Bec Ordish

Bec Ordish has worn and continues to wear many hats through which she explores her passions and purpose. Beginning life as a languages teacher in Australia then switching careers to work as an Intellectual Property Lawyer, first in international law firms in Sydney and Shanghai and then as in-house intellectual property counsel for some of the world’s favourite brands while based in Shanghai and Singapore. Lobbying for change in China and stronger enforcement and protection of intellectual property rights and acting as a bridge for clients as they navigate the maze of China’s intellectual property, Bec loved the challenge of working in less developed intellectual property regimes. Passionate about passing on the lessons she had learned, Bec co-authored a book on intellectual property challenges and solutions for businesses working with China. Using the lessons learned in China, she tested and proved the strategies in China worked across Asia Pacific including in more developed markets such as Australia and Singapore and developing ones such as India, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Alongside her legal career, Bec continued to explore her other passion – Nepal. First going to Nepal as a volunteer teacher between finishing her Bachelor of Laws and starting work, she spent 6 months in Nepal as a volunteer teacher. Establishing the Mitrataa Foundation as a result, she has spent the last 19 years supporting education and training initiatives for girls and women in Nepal. After making all the usual mistakes, Bec realised that the traditional aid model was crippling Nepal and disempowering the Nepali people, creating a dependency grounded in learned helplessness. She campaigns tirelessly to change the attitude – both of the Nepali people and of other countries, particularly in Australia – towards development. Alleviating poverty is the wrong lens. It puts people in developing countries in the position of dependency at the hands of the more developed country donors.

Jessica Amity

 Jessica is an English and Italian documentary photographer based in Nepal, where she has spent the majority of her life. It is due to her diverse upbringing that she developed an absolute love for the country she grew up in, Nepal, as well as its people and their culture. What unites her work is a common interest in people’s stories as well as a desire to effectively communicate the emotional aspect of the issues she documents. Some of the topics she has worked on include social justice, humanity, cultures, women’s rights and gender equality. The goal with her work is to show the beauty, resilience and strength of the people and places she photographs as well as discover and share stories that should be heard.  

Nimu Sherpa-Ordish

 Nimu has worked for Dream Speakers, Mitrataa’s sister organisation in Nepal, since 2013 in various roles, currently as Country Manager. She is also a board member of the Mitrataa Foundation in Australia. Nimu also runs Matan Chhen, a traditional Newari-style guest house in Panauti, Nepal, with Bec.

Sarita Gurung

 Sarita has worked as a Special Projects Manager at Dream Speakers, Mitrataa’s sister organisation in Nepal, since 2016. She also works with Bec in her guest house in Panauti, guiding groups of visitors and guests around Kathmandu Valley. Sarita is also a licensed trekking guide in Nepal.