About the H-ELP Foundation

The Human Elephant Learning Programs (H-ELP) foundation is an Australian organisation improving the welfare of working elephants in Asia via the systematic application of humane, evidence-based training initiatives, education, engagement with local communities and relevant stakeholders.

Through our programs, H-ELP currently contributes to the development, welfare and safety of elephant handlers and trainers across India, Thailand and Myanmar.

Founded by Dr Andrew McLean and Laurie Pond in 2010, H-ELP has grown significantly as Andrew’s systematic approach to elephant training is recognised as a viable and safe alternative to traditional submission-based methods. The remaining foundation members of H-ELP also have similar professional interests.

In 2014, H-ELP published its manual Elephant Friendly Training for Working Elephants written by Dr Andrew McLean which has since been translated into Assamese, Malayalam, Thai and Burmese and it has unanimously received a positive reception.

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Our Vision

We envision a future where every Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) lives with dignity, respect, and the highest possible quality of life.

Our ultimate aspiration is a world where all Asian elephants roam freely in natural habitats, living as nature intended without the need for human intervention. Until that ideal becomes reality, we are unwavering in our commitment to ensuring that the thousands of elephants currently in human care experience the best possible life through scientifically-grounded, evidence-based training methods and welfare frameworks.

We believe that every elephant deserves compassionate care that honors their intelligence, emotional complexity, and natural behaviors—creating pathways toward a future where human-elephant relationships are defined by respect, understanding, and the shared goal of elephant wellbeing.

Our Mission

We are dedicated to improving the welfare of Asian elephants across Southeast Asia through culturally respectful, science-based training methods. Our mission is to empower mahouts and elephant care organizations with evidence-based techniques that honor traditional practices while prioritizing elephant wellbeing.

What We Do

We expand our impact by training mahouts in humane, scientifically-proven methods that work alongside their cultural traditions. Rather than replacing time-honored practices, we enhance them with modern welfare standards—ensuring that techniques like mounting methods remain culturally diverse while becoming more effective and compassionate.

Our field trainers work directly with communities, sharing principles and methods that respect local customs while introducing innovations that benefit both elephants and their handlers. We believe that the best path forward preserves cultural heritage while embracing practices grounded in animal welfare science.

Our commitment

Through partnerships with organizations across the region, we share best practices and continually develop resources including updated training materials and translations in local languages. Your donations enable us to reach more communities, support more elephants, and bridge the gap between tradition and modern animal welfare.

Together, we're creating a future where Asian elephants thrive under care that honors both their needs and the rich cultural traditions of their human companions.

Our Investment Strategy & Projects

We are currently investing in a new edition of our ‘How To Train An Elephant’ manual, concentrating on developing strong foundations and connections in Australia as well as overseas. Our project to improve the elephants saddles in partnership with saddler, Peter Horobin, has made some progress. During the November 2017 Thailand workshop, the team measured individual elephant’s back length, shape and circumference. The next stage of the project requires days spent on the ground to investigate further the working environment of the mahouts, how they keep their saddles, the materials they use, what is best in tropical climates, weights, durability and costs. We had aimed to do this already, but due to the economic constraints in Myanmar and catastrophic flood in India the second stage of the saddle project has been postponed to a later date.


2010

Our Beginnings

With the help of our patron, Christine Townend, the H-ELP Foundation was founded in 2010 with Dr Andrew McLean and Laurie Pond.


2016

Active Programs

From our early experiences in Nepal, we have now grown from a pilot program to 7 on-going programs across India, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.

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2017

Awarded DGR Status

It was a long journey, but the H-ELP Foundation Ltd now has Deductible Gift Recipient Status (DGR). Not only does this mean we have full accreditation as a charity within Australia, but it also means we can issue tax-deductible receipts for any donation over $2!

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2018

Training and Translations

The H-ELP training team conducted a successful training camp in Luang Prabang, Laos, supported by the German Development Agency (GIZ), enabling the translation, and distribution, of the training handbook into Lao. The team then held a well-attended camp in Chiang Rai, Thailand, for elephant managers from northern Thailand.


2019

Two Camps in Thailand and Two in Laos

Our 2019 training camp began in Kanchanburi, Thailand, where we collaborated with local tourist organisations to distribute our Thai-translated manual. We then ran a second Thailand camp at Anantara in Chiang Saen. H-ELP concluded their journey with two impactful training camps in Luang Prabang, Laos.


2020

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2022

Covid Years

Unable to travel due to Covid restrictions, we turned our focus towards building and releasing our elephant training app, on Android and iOS platforms. In addition, we donated funds to elephant organisations that were hardest hit by the downturn in tourism.


2023

Training Camps Resume

After almost 4 years of not being able to travel, H-ELP returned to Thailand to deliver training to mahouts. The training focused on using the H-ELP app, fundamental principles of animal learning, classical conditioning, and behavior shaping.


2024

A Milestone Camp

The H-ELP Foundation achieved a historic milestone by hosting its first multinational mahout training camp at the National Elephant Institute in Lamphun, Thailand. The groundbreaking event brought together nearly fifty delegates from seven Asian nations.