Short Bio

The Siachen Sherpa Team is a youth-led initiative founded by three innovative adolescents—Zeeshan Abbas, Ghayoor Abbas, and Muhammad Mairaj—from Khaplu, Gilgit-Baltistan. Facing severe water scarcity in their high-altitude village, they pioneered the creation of artificial glaciers to provide a sustainable water supply for both agriculture and domestic use. Their idea gained national recognition at the Generation Unlimited Youth Challenge 3.0 in 2022, earning them $1,000 in seed funding and a three-month mentorship, leading to the successful installation of their first artificial glacier in Hippy Village.
Encouraged by their initial success, the team secured PKR 3.0 million in funding from UNICEF and mentored by the School of Leadership Foundation (SoLF) for a year-long mentorship program (Aug 2024 – July 2025) to scale and register their initiative. They have since expanded their work to Machulo Village, where they have constructed two additional artificial glaciers that are set to provide essential water resources by March 2025.

Objectives

  • Combat water scarcity by constructing artificial glaciers in water-deprived regions of Gilgit-Baltistan.
  • Expand initiative to additional villages, ensuring long-term water security for agriculture and domestic use.
  • Strengthen leadership and technical skills through mentorship and training programs.
  • Enhance community awareness on climate resilience and water conservation through outreach sessions.
  • Leverage digital platforms to engage stakeholders and increase awareness about sustainable water solutions.

Achievements:

  • Built the first artificial glacier in Hippy Village, significantly improving water availability for farming and households.
  • Secured PKR 3.0 million in funding from UNICEF and SoLF to scale up operations.
  • Constructed further two artificial glaciers in Machulo Village.
  • Conducted awareness sessions on glacier maintenance and water conservation.
  • Participated in the Young Leaders Conference (YLC) 2024, strengthening leadership, problem-solving, and networking skills.

NAME OF CLIENT
UNICEF.

DURATION
6 Months

GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD
Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore, Muzaffarabad,