A First Person Account

By Team Dayā Founding Member Jordan Mitchell

I’ve just returned from Nepal where we broke ground on a new school at a small farming community in Shripur Domilla (location here). The experience (as it usually does) took us well outside of our comfort zones, and was as intensely rewarding as it was heart-warming. The community is incredibly grateful, and I was proud to represent your combined support. It’s always very difficult to capture the experience in words and images, but please allow me to try!

After a 12 hour redeye to Istanbul, a 7 hour layover, another 8 hour redeye flight to Kathmandu, a quick overnight stay, then a 2 hour flight to Dhangadhi (western Nepal, just 2km from the India border), we were finally in position for the drive to the community where we would be building our school.

But first, we would visit Dhayapur — the community where it all started back in 2019 during our first school build for Team Dayā! The first thing I noticed driving out of Dhangadhi in our small colorful bus was that the roads had been paved. What used to be dusty dirt roads filled with potholes, puddles and cows, was now quite smooth (though still filled with cows) … and the journey that took 2+ hours 6 years ago now only took about an hour.

Memories and emotions flooded as we were warmly welcomed by the adults and children whose lives we touched (and who touched our own lives) six years ago. We met with the class in session at the school that we built, along with the teachers (that helped build the school with us), and the kids were eager to demonstrate their spelling and math skills. Then we met with the school board committee which, thanks to the gender diversity requirements within the covenant they signed, consisted of >50% women. They emphasized their gratitude for the school we built within their community, and it was incredible to hear how they’d parlayed our support into more books and supplies from the government and more education programs for the entire community (adults and children). The power of education was palpable; I could literally SEE the difference made within the community as a result of the school we built. What a wonderful feeling of accomplishment … which you ALL helped make happen!!

The next day, we drove a couple more hours to arrive at Shripur Domilla located within the “terai” — the fertile farmlands near the foothills of the Himalayas. Access to the community was challenging; once we left the 2-lane highway, it was 45 minutes of rough dirt road over half-built bridges and through dry river beds that flood during monsoon season. We saw no other cars or buses, only farmland and an occasional tractor or moped. It felt wonderfully remote.

The community was lined up to welcome us with music and dance, with everyone struggling to catch the first peek of the foreigners from a distant land who had for some reason raised enough money to build them a school, without even knowing them! They were nervous and shy (we were too!), but it didn’t long for the ice to break … our awkward introductions (we introduced ourselves in Nepali) and attempts to join in their cultural dances quickly elicited warm smiles, eye contact and laughter — which connected us as humans despite the cultural and communication gaps. 

The opening celebration was elaborate and joyful, and the entire community took part — in speeches, cultural presentations, dancing, drumming, cheers, chants and song. All the adults in the community lined up to sign the covenant committing their support for the school, including their important commitment that at least 50% of the students and school board committee are female. From there we concluded the ground-breaking ceremony where the ground was blessed and the first dirt shoveled, then it was back to a final dance involving everyone in a circle. We had no idea what we were doing, but they sure didn’t seem to mind!

During these school builds, the team stays with host families within the community. Our build team consisted of four — two male friends whom I’ve known for some time, and a wonderful woman named Sajal from Chicago recruited by a very good friend of mine. Us three guys shared a small room with a lovely host family just a short walk (through farmland) from the school build site, and Sajal was not far away. Just about every home here is multi-generational, sometimes up to 4 generations (as ours was). They don’t have a lot of space, or a lot of food, so it’s exceedingly generous for a family to make room for us. A lot of their cooking is still done on small fires within huts made of sticks, mud and cow dung. They eat with their right hand, sitting on the ground. The dinners they made for us were simple and excellent.

We noticed the host mom laying outside on a bed structure not speaking to us, and learned that she was menstruating and therefore not allowed to take part in social activities, or be in the kitchen. This is standard practice there we learned, and typically the women are moved to “menstruation huts” (if they have one); otherwise it’s outside. During their cycle, someone else in the household does the cooking and brings them food and water.

For the next several days, we’d wake up at 5:30am and walk to the school build site for morning sunrise yoga from 6 until 7am. (Yoga is a part of Nepal school builds only, given its cultural importance / significance to the region.) Then we’d have breakfast, and work on the build site from 8 until noon, rotating between digging dirt, bending/tying rebar columns and bases, moving rocks, and shuttling sand or cement via a bucket line. The entire community took part in digging out and forming the foundation for the school, and with the use of translators, we engaged with community members as we joined them in the hard physical labor. The initial connections formed on day 1 became deeper throughout the week as we worked and sweated together. After lunch, we’d join the community again for cultural learning. One day it was a gender discussion where all the men got together and talked, as did the women. Another day we learned how to make roti over an open fire, and sesame chutney hand-crushed between stones. By 4pm each day, we’d return to our host families, take a bucket bath at the well, and then play games with the kids that seemed to always be milling about, curious as to our every move. By 8pm each day, exhausted from the day’s activities and sore from the physical labor, we’d collapse on our sleeping bags — thankful for the respite from the day’s heat.

VIDEO: 60 second tour of the school construction on day #4:

buildOn, the group that organizes the school builds, was exceptional at keeping us healthy, well-fed, organized, culturally aware and immersed within the community. They made sure we were as comfortable as possible, had clean water (we can’t drink the local water) and clean hands before every meal, and encouraged/helped us to communicate (and connect) with the locals. They also secured all the school build materials, skilled labor, and engineering for the school.

By the end of the week, we’d dug the full foundation and cemented in the primary rebar columns for the school. I daresay it was the most progress I’ve ever seen on a school build (in that amount of time) and I credit the community for that. Everyone from young children to the teachers/principal to the eldest men/women from the community worked so hard. It was incredible to see, if not a bit intimidating. Their sheer energy and work ethic made us work even harder, and it was hard to keep up!

This journey and experience left a few key impressions on me that I’d like to share:

Happiness is not bought. It’s humbling to leave behind all the creature comforts that we so often take for granted, and connect to a community where poverty, strife and subsistence living is the norm. These experiences remind me that (so long as basic needs are met) happiness is not about the things we own, our “accomplishments” or social status — indeed, the privileged communities we live in certainly don’t seem any “happier” than the communities where we build schools. It’s comforting for me to know I can be happy with very little.

People are essentially the same the world over. During the gender discussion (all men) I asked the men in the community what their biggest concern was … overwhelmingly, their answer was for their children (and grandchildren) to have more advantages in life than they did. Despite vast cultural differences, or whatever divisive rhetoric you may hear, we’re all humans in this world. We want to work, put food on the table, love, be part of a community and above all we ALL want the best for our children. For most of us though, education is “standard issue”… a basic provision afforded to every child. For them however, education is truly a privilege … and the single greatest advantage they can provide their children. CHILDREN are our legacy, and here are just a few of the children we helped.

Technology is the great equalizer. In the midst of remote, western Nepal there was this surreal juxtaposition of new and old. Women are ostracized to menstruation huts. The vast majority of marriages are arranged (not “love marriages”). Cement is mixed by hand. Cooking is done in mud huts over an open fire. Yet broadband internet was being installed in houses, teenagers all over the work site were doing Tik Tok videos and the adults were glued to Facebook. There are no banks or financial services … they skipped that whole “era” and now use apps to transact. Smartphones and broadband internet may be the single greatest enabler of the developing world. 

Lastly, I want to call out and thank Sajal Patel for joining us on her first school build. These are not easy trips. It’s so INCREDIBLY important to have women on these school builds, casting critical imprints among future generations of women, and I was so proud to be working alongside her. Not only is she a wonderful human being to have on the team, but she developed a massive fan base among the women in the community. There’s no doubt in my mind that as a kind, strong and empowered woman herself, Sajal made an important and powerful impact on the community that is sure to pay dividends forward for many generations.

Thank you all again for your generous donations to support this school build, and others like it. I want you to know that YOU made an impact, and hope you feel as good about that as I do!!

Team Dayā is planning more school builds for 2026 now (I’m tentatively planning on Senegal in late November), so please let us know if you’re interested in joining … I guarantee you an experience of a lifetime!

Jordan

Our 2025 Nepal Team

Two of the six team members did not travel to the school building project, but fundraised with their own activities. One ran a half marathon in Malibu, California and the other spoke about the importance of Building Change while raising funds for his own ad tech start up.

“Not everyone has the time to make a trip around the world, but everyone can still make a contribution to Building Change,” said Team Dayā Head of Recruiting Jaryd Knutsen. If you have the time and inclination to travel with us to bear witness, great – but if you are already doing something remarkable in your professional or personal life  you can still deliver a big impact as a Team Dayā member.”

Please consider supporting  Team Dayā. We cannot build these schools without your support. Example investment opportunities:

• $40,000 Fund an entire school
• $1,000 Paint for a school
• $500 In-country mason during the entire construction of the school
• $250 All the nails, nuts, and bolts to build a roof for the school

Our Nepal ‘25 Team

Meet our Nepal ‘25 team and please consider supporting them. All contributions go directly to our school building fund. Team members pay all their own travel costs.

Liffick. Thane is the founder and CEO of Signal North Advisory, where he works with early stage, high growth companies. He spent over 20 years at Slalom Consulting as managing director and created the firm’s healthcare practice area. Donate.

Mitchell. Jordan is a founding member of Team Dayā, Inc. and an alumnus of multiple school building projects. He has spent his career across ad tech including as an SVP at IAB Tech Lab (head of consumer privacy, identity and data), VP product at Rubicon Project and founder, chairman and CEO at Others Online. “I think about the legacy I want to leave. I understand that after I’m gone, it’s not the things I have (or had) that matter; rather, it’s the respect I’ve built for myself in my community and the lives I’ve touched.” Donate.

Patel. Sajal is the director of partnerships & business development at Nextdoor. She has also worked at TransUnion, Turn, Razorfish and VivaKi. “As a first-generation Indian American woman, I was taught about the power of education and the difference it can make in one’s life—not just as knowledge gained, but as freedom earned.” Donate.

Pillai. Mano is co-founder at AI Agent management platform Hypermindz.ai. He was previously chief product officer at Liveintent, CEO at Nikaza and has held product-engineering roles at Neustar, AddThis and AOL. “I grew up in a family of educators, and from an early age, I understood that education is so much more than just reading and writing—it’s a transformative force that can change lives and uplift entire communities.” Donate.

Sepsey. Melodey is the director of enterprise partnerships at Nexxen. She has also worked at Amobee, Turn and Starcom Mediavest Group. “Having an adopted brother from Guatemala and understanding what the daily living conditions there are, I really was drawn to the mission of providing support through education to low-income countries.” Donate.

Sears. Jay is the founder and CEO of Team Dayā, Inc. He also operates the local community news site MyRye.com in his hometown. He spent over 25 years at media and technology companies including mastercard, Rubicon Project, Pulsepoint, ContextWeb, EDGAR Online and Wolff New Media. Donate.

If you are interested in joining a future school build, please contact our head of recruiting, Jaryd Knutsen.

Your Support & The Team

Please consider supporting  Team Dayā. We cannot build these schools without your support. Example investment opportunities:

• $40,000 Fund an entire school
• $1,000 Paint for a school
• $500 In-country mason during the entire construction of the school
• $250 All the nails, nuts, and bolts to build a roof for the school

Three Ways You Can Help

1. Make a Donation Online
   • Example investment opportunities:
     • $40,000 Fund an entire school
     • $1,000 Paint for a school
     • $500 In-country mason during the entire construction of the school
     • $250 All the nails, nuts, and bolts to build a roof for the school
2. Spread the Word
   • Share our mission with your friends, your company and your industry
   • Invite us to speak about our mission to your network
   • Follow us LinkedIn, X / Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
3. Join the Team & Travel on a School Build
   • If you have a combination of fundraising chops, an adventurous spirit and the belief each of us has the capacity to be Building Change, get in touch with us and have a conversation.

Team Dayā 2026 School Project Dates:

We are now actively recruiting members for our 2026 groundbreakings. If you are curious to learn more about joining a build, please reach out to our Head of Recruiting Jaryd Knutsen. Not sure? Watch the documentary Building Change, the Team Dayā Story (8 minute run time), by Kathmandu based filmmaker Shyam Karki of Samson Film Productions.

Guatemala 2026

• Sunday, March 22, 2026 – Saturday, March 28, 2026 
• Arrival by 2pm on first day, departure after 10am on last day
• Arrive & depart: Guatemala City, Guatemala (GUA-La Aurora Intl.)

Malawi 2026

• Sunday, June 28, 2026 – Saturday, July 4, 2026
• Arrival by 2pm on first day, departure after 10am on last day
• Arrive & depart: Lilongwe, Malawi (LLW-Kamuzu Intl.)

Senegal 2026

• Sunday, November 29, 2026 – Saturday, December 5, 2026
• Arrival by 2pm on first day, departure after 10am on last day
• Arrive & depart: Dakar, Senegal (DSS-Blaise Diagne Intl.)

Thanks again for your continued support,

All of us at Team Dayā