500 thousand people live in Nepal’s Himalayan region. Himalayan communities have firsthand experience of the adverse impact of climate change including flash floods, reduced water access and erratic weather patterns. We have seen how these climate change impacts have made gender and ethnic inequality more acute in terms of access to health care, education and food security. Because of marginal pos
ition in society, Himalayan and indigenous people are more burdened by these negative impacts of climate change. Yulha will begin tackling this massive issue in Upper Mustang region of northwestern Nepal. Geographically, Mustang sits high in the southern edge of the Tibetan Plateau; 13,500 people live in Mustang district. The people are recognized as “ethnic minorities” by the government and the state’s presence is absent. The self-sufficient local subsistence economy depends heavily on animal husbandry and agriculture; snowmelt from glaciers provides the only source of water. Yulha will work with communities in this region to improve food security, energy security and skills development.
