Born from a deep love for the mountains and the people who call them home, Healing Himalayas Foundation is dedicated to restoring the fragile Himalayan ecosystem through community-led, circular waste solutions. We work to build resilient waste infrastructure, nurture local ownership, and support policies that protect both nature and livelihoods. By empowering women, youth, and remote communities with climate-smart opportunities, and by using innovation, research, and strong partnerships, we address the root causes of the region’s waste crisis. Our mission is to ensure the Himalayas remain clean, thriving, and life-giving—for today’s communities and generations yet to come.
Vision
A waste-free, climate-resilient Himalaya where communities, ecosystems, and future generations thrive in harmony with nature.
Our Story
Our Why
The Himalayas are more than mountains, they are sacred, life-giving, and one of the world’s most important climate guardians. Their glaciers sustain millions, their forests regulate weather, and their rivers shape entire civilizations. Yet today, unmanaged waste is choking these fragile ecosystems, polluting villages, rivers, and trekking routes. This is not just a local problem; a declining Himalaya threatens global water security, climate stability, and human wellbeing.
Healing Himalayas exists to ensure that does not happen.
How It All Began
Founded in 2016 by environmentalist and mountaineer Pradeep Sangwan, Healing Himalayas began as a small clean-up initiative and has grown into one of India's leading high-altitude circular waste management organizations. What started as weekend clean-up treks has evolved into a systems-strengthening mission, shaping behaviour, improving governance, expanding mountain-ready waste infrastructure, and building climate-smart livelihoods.
Our Movement
Our volunteer-led movement has conducted 1,000+ clean-up drives, removing 2,000+ tonnes of waste from vulnerable ecosystems. We have built and operated multiple Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and decentralized waste systems serving remote Himalayan communities, ensuring collected waste is responsibly processed and fed into circular pathways.
Healing Himalayas is more than an NGO—it is a growing community of Healers, experts, and mountain lovers working together to restore balance between people and the planet, building a resilient, waste-free Himalaya for generations to come.