Allen is the co-founder of Conscious Impact, a non-profit based in Takure which is a small village about a five hour bus ride from Kathmandu in Nepal. Back in 2015 he was out there trekking with a couple of friends when the earthquake hit and instead of flying back to safety he started working as a volunteer. Having seen how badly affected the more remote areas were, he and his friends decided to start their own organisation to bring as much help and support as possible to the community in and around Takure. Here’s the mission statement from their website:

"Through long-term, collaborative development, we are working to meet global challenges with sustainable solutions and help deep transformation take place in rural communities."

From natural building to agriculture to youth empowerment, if there’s something the community needs, Conscious Impact are literally there to figure out a way to make it happen!

Allen's been living between the US and Nepal for the past four years, leaving camp during the monsoon seasons and also to seek medical care back home which we chat about too. The camp set-up is very modest with everyone sleeping in tents that he says are definitely not made for years of use in the Nepali mountains but they do keep you dry for the most part which is all you really need from a tent! Living this way, being so close and connected to nature with very little need for many material possessions is something I would highly recommend to anyone - even if just for a short amount of time. There’s definitely something to be said about cutting yourself off from all the daily distractions and really engaging with the environment and people you're with, I certainly need a bit more of that in my life that is for sure!

I had an awesome time chatting with Allen about the work he’s doing and the many experiences he’s been through since starting conscious impact. He’s a super passionate and humble guy and is clearly living a very fulfilling life through generously giving his time to serve those who need it most. 

I hope you guys enjoy listening, I'll post some links below if you're interested to find out more information on volunteering with Conscious Impact.

Conscious Impact website and Instagram

Allen's Instagram

Emil’s Website and Instagram