UTSAAH

We are pleased to announce that UTSAAH has signed a strategic partnership with ACWADAM (Advanced Center for Water Resources Development and Management), an established not-for-profit organisation in India to further develop and enhance groundwater management programmes in the Indian Himalayas.
This strategic partnership will enable both organisations to work together for the benefit of communities in the Himalayas, initially in the Shimla region, to demonstrate “community-led initiatives on spring rejuvenation and groundwater management” in a scientific, holistic and a sustainable manner.
We are seeking engagement with leading UK academic groups working in the field of hydrogeology and water resource management. Please get in touch if you are interested.

www.acwadam.org

Dear Friends
Please spare a few minutes to read our Jan 2019-Jan 2020 newsletter.

We have had an exciting year supporting communities in the Himalayas and thank you for your continued support.

Thanks
UTSAAH team

Recent research shows an increase in vegetation at high altitudes in the Himalayas as global heating intensifies.

The impact of increase in shrubs and grasses not yet known but scientists say it could increase flooding in the region.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51050456 #

Plant life 'expanding over the Himalayas' Vegetation is expanding at high altitudes across the Himalayas - including the Everest region.

Great day in London with Robert and Franzi from the Swiss Himalayan Amity, an organisation based in Switzerland which, like UTSAAH, supports healthcare and conservation initiatives in the Himalayas. Looking at building synergies between UTSAAH and SHA.

Our very own Dr Arun Harish is currently on his way to the Champawat district in Kumaon Himalayas to conduct a field visit with Dr Vikki Smith (Clinical Academic Midwife) and Dr Cathy Bailey (Associate Professor, Public Health), both from Northumbria University.

They will be hosted by Dr Sushil Sharma who is driving a very ambitious healthcare initiative ‘Arogya’ to support rural Kumaoni communities, with a focus on maternal and child health.

1.1 billion people across the world - more than one in seven - still do not have access to electricity or artificial light.

Inhabitants of the Spiti Valley form part of this statistic. Having no reliable access to electricity and with winters lasting up to six months of the year, these communities spend a large amount of their lives in the dark.

Help families in the Spiti Valley to escape light poverty by donating here today. Your generous donation will enable the lighting up of thousands of homes, bringing prosperity and progress to disadvantaged, remote communities in the Spiti Valley.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/LightupSpiti

Spiti Ecosphere

Lighting up Remote Communities in the Indian Himalayas Help bring an end to light poverty among Himalayan communities in India. We aim to provide the most remote and disadvantaged communities with renewable energy so they are no longer left in the dark.

Please take time to share Kalap's story of their hospital in the upper Tons Valley and their urgent request for much needed funds and donations.

***UTSAAH Razzmatazz***

It was a starry night at the Bollywood ball on Friday 7th June!! An unapologetically dramatic and lively evening packed with great entertainment and culinary feast all for a great cause!

A huge thank you to the core team, volunteers and everyone who came in support of UTSAAH! Amazed by the generosity and kindness shown by our friends and family, we raised an impressive £5,600 which would help the communities in the grassroots for healthcare, enterprise and conservation initiatives.
Congratulations to all auction and raffle winners!!

Gratitude and thanks from UTSAAH team!!

UTSAAH updated their website address.

UTSAAH updated their info in the about section.

Congratulations Spiti Ecosphere and Ish*ta Khanna on your well deserved win.

Ish*ta Khanna (Founder & Director) Spiti Ecosphere was honoured with “Global Awards for Empowered Women in Tourism - Celebrating Her at ITB Berlin”, in 2017.
In association with the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and ITB Berlin this award is conducted by the International Institute for Peace in Tourism (IIPT) India, to honor women who have played an extraordinary role in developing sustainable tourism.
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Ish*ta has been working in Spiti since 2002 and envisioned Spiti Ecosphere as a Social Enterprise by using tourism as a tool to address the developmental needs, environment conservation, women empowerment and livelihood generation to enable a more holistic and sustainable development of the region.
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Kalap Trust's hospital demonstrating its enormous value!

Add purpose to your backpacking this summer and explore life in the high altitude, arid desert of Spiti Vally by joining Ecosphere’s ‘Trek and Volunteer Homestay Tail’. Experience the surreal world of Spiti while taking part in some meaningful volunteering and soul nourishing trekking.
Journeys of Change: 19th - 24th May | 16th - 21st June | 14th - 19th July | 4th - 9th August | 8th - 13th Sept | 29th Sept - 4th Oct.
For more information, email [email protected]

Even if the world limits the temperature rise to 1.5 this century, at least one third of the ice in the Himalayan region would disappear. This water source is critical for 250 million people living across 8 different counties.

Let’s unite together and combat climate change to save both the lives of millions of people and that of these beautiful, snowy mountains.

Photo courtesy of Arun Shastri

Over the past few days, Ladakh has seen its largest snow fall in recent years. Locals are very happy knowing that, come summer, the water irrigation systems will be able to support agricultural crops and maintain local water supplies. Let’s hope this weather continues.

Photo courtesy of the people of Ladakh

View from village Satoli of the mighty Nanda Devi range of the Himalayas. Villages around here have given birth to some top social initiatives including Aarohi and Chirag, and more recently our own portfolio organisation established by Sheeba Sen - Alaap People’s Foundation working ok creating native forests.
Photo courtesy of .arunshastri

“Even if the world takes dramatic action and limits warming to 1.5C by the end of the century, 36% of the glaciers will have disappeared”

It’s a painful read, but an insightful one nonetheless - here’s the latest report from the BBC regarding climate change in the Himalayan region:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-47122641

Warming threatens Himalayan glaciers Rising temperatures pose a growing danger to the glaciers found in the Hindu Kush and Himalayan mountains.

Back in September, our healthcare team watched the sun set over the Upper Tons Valley in Uttarakhand, India, while preparing for the following days of interviewing locals and assessing healthcare needs in the region. UTSAAH is please to announce that the healthcare report from this trip is finished and will be published shortly, so keep your eyes peeled. (Photo courtesy of Gon Asia)

Awareness raising and knowledge sharing! This is what UTSAAH’s philosophy is all about. Wonderful to see such posts 😊 Alaap

Alaap People's Foundation Bringing back the native forests of the Himalayas

Winter is a beautiful season to visit the mountains. Why not start 2019 with a jaw-dropping trip to Spiti by taking part in Ecosphere’s incredible winter programme ‘Life as a Local’ running 17th -24th February and 14th - 21st April. For more details email [email protected]

Photo courtesy of Lama Takpa.

It's been a fantastic and productive year for UTSAAH and our partner organisations. Check out our winter newsletter below to see what we have been up to since the summer. We are very much looking forward to more progress and prosperity in 2019. Thank you to everyone who has supported our efforts over the past year.

The very talented Shankar N Kashyap has written a beautiful piece on his adventures in the mountains while taking part in UTSAAH’s Conscious Journey to Ladakh, back in October. Check it out using the link below. A worthwhile read and some amazing pictures! Thanks you sir!!

https://shankarkashyap.wordpress.com/2018/12/18/ladakh-abode-of-the-gods/

Ladakh – Abode of the Gods It all started with one moment of decision making under the influence of alcohol. Someone said, ‘let’s go to Leh’. I said ‘sure. Why not?’ Without thinking, as you do in such circumstances. It was …

Friends in and around Newcastle - if you fancy an evening listening to inspiring stories from the Himalayas over some wine and cheese, come along. Sheeba Sen from Alaap People’s Foundation is with us from the Himalayas and will be talking about her inspiring forestry conservation and women empowerment initiatives.

Arun Harish will also be talking about UTSAAH and our initiatives across the Indian Himalayas covering Enterprise and Healthcare.

Email Arun at [email protected] for more details.

UTSAAH is very happy to announce the launch of its new and improved website. Check it out via the link below:

https://www.utsaah.org.uk/

Traditional Likhai woodwork, once an integral part of the culture in the Kumaon region is slowly dying out due to the dwindling numbers of Likhai artisans and the unavailability of toon (local timber) wood. Alaap, a non-profit organization involved in forest conservation and creation, is helping to restore the craft by sponsoring apprentices and increasing wood supplies.