Sofeena Lalani Director of Development and Communications Expand Sofeena leads philanthropy, partnerships and communications at United World Schools. She is responsible for fundraising, brand, content, and marketing. Sofeena has over 15 years’ experience working in the international development sector across a number of NGOs and within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Sofeena strongly believes that business has a role to play in addressing the Sustainable Development Goals. She is an advocate of public-private partnerships and has substantial experience in building strategic and innovative partnerships across a range of social issues. She is committed to leading people to deliver successful outcomes and has a passion for powerful storytelling.
Peter Campling Global Programmes Director Expand As Global Programmes Director, Peter works closely with our teams in Cambodia, Myanmar and Nepal to deliver a high-quality education to all of the children UWS supports. Peter initially studied for a Degree and Masters in International Development and worked and travelled in India and Latin America as well as working as an actor, director and writer. He then became a teacher and has been working in the UK education system for the past 25 years. After seven years as Headteacher of an inner-London secondary school, Peter established himself as a leadership specialist, coach and trainer. He has worked for a range of schools across the primary and secondary sectors, as well as for leading national organisations such as the Association of School and College Leaders, Ambition School Leadership, the Cooperative College and Oxfam Education.
Richard Chadwick Director of Finance & Operations Expand Richard is responsible for the smooth running of Finance and Operations across United World Schools. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. Richard has over 20 years of senior management experience across both the charity and corporate sectors, including telecoms and retail. Most recently Richard spent 11 years at The Prince's Trust, the UK's leading youth charity, initially as Deputy Director of Finance and then as Director of Programmes and Development. Richard is also a Trustee and Vice-Chair of a London Multi-Academy Trust.
Dr Kay Khaing Win Myanmar Country Director Expand Dr Kay Khaing Win has extensive experience in designing and leading a broad range of development programmes across Myanmar. After studying medicine in Yangon University, Kay went on to pursue a Masters in Development Management in the Phillipines. Kay’s knowledge of medicine led to her involvement in numerous health and sanitation programmes, including World Concern Relief Myanmar and The Leprosy Mission. She has brought this experience to United World Schools, where she oversees the development and quality of our education programmes in Myanmar.
Surya Karki Nepal Country Director Expand Surya is the Country Director and Co-Founder of United World Schools in Nepal. He is responsible for leading the Nepal team to ensure project development, government liaison and project innovation. Since UWS Nepal’s establishment in 2015, the organization has developed 40 schools reaching 5,800 children. Prior to UWS Nepal, Surya co-founded Bloom Nepal Schools. For his work in education and sustainable development, in 2014, he was awarded the Prince of Wales and UNILEVER Sustainable Living Young Entrepreneurs Award; in 2016, he was recognized as one of 30 under 30 International Literacy Association leaders; and in 2017, he was listed in the Forbes 30 under 30 Asia. Most recently, Surya was selected as a WISE Emerging Leader. Surya looks to dedicate his life to education and children. He believes that education is the only tool to support Nepalese people out of poverty into sustained prosperity.
Sytha Nan Cambodia Country Director Expand Born and raised in Ratanakiri, Sytha oversees the day-to-day operations of the UWS schools in Cambodia and manages their sustainable growth. Before working with UWS, Sitha ran an eco-tourist business in Ratanakiri, bringing him into close contact with indigenous groups across the Province. He developed a deep empathy for ethnic-minority communities and the out-of-school children he met. His role at UWS includes leading all our team in Cambodia there and overseeing the building of schools, the delivery of high-quality education. Sytha also works with district and provincial authorities, including collaborating to plan the transition of schools into the national education system.
Narith Rin Cambodia Deputy Country Director and Education Manager Expand Narith oversees the education and development of United World Schools in Cambodia. He leads our team of Education Officers to ensure the high-quality of education across our schools. He supports liaison with local and national education authorities and leads collaborations with other NGOs. Alongside the Cambodia Country Director, Narith is responsible for all employees, volunteers and visitors in Cambodia, ensuring a high standard of professionalism, safety and performance. Narith has 15 years experience working for NGOs, including WHH, Dosanko Community Health International and CEDAC. He formerly worked for the Cambodian government across different sectors including non-formal education, communal land titling, school building and community learning, and water, sanitation and hygiene. Prior to this, Narith graduated from the Teacher Training Colleague for primary education in Stung Treng and worked as a primary school teacher in Ratanakiri.
Oudam Sous (Loth) Cambodia Building Manager Expand Oudam (Loth) leads the building department of United World Schools in Cambodia. He ensures that all construction is completed to a high-quality and oversees the ongoing maintenance of school facilities. Loth also spends much of his time conducting village research and data collection to identify new communities in need of support. In doing so, he builds strong relationships with communities and provides ongoing support to encourage the parents to send their children to school. Loth has spent six years in this role working in some of the hardest-to-reach areas. Transporting materials to construction sites can be particularly challenging due to the lack of infrastructure, but under his leadership, construction is completed in a timely and quality manner.
Oudam (Loth) leads the building department of United World Schools in Cambodia. He ensures that all construction is completed to a high-quality and oversees the ongoing maintenance of school facilities. Loth also spends much of his time conducting village research and data collection to identify new communities in need of support. In doing so, he builds strong relationships with communities and provides ongoing support to encourage the parents to send their children to school. Loth has spent six years in this role working in some of the hardest-to-reach areas. Transporting materials to construction sites can be particularly challenging due to the lack of infrastructure, but under his leadership, construction is completed in a timely and quality manner.
Ngun Za Lang (Ruth) Myanmar Finance and Administration Officer Expand Ruth manages book-keeping and provides HR and administrative support to the United World Schools team in Myanmar. She is responsible for cash flow management, ensuring all UWS teams and contractors adhere to correct financial procedures. Ruth has four years of experience working in NGO finance and administration. She has also spent six years teaching and translating English. Ruth is committed to supporting the development of United World Schools. Her skills are crucial to our smooth operations and provision of quality education in rural communities.
Khin Ohnmar Htwe Myanmar Finance and Administation Manager Expand Khin leads the financial and administration department of United World Schools in Myanmar. She is responsible for managing financial systems and is accountable for maintaining internal control systems, data management and human resources. Khin has 13 years of experience in the accounting and financial management sector. Four years of this has been within NGOs. Khin is passionate about enabling sustainable development and eradicating poverty in Myanmar.
Myo Aung Myanmar Hub Officer Expand Myo Aung leads our operations across the Mong Hsat region of Myanmar. He ensures everything is running smoothly and that a high-quality education is being delivered. He is responsible for the management of the team of education officers in the region and works closely with teachers, local communities, educational departments and local authorities at the township and village level. Myo Aung has 9 years of experience across the humanitarian aid and development sector. His knowledge of education quality management, leadership and community health have been vital to our work in Myanmar. Myo Aung is committed to supporting minority ethnic children to access quality education and helping Myanmar's long-term development.
Naw Tin Htay Myint Myanmar Hub Officer Expand Naw Tin Htay Myint leads two of our regional offices in Myanmar. She ensures the smooth running of our operations and supervises the delivery of quality education across the Tachileik and Kyaing Tong regions. She is responsible for the management of a team of Education Officers. Naw Tin Htay Myint also works closely with local communities, educational departments and local authorities at the township and village level. Naw Tin Htay Myint has over 14 years of experience teaching within government schools. She has also spent 12 years working for a range of NGOs across the humanitarian aid and development sector. Her expertise lies in school management and coaching teachers. Naw Tin Htay Myint is committed to delivering quality education to minority ethnic people and improving the lives of rural communities.
Soe Naing Myanmar Hub Manager Expand Soe Naing leads logistical and construction activities in Myanmar. He is responsible for the functioning of school buildings and water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. He also fosters strong relationships with local government departments and communities to ensure the success of our programmes in Myanmar. Soe Naing has over 12 years of experience across the humanitarian aid and development sector. He spends much of his time conducting village research and data collection to identify communities who are unable to access education. Soe Naing is passionate about involving communities at every stage of the process, including using local resources and contributions to create sustainable change.
Bunthen Som Cambodia Senior Education Officer Expand Bunthen leads the education team across three regions: Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, and Koh Kong. His training programmes support teaching and learning within schools, including interactive teaching, child protection and effective school management. He also focuses on supporting families to send their children to school. He works closely with parent-teacher committees to overcome barriers to education at a local level. Bunthen has worked at United World Schools for 12 years. Prior to this, he spent 25 years working as a primary-school teacher. Bunthen particularly enjoys the teacher training element of his role and is committed to supporting rural communities across Cambodia.
Hang Narong Cambodia Senior Education Officer Expand Narong is a Senior Education Officer at United World Schools. He provides ongoing support to six schools and leads our team of Education Officers in the Siem Pang District. Narong provides specialist training including focused on child protection and interactive teaching. Prior to joining UWS, Narong spent 11 years teaching in secondary schools in remote areas of Cambodia. He also worked in one of the government's provincial education departments focused on school budgets and development for the region. Narong is committed to providing inclusive education and supporting students who face additional barriers to learning.
Sopheavatey Sum Cambodia Administrative and Finance Manager Expand Vatey leads finance and administration at United Worlds Schools in Cambodia. He is accountable for book-keeping and budget spending. Vatey is responsible for ensuring regulations are being upheld and policies followed correctly. He also supports the management of the wider team, ensuring they are happy and motivated. Vatey has 15 years of experience in finance and administration across many international and local NGOs. He has experience working with a range of partners and donors. Vatey is dedicated to supporting children to access education and helping Cambodia to develop further.
Manjeet Raj Pandey Nepal Construction and Strategy Director Expand Manjeet leads construction activities and supports strategic decision making for partnership and programme expansion in UWS Nepal. He is responsible for overseeing the construction of schools and water and sanitation facilities. He also supports the global programmes team as a technical advisor. Manjeet has over five years of professional experience in the development and humanitarian sector with different NGOs. His expertise lies in construction and project management. He has led the construction of over 100 health clinics, schools, and WaSH facilities in different parts of Nepal. Manjeet is a licensed Civil Engineer with an interest in sustainable development and technology. He believes that developmental interventions should build on cultural knowledge prioritizing the locally available resources to pave a way for resilient and self-reliant communities.
Avinash Jha Nepal Education and Fellowship Director Expand Avinash leads education development at United World Schools in Nepal. He is responsible for setting the strategic direction for education development across UWS Nepal schools. Avinash also leads the design of new programmes and projects. Avinash has over eight years of experience working in various community development projects in Nepal. Early in his career, he supervised the implementation of over 100 projects on renewable energy systems in rural communities across Nepal. He has been recognised as a winner of Ncell App Camp, and [email protected] Challenge for his tech-based initiatives. In 2015, he was recognised as an International Visitor Leadership Program Exchange Fellow by the U.S. Department of State. His research interests include infrastructure and economic development, education policy, and artificial intelligence. A policy analyst by training, Avinash sees the lack of quality education as the biggest threat to Nepal’s long term sustained prosperity.
Binaya Bogati Nepal Finance Director Expand Binaya leads finance and operations at United World Schools in Nepal. His responsibilities include managing the overall finances and operations of the organisation in Nepal, in addition to supporting the team with partnerships. Binaya has substantial experience working in the humanitarian and development sector across UN-OCHA and UN-IOM. Binaya strongly believes that investment in education is one of the most important drivers of positive transformation in developing economies such as Nepal.
Leng Leakhena Cambodia Senior Education Manager Expand Leakhena leads the team of Education Officers based in the Stung Treng province of Cambodia. In addition to supporting this team, she also spends time training parent-teacher committees, headteachers and teachers. Her training is focused on the learning curriculum, teaching methodologies and child protection policy. Prior to joining UWS, Leakhena was a director at Hun Sen Bachong Primary School for two years. She has 18 years experience working within Cambodia's public schools in. She also spent 14 years working with international NGOs in Cambodia including Evergreen Community, VSO, Save the Children, Plan and Kid International Development Society. Leakhena is passionate about helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds to access school and receive a quality education.