Where We Help

Massive mountains,
rugged, snow-covered rocks,
coniferous forests.
Picturesque villages, colorful robes,
richly adorned women
carrying heavy loads.
Playing children
on dusty grounds,
pipe-smoking elders.
Bales of grass laid out to dry.
Muffled women's voices, the short calls of men that drive the cattle,
yaks and buffalo,
herds of goats.
Gongs of ritual feasts from time to time
and the constant singing of the Himalayan wind.

In the Himalayas

Our project is located in Simikot, the administrative district of the Humla region, at about 3,100 m above sea level.
Humla, one of the poorest areas of Nepal, is located in the remote northwestern part of the country, embedded in the breathtaking mountain massif of the Himalayas, far away from the tourist streams of the Everest and Annapurna regions.

Humla is sparsely populated, measures about half the size of the Austrian state of Tyrol and counts about 50,000 inhabitants.

There are no roads - not in Humla and not to Humla. Narrow, steep mountain paths connect the small villages, surrounded by the year-round snow-covered mountains of the Himalayas. It takes either 14 days of walking from the nearest passable road in Nepal or 5 days from the Tibetan border, to get to Simikot. Those who have the possibility, use one of the small airplanes that take off and land daily at the airfield of Simikot when good weather and favorable wind conditions allow - a travel option, however, that is hardly affordable for most of Humla's inhabitants.

Poverty & Discrimination

The poverty of the people in this district is obvious and pervasive.

Due to the steep, barren terrain and long winters, it is difficult to farm. Hence, the population of Humla suffers from hunger and malnutrition for up to 6 months almost every year. The high illiteracy rate, the strict caste system and massive poverty provide a breeding ground for discrimination and violence. Girls and women are the main victims and face dependence, exploitation and misogynous traditions. Child marriages and physical as well as sexual violence are a part of every-day life, access to education is limited, and there is no right to self-determination or possibility to speak up.

Women in Simikot practice Chhaupadi - the traditional banishment of women and girls. Along with their infants, they are cast out of society for 3 to 5 days each month for the duration of their menstruation, and for 30 days after each child delivery. During this time, they sleep in remote wooden huts, caves or improvised tents in the forest, where they are defenseless against rape and traditional abductions followed by forced marriages. Temperatures as low as -20°C cause severe tissue damage, and fireplaces in the hovels lead to CO2-poisonings. This tradition is based on the belief in female impurity and sadly contributes greatly to the region's high infant and maternal mortality rates.