CURRENT PROJECTS
Humla: The Hidden Himalayas
Humla is the most remote district in the Northwestern part of Nepal and part of the Karnali zone. Flying in is the only way to access Humla. At an elevation of 1524 m – 7337 m it has extreme geographical conditions: it is covered with rugged high mountains, unique Trans-Himalayan plateau and valleys of the Humla Karnali River. In the north it boarders Tibet, therefore Humla’s district headquarters, Simikot, is known as the "Gateway to Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovara" , since its official opening for tourists in 1993. Earlier this spectacular trekking route into Tibet was only used by local pilgrims and the centuries old "Salt trade" (sheep and yak caravans carrying salt down from Tibet and grain up from the lower parts of Nepal).
Humla, together with the other 15 districts in the Mid-Western Region, has been neglected by the central Government NGOs and INGOs. Little concern has been given to the people's hardships, low living standard and pressing needs as the table shows:
| Index | Rate for Humla | Ranking of 75 districts |
| Overall literacy rate | 20% | 74 |
| Illiterate children 10-14 years old | 65% | 74 |
| Literate females | 11% | 74 |
| Girls enrolled in primary school | 19% | 73 |
These districts have significant resources. The Himalayan Innovative Society (THIS) is dedicated to improving the living standards of the local people by helping them to explore ways to utilize these resources. THIS will focus on working with those most in need of assistance: women, children and ethnic groups. THIS will begin work in the Humla District, and then expand to other districts in the Mid-Western Region.
Nepal is a country rich in natural beauty, cultural diversity and unique social structure, but some of these features are yet to be explored and utilized properly. Even if some of the resources have been utilized, it is still not yet known the exact number of people benefited from them.
Humla, together with the other 14 districts in the Mid-Western Region, has been neglected by the central Government, NGOs and INGOs. Little concern has been given to the people's hardships, low living standard and pressing needs. These areas have significant amount of resources but it needs some ones initiative, enthusiasm, devotion, and dedication to explore them. Therefore The Himalayan Innovative Society (THIS) has decided to take this role and improve the living standards of the local people by helping them to identify their own needs and finding ways to solve the problems. It will especially focus on working with women, children, and ethnic groups, as these groups are most deprived.
People & Culture: both Buddhist and Hindu
Thar or Mhon or Khasa (the people of Caucasian stock) and Thapalya or Bhote or Jada (people of Tibeto-Burman stock) live in lower and upper part of Humla respectively. The Thars follow the caste system and Hindu religion and the Thapalya follow Buddhism and do not follow a caste system. Thar include castes like Brahmin, Thakuris, Chettris and Kami, Damai and Sunars (last 3 belong to the Dalit group, previously called untouchables). In lower or southern Humla customs differ from caste to caste. Northern Humla has a typical Tibetan Buddhist culture.
At two days walk from Simikot, Mt. Shelmo Gang ( Crystal Peak) is thought to be a landmark in the mandala surrounding Mt. Kailash and has been the site of meditation retreats, miracles and treasure revelations of Buddhist masters such as Padmasambhava and Milarepa.
Later the area fell under of the Khasa Kings reigning from Jumla. Its history and culture has been transferred orally from one generation to the other and is still largely intact because of its remoteness.
Still an agricultural society
Humli’s have been suffering from famine, epidemic and poverty since long time. People have food for hardly 3 months and wait for Government subsidized rice for the rest of the year. Rice, millet and maize can be cultivated in the lower river basins, but higher mountain slopes can only be used for barley, potatoes and buckwheat farming. Animal farming, such as yaks, djos and cows is very common in the highlands of Humla. Most of the settlements are on the either sides of the Humla Karnali Rivers. Because Humla is still largely an agricultural society, so improvements in the agricultural sector is crucial for the sustainable development of Humla and essential to up-lift its living standards.
Difficult accessibility of Humla has kept it far away from the 21st century development; the education is still of appalling low quality.
Tourism: a real opportunity for Humla
Humla has great potentials for tourism development, because of its biodiversity and climatic variety, mixed community structure, culture, language, and unique natural beauty, rare natural flora and fauna; rare and endangered wild animals like musk deer, snow leopards; expensive herbs and medicinal plants such as Cordiceps, morel mushroom etc. Traditional salt and rice barter system and sheep caravan are other attractions of this district.
Some data & facts:
| Index | Ranking of Humla to other 75 Nepal districts (1 is best, 75 is worst district) |
| Human Development Index | 67 |
| Gender Empowerment Index 1 | 71 |
| Overall composite Index of Development 2 | 72 |
From: Nepal Human Development Report, UNDP, Nepal South Asia Centre, Kathmandu, 1998. 2 From: Districts of Nepal, Indicators of Development, ICIMOD, Kathmandu, 1997 .
| Indicator | Percentage |
| School enrollment for girls | 40 % |
| Completed primary level | 9% |
| Literacy rate | 22.16% |
| Female literacy | 5.6% |
| Male literacy rate | 35.4% |
| S.L.C Passing rate | 2.06% |
