Focus Area
Environmental conservation
Location
Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and India
Beneficiaries
Herder families—primarily women—living in snow leopard range communities
Safavi's Role
Funding initatives by the Snow Leopard Trust
Key Impact
Over 400 women empowered across 40 communities; household incomes increased by up to 40%; protection of ~25% of Mongolia’s known snow leopard habitat
Project Overview
Snow Leopard Enterprises is a pioneering conservation initiative that addresses the root cause of snow leopard poaching: poverty. Through this program, herder women living in snow leopard habitats craft wool-based goods—such as rugs, ornaments, and pet toys—which are then sold worldwide. In exchange, participating communities commit to protecting snow leopards and their ecosystems. The initiative creates economic resilience while forging a shared responsibility for conservation.
Beneficiary Profile
The primary beneficiaries are herder families, especially women, living in remote mountain regions of Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and India. These communities typically live on less than $2 per day and rely on livestock for food, income, and survival. Snow leopards occasionally prey on their animals, leading to financial losses that historically triggered retaliatory poaching. This program channels artisan skills and natural resources into sustainable income while protecting biodiversity.
Safavi's Role
Safavi supports this initiative as a funding partner of the Snow Leopard Trust. Through this collaboration, Safavi helps expand artisan training, conservation education, and the global distribution of Snow Leopard Enterprises products. Safavi’s contributions are invested directly into scaling impact—supporting materials, logistics, conservation agreements, and performance-based community bonuses that reward successful anti-poaching efforts.
Project Gallery
Photo Credit: Snow Leopard Enterprise
Impact Achieved
Over 400 women engaged across 40 mountain communities
Annual household incomes increased by up to 40% through craft sales
More than $1 million in total revenue generated since the program’s inception
In Mongolia, participating communities help safeguard approximately 25% of the nation’s known snow leopard habitat
Communities receive collective bonuses for meeting conservation targets, strengthening local cooperation and accountability
Reduced retaliatory poaching due to economic stability and conservation education
Purpose & Signifigance
Safavi supports Snow Leopard Enterprises because it offers a scalable, human-centered solution to wildlife conservation. By tackling poverty and creating incentives for ecological stewardship, the initiative embodies Safavi’s belief in dignified, locally driven solutions. It exemplifies how economic empowerment and environmental protection can go hand in hand, ensuring that vulnerable ecosystems are preserved through trust, trade, and collective action.
Future Outlook
Safavi intends to continue following the success of Snow Leopard Enterprises as the program scales to additional communities and countries. Future goals include expanding artisan training, introducing new product lines to global markets, and integrating broader wildlife education efforts. As demand for Snow Leopard Enterprises products grows, so too does the potential to protect even more habitat—and lives.
