American Himalayan Foundation

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American Himalayan Foundation

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Our mission is to bring shelter, safety, education, health, and opportunity to people in the Himalaya Join us. www.himalayan-foundation.org

The work we do is simple and essential: we build schools, bridges, housing and clean water systems; train doctors; fund hospitals; take care of children and the elderly; and restore sacred sites. The foundation also helps Tibetans with their difficult struggle to survive and maintain their culture both in exile and inside Tibet. AHF works locally in Tibet and Nepal where costs are low—$100 keeps a girl in school for a year, $0.86 pays for an elder’s visit to a clinic, $150 gives a child life changing surgery, and $0.58 feeds an orphan for a day. We have found that even these small efforts can make a profound difference in the lives of the people we help. AHF provides vital care to the most vulnerable people living on the brink—orphans, elders, Tibetan refugees, poor girls in remote villages, disabled children, and the critically ill. The foundation supports projects that come directly from the communities and have a local commitment—allowing us to cost-effectively reach the people who need our help in the most meaningful ways.

10/14/2026

As the air begins to cool in Upper Mustang, farmers are busy harvesting the crops that sustain their communities through the year.

Buckwheat, a staple of the local diet, has been cut and dried, ready to be ground into flour. Apple farming has also grown in popularity, and the region’s apples are now known throughout the Himalaya.

But this year, the changing weather patterns have complicated the harvest. Heavy monsoon rains triggered landslides and river erosion, damaging the main road connecting Mustang to the rest of Nepal. For many farmers, this road access is essential to getting their crops to market. The first signs of winter have also arrived unusually early, with some villages already reporting snowfall in late September.

In a region where livelihoods have long depended on the land, growing uncertainty around weather poses challenges not only for farmers today, but for the long-term stability of Mustang's communities.

📸 Luigi Fieni

10/08/2026

At the Navjyoti Center in Kathmandu, sewing and necklace making are a part of the daily routine.

For children and young adults with intellectual disabilities, these activities are more than just a creative outlet. They help students strengthen their coordination and concentration, while allowing them to build vocational skills they can use in the future.

Learn more about our educational programs and partnership with Navjyoti here: http://himfdn.org/go/HVCJMJ

10/02/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us last night for the early screening of TENZING at Dolby Laboratories in San Francisco!

It was a wonderful evening sharing a film so close to the heart of AHF President Norbu Tenzing with our community. A special thank you to Apple TV and See Saw Productions for all your work on this film, and to the Dolby team for being such fantastic hosts.

Thank you also to Will Parrinello for joining Norbu after the film for a such an insightful conversation.

TENZING premieres in select theaters on October 9 and streams on Apple TV on October 16. We hope you'll watch it, enjoy it, and share it with friends! Stay tuned for more opportunities to see it on a big screen with AHF in 2027.

09/29/2026

AHF and Apple TV are hosting an early screening of TENZING this Thursday, October 1, at Dolby Laboratories in San Francisco — and there are still a few seats available!

Based on true events, the film tells the story of Tenzing Norgay, father of AHF President Norbu Tenzing. You may know Tenzing for his historic ascent of Everest alongside Edmund Hillary, but few people know his story before that day and what inspired him in the pursuit of this lifelong dream.

TENZING features an extraordinary cast, including Genden Phuntsok as Tenzing, Tom Hiddleston as Edmund Hillary, Willem Dafoe as Colonel John Hunt, Caitríona Balfe as Jill Henderson, and Thinley Lhamo, a former AHF scholarship recipient, as Dawa.

Join us for a reception with refreshments at 5:30 p.m., followed by the screening at 6:30 p.m. The event is free, but tickets are limited to two per person.

Reserve your seats here: https://form.jotform.com/262436534918

09/23/2026

This past week, AHF’s Nepal team was in Rasuwa as part of our ongoing relief efforts for communities devastated by the recent flooding.

In the villages they visited, nearly every household had been affected. Families were grieving loved ones, while others were still holding onto hope for those who remain missing. With the main roads still unusable, many villages can only be reached by an alternative route through the hills, while thousands of people are staying in overcrowded holding centers as they wait for more permanent shelter.

Working closely with local leaders and our partners at the Federation of Woman Entrepreneurs' Associations of Nepal and Lumanti , our team was able to respond to what families needed most, providing cooking gas, hygiene products, mosquito nets, and other essential supplies.

Nearly a month after the flooding, the people in Rasuwa are still facing immense challenges. Families continue to rely on outside support for basic necessities, even as they are slowly beginning to look towards recovery. AHF will continue to be part of that work as the process of rebuilding unfolds.

To learn more about our visit and relief distribution in Rasuwa, visit: http://himfdn.org/go/VFWAXP

Photos are courtesy of Rabi Raj Shrestha.

09/01/2026

In the days since flooding devastated communities in north-central Nepal, we've been deeply grateful to see so many of you reach out, asking how to help and giving generously to those affected.

Because of you, families from a community in Rasuwa that we have long supported have already received emergency aid. We are actively coordinating with partners on the ground to expand our response to meet both the immediate and long-term needs of other displaced people.

If you haven't yet and would like to help, you can do so here: http://himfdn.org/go/JCA4TK

We'll continue to share updates over the coming weeks and months. Thank you again for standing with the people of the Himalaya during this difficult time.

Photo courtesy of Luigi Fieni.

08/28/2026

This week, a flood tore through north-central Nepal — and the scale of loss is unimaginable.

As the full scope of the disaster continues to unfold, our team remains in close contact with partners on the ground to assess how we can best support those affected. We are already working with the communities we serve in the region to provide emergency relief, and we will continue to stand by them as this crisis evolves.

But experience tells us that this is just the beginning. Homes, communities and livelihoods will need to be rebuilt, and that will take time. AHF will be there to help, not just in the immediate aftermath, but in the months ahead.

If you'd like to help, visit http://himfdn.org/go/QKPN2G

Thank you for keeping the people in Nepal facing this devastating tragedy in your thoughts and prayers.

Photo: AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha

08/25/2026

Congratulations to our partners at the Hospital and Rehabilitation Center for Disabled Children (HRDC) in Nepal, who were recently named one of 21 global winners of iF International Forum Design's 2026 Social Impact Prize!

The award recognizes HRDC's in-house prosthetic and orthotic program, which designs and builds devices for children with disabilities across the Himalaya. Imported devices are often expensive and poorly suited to Nepal's terrain, so HRDC adapts international designs using local materials and techniques, then customizes each device for the individual child.

It's a well-earned honor for work that gives children the chance at a more mobile, independent life. Learn more: http://himfdn.org/go/FMHDAU

08/20/2026

Cathy Ann and Thupten are long-time supporters and friends of AHF. They are also members of our Everest Legacy Circle, having chosen to include AHF in their estate plans so they can keep making an impact for Himalayan communities long into the future.

This August, during National Make-A-Will Month, we asked what inspired them to join:

"Supporting the American Himalayan Foundation reflects our family's enduring ties to the Himalayan community and our desire to help create lasting opportunities for the people and cultures that have shaped our lives."

Interested in leaving a legacy of your own? Learn more: http://himfdn.org/go/4PFPGY

08/17/2026

Today, in Upper Mustang, riders saddled up their horses to celebrate Yartung. The festival is an ancient tradition marking the end of summer and the start of the harvest season ahead.

Over the course of three days, villagers engage in horse races, archery, and traditional Loba and Tibetan rituals, along with games of skill on horseback — like throwing rocks at targets and catching khata scarves from the ground at a gallop.

It's one of the many ways the people of Mustang are keeping their culture alive for generations to come.

Photos courtesy of Luigi Fieni.

Address

550 California Street
San Francisco, CA
94104

Telephone

+14152887245

Website

http://www.himalayan-foundation.org/

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