Ani Pema Deki, also known as Emma Slade, has completed her 400-kilometre walk across the Trans-Bhutan Trail to raise funds for children with disabilities. After 37 days of trekking from Haa to Trashigang, through rain, rivers, and rugged mountains, she arrived today to a warm welcome. She raised more than Nu 9 M with contributions from both local and international donors.
Ani Pema Deki walked not for adventure, not for glory, but for a cause. Her mission, called “A Woman with Altitude,” was a cross-country walk along the ancient Trans-Bhutan Trail.
Through mountains claimed, rivers crossed, and days of heat and rain, she carried a quiet determination. Even as blisters burst and legs tired, her spirit never did because she had a purpose: to raise funds for children with disabilities in Bhutan.
“When the cyclone hit, the effect of the cyclone hit, and we were walking through that for about four days, and it was very slippery conditions, going up and down mountains, the mud and the water, and then my robe got very wet and then I got rashes on my legs, and that was very hard, I have to say. And I think if I hadn’t been doing it to help others, I, to be frank, would have given up at that point.”
She started her journey in Haa last month, covering over 400 kilometres on foot to reach Trashigang in 37 days.
Along the way, she never walked alone. De-suups, students, teachers, locals, even tourists, joined her steps, district after district.
“A lot of local people came to say hello, offer tea, and they even sang songs. And the Desuups helped us. In some places they had to use their knives to make the trail, because, you know, in the summer it’s wet and warm, it gets overgrown.”
And today, as she took her final steps into Trashigang, her journey reached its destination, but her mission continues.
The Trashigang District Administration warmly welcomed Ani and her team and presented them with a medal and certificate.
At 59, the founder and CEO of the UK charity Opening Your Heart to Bhutan, Ani Pema Deki, has spent the past decade supporting disability-inclusive education across the country.
“We’ve raised Nu 9 M. A lot of it comes from around the world, but also some has come from here in Bhutan. Even local people have made little contributions, which have been very, very touching. The money will go mainly to help children with special needs, particularly in the Draktso Centre for Vocational Training in Kanglung.”
Her footsteps may have now stopped, but the hope she carries continues travelling far beyond the trail.
Sonam Dargay and Namgay Wangdi
Edited by Sonam Pem
