Jumla Field Study

In the remote highlands of Karnali Province, at 3,000 meters elevation, Jumla is our living laboratory. A feasibility assessment conducted in May 2026, using environmental analysis and persona-based simulations.

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Why Jumla?

Jumla District is one of Nepal's most remote regions. Accessible only by small aircraft or a multi-day 4WD journey from the nearest paved road. No grid electricity. Intermittent mobile coverage. Winters that drop to -10°C.

This is precisely why we work here. Jumla concentrates every problem the Remote Valley OS is designed to solve — plastic waste, contaminated water, food insecurity, energy poverty, lack of connectivity, and extreme isolation.

The founding insight: If a solution works in Jumla, it will work in any remote community on Earth. The Himalayas are our proving ground.

~960kg/month Plastic waste per village

50 tons/year Apple production in village

40% Post-harvest loss without cold storage

3,000m Elevation — thinner air, 20-30% more solar

Feasibility Findings

This assessment used environmental analysis and persona-based simulations based on published data — not live community workshops. Findings are directional, not definitive. Proper field studies with real community participation should be conducted before deployment.

Water Purification

Highest impact, deploy first

Feasibility: HIGH. Diarrheal disease is the #1 health complaint. Gravity-fed spring system exists — only filtration + UV needed at point of use.

Energy Micro-Grid

Foundation for all other modules

Feasibility: MEDIUM-HIGH. Solar + hydro is the right combo. Stream provides 25 L/s at 15m head = 3.7kW theoretical. Winter solar drops 40-60%.

Trash to Filament

Phase 2 deployment

Feasibility: HIGH. Community members expressed embarrassment about plastic litter. Turning waste into valuable material is culturally resonant.

Food Production

Phase 1 alongside water

Feasibility: HIGH. Highest economic impact potential. 50 tons apples/year, 90% sold raw at low prices. Cold storage + processing = 10x income.

Logistics EV

Phase 3 after road improvements

Feasibility: LOW-MEDIUM. Defer full corridor. Deploy single e-cargo trike for farm-to-market transport as proof of concept.

Mesh Communication

Deploy alongside water

Feasibility: HIGH. 2G only in village center. Valley shape needs 2-3 ridge-top repeaters. Health post telemedicine is main use case.

Residency Program

The Jumla Residency brings engineers, designers, educators, and builders to live and work alongside the community. You will prototype real solutions, train local operators, and leave knowledge behind permanently.

Every resident follows a non-negotiable process: Build → Document → Train → Test. A system is not complete until three local operators can pass blind troubleshooting without assistance.

Renewable Energy Engineer

Install the hybrid micro-grid — solar, hydro, wind, batteries. Set up distribution, load management, and monitoring.

6-12 mo

Mechanical Engineer / Maker

Build the shredder and filament extruder line. Commission the 3D printer farm. Design jigs and tooling.

6-12 mo

3D Printing Specialist

Run the printer farm. Build the open-source parts library. Train local designers. Produce functional parts.

6-12 mo

Food Scientist

Set up the apple processing hub: cold storage, cider line, vinegar fermentation, dehydration.

6-12 mo

Water & Sanitation Engineer

Install purification nodes at charging stations. Set up the water quality testing lab.

3-6 mo

Curriculum Designer

Turn technical knowledge into visual, multilingual training guides. Build the 4-level training pipeline.

6-12 mo

Mesh Network Engineer

Deploy LoRa and Wi-Fi mesh nodes across the valley. Set up the local LLM server. Build sensor pipelines.

3-6 mo

Natural Building Lead

Lead construction of natural homes using stone, timber, earth. Integrate 3D-printed connectors.

6-12 mo

Living Conditions

Housing

Private room in a natural home built from local stone and timber. Powered by the micro-grid. Shared kitchen and common area.

Food

Monthly food stipend included. Communal produce from the region. Residents cook together or take meals with host families.

Workspace

Full access to the fabrication lab — 3D printers, hand tools, electronics bench — plus testing equipment and shared studio.

Connectivity

WiFi at the hub via mesh network. Starlink gateway provides internet. Reliable but not city-speed — plan accordingly.

Climate

Temperate Himalayan. Summer: mild, monsoon. Winter: cold, dry, clear. Pack for cold nights year-round at 2,300m.

Travel

Ground transport from Nepalgunj or Kathmandu to Jumla arranged. International travel is the resident's responsibility.

Terms

DurationMinimum 3 months. Preferred 6-12 months.

HousingFree (private or shared room)

Food stipendMonthly allowance included

WorkspaceFree access to fab lab and tools

TravelIn-country ground transport arranged

StipendModest living stipend (covers basic needs)

VisaNepal tourist visa (renewable). Support letters provided.

InsuranceRequired. Not provided.

IPEverything produced is open source. Belongs to the commons.

Apply for the Jumla Residency

Email residency@mountaineer.fi with your background, a project idea, preferred duration, and any questions. We review applications with a committee that includes community representatives.

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Follow the Field Work

Watch our team build, test, and iterate in Jumla. Every prototype, every failure, every breakthrough — documented openly on GitHub.

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