Our Team

Guatemala Volunteer Airport PickupScott Burke, Founder

In 2000 Scott Burke left the corporate world to serve as a volunteer English teacher in Nepal. Returning to Philadelphia, he founded the non-profit Cosmic Volunteers to help others experience and contribute to non-Western cultures. Scott is a Philadelphia native and alum of the William Penn Charter School and Franklin & Marshall College. Contact Scott via Facebook.


Nepal Volunteer Niraj DhakalNiraj Dhakal, Global Programs Director

A native of Nepal, Niraj founded the non-profit Helping Hands Club Nepal in 1999. Niraj and his family served as host family and coordinators for Scott Burke during his trip to Nepal in 2000. Since then Niraj has served as our Global Programs Director. Niraj splits time between Nepal and Australia with his family.


Ghana Volunteer Mary AfariMary Afari, Senior Program Director

Mary and her family have worked with Scott Burke since 2006 to run volunteer programs throughout Ghana. A native of Ghana, Mary is the founder and director of both the Shalom Women Development Network and the Gold Maeir Academy in the Volta Region of Ghana. Mary has run workshops for over two decades for women in Ghana on topics including business management, sustainable agriculture, HIV/AIDS, and reproductive health.