who were exceptionally good in trail running and had high potential in them. The grant is provided for a period of 9 months and aims to give them the opportunity to focus on athletic training, education, and professional development.
ENE also provides an experiential learning opportunity for the girls through its Hong Kong Exchange program where they have the opportunity to visit Hong Kong and compete in one of the many renowned trail-races the city has to offer. Since ultra-running is not yet an officially recognized sport in Nepal, most of the young women in the program will have no experience running longer than a half-marathon or marathon distance. Our training program will develop the women’s athletic potential.
The girls have the opportunity to stay in Hong Kong for several days and immerse themselves in a unique culture and lifestyle. Tours and educational programs are organized to ensure and enrich their experiential, cross-cultural learning process.
The Program in 2021 has 6 athletes all from different backgrounds. This year we have focused on giving a tailored approach to the training program and skill-based training. The program started on 17th January 2021 and will end on 30th September 2021. All the 6 athletes are housed in the MRI facility.