Drokpa Information

DROKPA is a non-profit organization partnering with pastoral communities in the Himalaya and Central Asia to implement grassroot developments and catalyze social entrepreneurship using appropriate tools and replicable strategies. Central Asia, the Himalaya and the Tibetan Plateau are home to millions of people who depend on some of Earth's most rugged, remote and starkly beautiful ecosystems for their livelihood. The communities in which DROKPA works depend on a combination of agriculture, trade and animal husbandry to survive. Grasslands are critical natural resources in these areas. They not only provide pastoralists with a means of social and economic production, but they also harbor habitats for a diversity of plant and animals, from medicinal plants to rare and endangered species like the snow leopard and the Tibetan antelope. DROKPA - sometimes spelt Dokpa or Drogpa - means 'Nomad' in Tibetan. The organization is dedicated to supporting pastoral ways of life across the Himalaya, Tibetan Plateau and Central Asia. Using simple tools and replicable strategies, DROKPA's collaborative work addresses some of the most pressing problems faced by pastoral communities: Poor health, fuel and fodder shortages, lack of education and economic opportunities, as well access to markets and services. We believe that creative solutions to these adversities can come from within the knowledge systems that have kept these communities vibrant for centuries. DROKPA synergizes expertise in local languages and cultures with pragmatic initiatives in resource management, economic development and community health. DROKPA acts as a catalyst for grassroots development by providing seed money, technical know-how and ongoing support for local entrepreneurs and community organizations. DROKPA also facilitates the introduction and use of appropriate, renewable technologies and fosters scientific, cultural and educational alliances between modern and indigenous systems of knowledge. We partner with local community organizations as well as ...