The LIVE-Nepal Team
Our Nepal team
Om moved to Kathmandu from his childhood home of Parsa in mid-Nepal after completing his School Certificate exam. In Kathmandu Om discovered a social organization called Matribhoomi Sevak Sangh (MSS), which works in the field of education, moral values and spirituality. Om was so inspired by the work of MSS that he became a volunteer for MSS instead of taking a paid part-time job while studying for his degree.
Upon completing his bachelor degree in arts in 1992, Om started working as the country representative for a gap year organization called GAP Activity Projects. In this role Om was responsible for up to 64 volunteers in a year, arranging placements in schools, monasteries and hospitals. Om retained this position until GAP suspended it's programme in Nepal in 2004, due to the political insurgency of the time.
Still a member of the executive board of MSS, Om is a trustee of the Hindu Vidya Peeth schools, a member of the Shanti Sewa Ashram (a Centre for Peace and Service), and director of Goodwill Nepal, a family initiative supporting the poorer members of community financially.
Priti Yogi
Priti worked as a Primary school teacher from 1994-1995 and worked at Press Council from 1995-1997. She married Om Bhakta Yogi in 1996. She worked as the Nepal representative for Gap Challenge from 1997-2002, until they suspended their Nepal programme.
Priti is a mother of three children; one son and two daughters. She has passion for music and loves cooking. She is also member of Shanti Sewa Ashram (a Centre for Peace and Service) and is actively involved in social work.
Our UK team
Matt Daw
Matt first travelled to Nepal to teach English as a volunteer in October 2001, and fell in love with the country and its people at once. He returned in 2002 to take photos for an exhibition on the education system in Nepal, which was held in London in 2003, and continues to retain strong links with friends and charitable organisations in Kathmandu and Dang.
Matt is trustee and vice chairperson of HVP UK, the UK support charity for the educational charity Hindu VidyaPeeth Nepal, based in Kathmandu. His full time job is working for the charity PhotoVoice, which works internationally to provide marginalised groups with photojournalistic skills with which to transform their lives and those of others in their situation.
Matt has extensive experience of supporting volunteers, project management and teaching in Nepal, and is happy to answer any question from those thinking of following the same path.