Omprakash

I have had good communications with Omprakash and I have found them reliable and a group of people who know what they are doing. It is difficult for me to explain myself but I give Omprakask 5 stars, the maximun I can give. I hope that in the near future our missions will be closer to each other so that the needy can benefit from our dedication and effort.

I am very thankful for having the opportunity to connect with Omprakash. Not only did they provide me financial support in the form of a grant but also emotional and mental support during the process of my volunteer work. Through the generosity of Omprakash I was able to travel to Mawuvios Outreach Programme (MOP) in Ghana, Africa and start an after school music program for students receiving free education through the organization. The staff of Omprakash were extremely supportive of my vision for the new program and helped me put my thoughts into plans and action. They checked in regularly with me throughout this journey to provide support and to act as a sounding board for my ideas. The after school music program was a great success and I deeply appreciative of the role Omprakash had in making this dream a reality. On behalf of myself and the staff and children of MOP I cannot thank Omprakash enough!! Thank you!

Being involved with the Omprakash Foundation is a truly incredible experience. My journey within Omprakash began with an internship assisting with social media, which inspired me to pursue volunteering abroad within the network. I was even fortunate enough to be awarded a grant to volunteer with a Partner organization in Peru (Building Dignity). For a high school student who was unaware of the intl. volunteering world, the Omprakash staff was immediately welcoming and unwaveringly supportive.

Omprakash creates a platform for NGOs and volunteers to foster the collaboration that can become the foundation for positive and educational volunteer experiences. Moreover, the high ethical standards Omprakash holds for itself and its Partners is unparalleled. From their online program, EdGE (Education through Global Engagement) to the thorough vetting process each Partner org. undergoes, Omprakash steadfastly exemplifies its dedication to illuminating the importance of ethical volunteer practices. Joining this network--which is open to anyone-- is a really special opportunity!

Omprakash is pretty amazing -- such a great and growing international network!! My experience as a volunteer in Nicaragua was very fulfilling, and they even gave me a small grant to do it. Almost better than that, though, is that Omprakash partners with (and vets, and keeps in constant contact with) awesome nonprofits around the world. So if you do one stint through Omprakash, you're in the network, too, and can easily keep doing great things and having great adventures. The idea is a fabulous one and the people who run Omprakash are tireless and enthusiastic and warm and want the best for everyone involved in every volunteer experience.

Omprakash lead me to a great project (Helping Hands Cusco) in Cusco, Peru, in 2011, where I ended up volunteering for six months. It helped make choosing the right organization with which to volunteer easier, and held that organization accountable by checking in and making sure it was on track. Omprakash also made it possible for international donations to reach Helping Hands and made sure they were being spent in a responsible way. It served as a resource as well as advisor.

My involvement with Omprakash was at first accidental. I was searching for organizations that networked between volunteers and local groups, and stumbled upon their easy to navigate website. After volunteering for 8 weeks with one of their carefully screened Partner Organizations, I was impressed enough to want to further understand how the organization worked. Operating as a network between Partner organizations (social impact organizations, generally with limited visibility), skilled volunteers, and donors, Omprakash provides the financial backing and resources that many smaller organizations need in the face of larger, foreign based non-profits. Aside from the amazing mission of Omprakash, its staff is dedicated, easy to contact, and friendly. I have also done intern work with Omprakash, and it was a rewarding, worthwhile experience that felt like a genuine connection to real people, not just a shot in the dark with a huge organization. I would recommend others to volunteer through the Omprakash network, and feel free to contact any of the staff. Awesome organization!

I am a former US Ambassador to Morocco, 2004-2009. While serving there, I was always impressed by the quality and dedication of the Peace Corps Volunteers who came to Morocco. Since I served for 5 years, I had the opportunity to meet hundreds of volunteers when they arrived, visited many in their homes in remote villages, and talked with them again at the end of their two year assignments. Almost without exception it was a deeply rewarding experience that will continue to enrich their lives and provide unique insight into the world we live in, as most former volunteers will attest to. Unfortunately, the Peace Corps process is not very flexible in terms of the time you serve and where you are posted, and feedback from former volunteers is largely informal and not published. Whenever I came across "voluntourism" opportunities, it became clear most were simply vacations with a questionable project or activity to make participants feel better. This was not going to result in the fulfilling life-changing experiences I had witnessed in Morocco.
Then I discovered Omprakash. Dedicated, smart people created a way to link volunteers directly with needy organizations all over the world, with rich feedback and communication tools to help volunteers determine the best fit for them. And, Omprakash did this with minimal cost and overhead, allowing volunteers to do this at a low cost, and a fraction of the cost of the "repaint a fence and say you changed the world" packages from the Travel Agency peddlers. Omprakash is now offering EdGE, Education through Global Engagement which adds online training and mentorship to the experience.
I am now a proud member of the Board and encourage interested volunteers and organizations to discover Omprakash. Ambassador (Ret.) Thomas Riley.

I found Omprakash in 2012 and began working with them in 2013. Not only was their staff readily available to answer any and all questions in a timely manner, you could tell they were willing to go the extra mile. I found a placement for my time in Cameroon via Omprakash platform and applied for a Travel Grant. The interview gave me a very reassuring impression of what the organization stood for as the staff members asked very perplex questions making me dig deeper into my own understandings and motives of going abroad. I then participated in the first year (Spring 2013) of the EdGE program and highly commend the entire curriculum and all of it's educators. I had not one but TWO mentors (one for the travel grant and another for the EdGE program) who were supportive, compassionate and knowledgeable. I had some difficult situations abroad and both of my mentors as well as the founder, Willy, were always by my side supporting me in every and any way possible. This organization deserves a 10 star. Contact me with any questions - antoniamorzenti@gmail.com

Solid nonprofit network with a generous grant program. Partner programs abroad are competitively vetted and monitored...which is a big plus if you are looking for a legitimate program. Omprakash places an emphasis on needed skills and, consequently, tends to draw in both long term and technically oriented positions. Refreshingly, Omprakash throws out the "good intentions" mold and is critical of voluntourism. It's also a pretty generous org that regularly uses its 501(c) status to filter through funds without fee to Partners... and also ensures that Partners also do not charge volunteers exorbitant fees. With respect to its staff, it is an intellectually rigorous core that spends a great deal of time reviewing partners in the field. The EdGE Program showcases both the competence and intelligence of Omprakash staff very effectively.

I searched for 2 years and met with dozens of organizations to find the right non-profit board to join. I was looking for an organization with a clear and focused mission, truly meaningful and global impact, that was well underway in delivering transformational value and ready to take it to the next level. I also screened carefully for the team in place. I found dedicated and passionate people everywhere but only at Omprakash was I moved by the inspiring leader who has the whole package: vision, intellect and execution. The team supporting him was equally as impressive. Omprakash is changing lives - the lives of its volunteers abroad and the lives of the communities they touch and support through their work and their donations. I am both proud and honored to be a part of the positive change that Omprakash is catalyzing in 40 countries around the globe.

Omprakash is the definition of a great non-profit - focused mission helping fill a real need, led by a leader who is passionate and focused and selfless, with a long track record of accomplishment but still hungry like a startup. Omprakash provides a platform for other global non profits to be found on the web and to fins volunteers. For volunteers, such as students looking to study abroad or complete humanitarian projects abroad or get class credit to intern abroad, the site offers an unparalleled set of possible experiences with the many global non profits. It is truly a platform with global reach. I could not recommend Omprakash any more highly to a potential donor, volunteer, or partner organization.

I first volunteered through Omprakash in 2010. I was able to connect with a school in Peru through their website. I felt comfortable traveling to Peru work with this project because I was able to read blogs and view media from past volunteers and also speak with past volunteers directly. I won a grant from Omprakash in 2011 to continue my work. During that time, I received support and mentorship from Omprakash staff. They nudged me to push my ideas farther and consider how I could make my work sustainable and more meaningful. When I returned home the following year, I stayed on as an Omprakash administrative volunteer. I was able to gain a deep understanding of Omprakash ethos such as the power of human relationships, education and critical reflection. Now, I am a full-time member of the Omprakash team and continue to learn and grow daily!

Omprakash is truly one of a kind non-profit organization. It focuses on enabling and creating network effect towards education, lifestyle and overcoming challenges across the globe. The educational experiences and interconnections that Omprakash offers through the Edge program gives students the toolset and knowledge to form lifelong bonds. For students who are new to volunteering or thinking about Gap year programs, Omprakash provides safe, secure and curated non-profit organization community, by way of transparency, clear goals and one-to-one relationship building process. The team at Omprakash is often found traveling and meeting with new organizations and understanding how they can have a stronger voice at a global scale.

I have worked with the non-profit Omprakash since 2007 and served on the board since 2009. It is truly an organization that puts mission first, holds itself to a high, ethical standard, and puts people first. Willy and his team are committed, caring, and smart individuals that go above and beyond on a limited budget. Omprakash is providing a pathway for people that value a volunteer experience laden with learning, cultural immersion and understanding, and complexity, in a world of pre-packaged, oversimplified, voluntourism trips.

Omprakash is raising the standards for international volunteering. The organization is run on a shoestring budget and is guided by its commitment to transparent, open relationships and dialogue between volunteers, donors, and its partner organizations in over forty countries.