With heart, across every summit.
Hamdeli unites climbers from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, India, and Tajikistan through advanced mountaineering training, shared expeditions, and lasting cross-cultural community. A US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit with roots going back to 2015.
Ha · m · deh · lee
"A compassionate meeting of hearts — an encounter grounded in empathy and connection."
Ancient Persian
Hamdeli is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting Himalayan climbers through advanced mountaineering training, shared expeditions, and community building. We believe shared experiences in the mountains can transcend cultural differences, fostering lasting friendships and heartfelt connections.
Conceived in 2015 by mountaineer Danika Gilbert in Ridgway, Colorado, and incorporated as a nonprofit in 2023, Hamdeli has grown into a multi-country initiative serving climbers across five Himalayan regions. We also provide critical resources for Afghan refugees navigating resettlement, and partner with other organizations to support educational opportunities for women and girls still in Afghanistan.
"Supporting activities and actions 'with heart' aimed at creating a safe environment and social network among Himalayan mountaineering communities."
"With mountain climbing as a core passion connecting individuals, Hamdeli strives to create opportunities that build safe communities, foster lifelong friendships that transcend borders and cultures, and provide opportunities for mutual learning and personal growth. Long-term, we aim to host annual — eventually biannual — training programs rotating between countries, with guides and host-country guiding organizations from Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Bhutan, and beyond. Curricula will combine advanced technical mountaineering with leadership, communication, and a deeper understanding of the histories and cultures that connect — and have divided — this region."
Every program Hamdeli runs is grounded in one of four core commitments: empowering through mountaineering, fostering community, inspiring resilience, and supporting new beginnings.
Training aspiring climbers with advanced mountaineering skills, first aid, rescue techniques, and leadership development in real alpine environments. Programs also build inclusive guiding skills, so participants can support athletes with adaptive needs.
Uniting climbers across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, India, and Tajikistan through joint expeditions, technical training, and cross-cultural exchange.
Mentoring individuals to pursue their mountain climbing dreams despite personal and political challenges, one summit at a time.
Providing resources, guidance, and community for women rebuilding their lives in new countries, with a particular focus on Afghan women navigating resettlement.
Hamdeli grew from Danika Gilbert's years of teaching young Afghan women to climb — and a moment on a trek in Nepal when she watched them connect instantly with Nepali women chasing the same mountain dreams. She saw what those bonds could do, and began envisioning a "graduate program" that could offer more advanced training while building lasting community across the Himalayas. The name Hamdeli — ancient Persian for "with heart" — was chosen to capture exactly that goal: connecting otherwise isolated individuals through a shared passion.
Progress toward a formal nonprofit was gradual and deliberate. Western Colorado Friends of the Himalaya (WCFH) served as fiscal agent during the formation period, enabling early donations to flow through before Hamdeli's own status was in place. That process was interrupted in August 2021 when the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan forced the women who had inspired the whole endeavor to scatter around the world. Hamdeli pivoted to prioritize their safety and resettlement before formally incorporating in 2022–2023.
From mentoring aspiring mountaineers who trekked to Everest Base Camp, to providing critical resources for resettlement, Hamdeli fosters resilience, community, and hope. Support has included educational scholarships, emergency living assistance, medical and mental health resources, and tools to help individuals build sustainable livelihoods — all while connecting them with a larger community of like-minded people.
In October 2025, a team of women from across the Himalayas gathered in the remote Rolwaling Valley of Nepal. They learned advanced first aid, mountain and rock climbing skills, rescue techniques, and decision-making under challenging alpine conditions. They shared cultures, deepened understanding of each other's worlds, and formed lifelong bonds. Reaching the summit of Yalung Ri (5,630m) was a high point for many, and a rewarding challenge for all.
Danika Gilbert begins teaching young Afghan women how to climb mountains. On a trek in Nepal, she watches them form immediate, lasting bonds with Nepali women who share the same mountain dreams — and the idea for Hamdeli is born.
Danika begins formally visioning an organization that could offer a "graduate program" for the women she'd worked with — a path to advanced skills and connection to other Himalayan climbers with the same dreams. The name Hamdeli is chosen: ancient Persian for "with heart," capturing the goal of connecting isolated individuals through a shared passion.
The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 forces the women who inspired Hamdeli to flee — many under fear of retribution for daring to climb mountains. Hamdeli pivots to focus on their safety, connecting donors through Western Colorado Friends of the Himalaya (WCFH) as a fiscal agent while formal nonprofit status is pursued.
Articles of Incorporation are filed with the State of Colorado on January 27, 2022. IRS 501(c)(3) status is applied for in February 2023 and approved February 23, 2023. Hamdeli launches independently of WCFH, returning to its original mission while continuing to support the Afghan women who inspired it. EIN: 92-2371718.
Eight women from six countries gather in the Rolwaling Valley of Nepal and summit Yalung Ri (5,630m) on October 7 — the first full Hamdeli expedition, and the beginning of something larger.
Hamdeli is planning a summer expedition to Norway. Details on dates, location, and how to get involved are coming soon. Sign up for the newsletter to be the first to know.
Get NotifiedGlobal coverage of the 2025 Yalung Ri expedition and Hamdeli's mission to advance women's participation in Himalayan mountaineering.
An all-women expedition from six countries reaches Rolwaling Valley to attempt the 5,930-meter Ramdung Peak under IFMGA-certified guides, incorporating first-aid and rescue training as part of the Hamdeli program.
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The Hamdeli 2025 Expedition successfully summits Yalung Ri (5,630m) after heavy snowfall prevents the planned Ramdung ascent. The team of women from six countries reaches the top as a symbol of unity and empowerment.
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Eight women from six countries summit the 5,630-meter Yalung Ri in Rolwaling, Dolakha, starting their ascent at 1am and reaching the top in seven hours after record snowfall redirected the team from their original objective.
Read ArticleOur leadership team, together with every supporter, volunteer, and partner, drives Hamdeli's mission forward with heart and purpose.
Mountaineer, Educator, Community Builder
Danika Gilbert began teaching young women in Afghanistan how to climb mountains in 2015. What started as a passion project became Hamdeli, an organization that now unites climbers from five Himalayan regions through shared expeditions, technical training, and lasting community. Based in Ridgway, Colorado, Danika leads every expedition with the same ethos that founded it: with heart.
Have a question not answered here? Reach us at admin@hamdeliglobal.org
Your contribution funds expedition costs, training programs, and resources for climbers and communities rebuilding their lives. Hamdeli is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit — all donations are tax-deductible.
Make a secure one-time or recurring donation through PayPal's verified nonprofit giving platform.
Quick and easy mobile donation directly to the official Hamdeli Venmo account.
Send a check made payable to Hamdeli to our mailing address in Ridgway, Colorado.
For larger gifts or institutional donations, we accept direct wire transfers. Email us and we will send you our banking details privately and securely.
Some of the most meaningful things you can do for Hamdeli cost nothing but your time and enthusiasm. Here are three concrete ways to get involved wherever you are.
Invite your friends, colleagues, or community to a Hamdeli info session. We provide a slideshow and talking points — you provide the room and the people. A great way to build local support and awareness.
Get in TouchBring your community together over a meal and raise funds for Hamdeli's next expedition. We are piloting this model in Ridgway this spring and looking for others to take it to their own towns.
Let's TalkPlanning a trek, climb, or adventure trip? Propose it to Hamdeli and bring one or two of the women we support along with you. We will help match you with the right person and handle the logistics.
Pitch Your TripSign up for expedition updates, news, and ways to support Hamdeli's climbers. Every subscriber, volunteer, and partner helps us go further.
Hamdeli unites climbers from across the Himalayas, one shared expedition at a time. Join us in building a community that transcends borders and inspires the next generation of mountain leaders.