Our mission is to ensure that with good governance, and support from tourism sector as well as participation of the communities, we can all exist together in a sustainable manner.
Himmapaan foundation was founded on the belief that we have to give back to the people and environment where travel have impacted. Travel has both positive and negative impacts and our purpose is to bring positive impacts to places and people affected by the travel industry.
From the start, it was clear that travel improves the well-being of the people.
Local communities and ethnic minorities were living marginally when they first settled in the area we worked in. With employment and commissioning of travel related activities to the local people, their lives improved, they were hired to be trekking guides, operating white water raft, driving lodge vehicles, cultural ceremony and dance.
As more and more people moved in the communities because of the opportunities the travel sector created, we start seeing deterioration in the environment, health care and education.
Forest were being burned down to make way for tourist activities, like elephant riding, hotels and lodges.
We decided to set up the foundation to give back to these communities: our main focus is
Reforestation
Planting forest
Education
Sunshine Project
Women Empowerment
Lanjia Craft
Himmapaan mission is to ensure that with good governance, support from tourism sector and participation of the communities, we can all exist together in a sustainable manner.
Sustainable Travel is the terminology we have been using for the last 25 years, but without awareness, active participation and genuine concerns from the traveler, it is hard to make an lasting impact.
EDUCATION
Since 2012, the Himmapaan Foundation has been supporting early childhood education in remote mountain villages in Northern Thailand. We support “Kru Su Doi”, Teacher-To-Mountain, run as part of the Thailand Ministry of Education’s remote education.
Funds raised go towards sending teachers to villages and equipping local schools with adequate educational materials. The children, aged 2-7, are taught following the national curriculum, and are guaranteed places in Thailand’s formal education system.
COMMUNITIES
The Himmapaan Foundation specifically supports one school at Pha Dang Village, in Chiang Mai, and one in Kiew Karn Village in Chiang Rai. So far, about 280 children have gone through the programme.
Pha Dang is a predominantly Lahu community, while Kiew Karn is Hmong and Lahu. Both communities crossed over to Thailand from Laos and Thailand decades ago.
OUR FORESTS
In 2000 we saw a rapid increase in encroachment of the forest either through burning or building un-sustainably. We needed to get people involved and get them to care for their environment so that they can be protected from drought, landsides and have good water source. We studied the FORRU method of reforestation which is not about random tree planting but planting scientifically so as to create an ecosystem for the forest to thrive and flourish on its own. www.forru.org
ABOUT US
The Himmapaan Foundation is set up by the founders of Asian Oasis, which has been operating eco-tourism in North Thailand since the 1980s. Its education outreach efforts started with the opening of Lisu Lodge in Chiang Mai in xxxx, and Lanjia Lodge in Chiang Rai in xxxx.
A percentage of income from its tourism activities goes towards a Community Fund which is shared equally among the communities.
DONATION
Direct Bank Transfer
TMBThanachart Bank
A/C No : 011-2-92374-3
A/C NAME : Himmapaan Foundation
SWIFT : TMBKTHBK
CONTACT US
Himmapaan Foundation
2/2 2nd floor, Bhakdi Building, Wireless Road,
Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.