Age: 23
Home Town: Springfield, Pennsylvania
Education: BA, Philosophy and English, Tulane University
Specific Field Interests: Education and rural development, meditation and yoga, religion and ecology
Placement: Ashram Paryavaran Vidyalaya (Anjanisain, Uttarakhand)
Area of Focus: Education

Highlights: My passions for education, rural livelihood, and meditation come from my experiences working in Kenya and Thailand. My time with the Maasai American Organization in Losho, Kenya, inspired me to dedicate myself to service and to work for educational opportunities in poor, marginalized communities. This commitment led me to Thailand on a Fulbright fellowship, where I taught English at a small government school in Chiang Mai province and worked with refugee and migrant women from Myanmar. I hope to use these past experiences this year to learn more about myself, holistic education in rural communities, and self-sufficient development. I come to AIF honored and excited for the chance to immerse myself in Garhwali culture, practice mindfulness and yoga, and make friendships with the people and community of Ashram Paryavaran Vidyalaya.

Posts by matthewkelly

November 18, 2013 2

A Vipassana Education

A few days ago as I was about to begin an activity with our 4th […]

November 14, 2013 1

A Vipassana Education

A few days ago as I was about to begin an activity with our 4th […]

October 21, 2013 6

Mindful Development

I have often wondered at what we call sustainable development. It is difficult enough to […]

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