Before studying at Oxford University, he spent twelve months doing Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), as a teacher, in the Gambia.  Many years later he was asked to join the Council of VSO and was active in this capacity from 1983-90, gaining much experience of volunteer projects in the Third World.  He founded the Sermathang Project in 1990 and has run the UK side of the project since then..

Gopal Lama is Nepal Project Director of the Sermathang Project and founded Yangrima School in 1986.  He is an engineering graduate of Kathmandu University and spent some time in the Civil Engineering field in Nepal.  In 1989 he was selected as the first Canadian Crossroads volunteer from Nepal to Surinam and spent 3 months working on civil engineering projects in Paramaribo.  Since his return to Nepal he has been active in a range of local issues and has visited Denmark, Norway and USA on various commissions.