The CWS Team
Douglas Maclagan, Founder
Douglas was the founding chairman of Child Welfare Scheme in 1997. Since then, he has
raised well over 1 million pounds to create one of the most effective children’s charities in Nepal. He has established a network of CWS organizations (Nepal, United Kingdom, Hong Kong), which continues to grow and gain respect worldwide for its novel development achievements. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to Child Welfare and Development, Douglas was awarded the Gusi Peace Prize in 2004 and the Unsung Heroes Award in 2008. He was educated in England and The Netherlands and holds a degree in English and has two certificates in youth counseling and child psychology. He speaks 4 languages fluently of which one is Nepali. Today, he lives in Nepal where he continues to fight for the rights of disadvantaged children.
Gordon Oldham, Chairman
Gordon is difficult to sum up but we’re going to give it a try. He is first and foremost an explorer; he is enthusiastic about new ventures and is never one to turn down an expedition. Gordon thrives off adrenalin and cannot sit still. He collects experiences and memories everywhere he goes and dedicates his time to his wife, son and grandchildren as well as his hotels and legal career. Despite all this, Gordon devotes much of himself to CWS. Over the years, he has run marathons across various terrains such as the Gobi Desert, the Sahara Desert and the Atacama Desert to raise funds for children in Nepal.
Sandra d’Auriol, Director
Sandra has lived in Hong Kong since 1983. She is British, 4th generation born in India,
and grew up between Singapore and Ibiza. Every season, she creates one-of-a-kind jewelry which is exhibited in various cities such as London, Paris, New York, Milan, and others. All profits from her business is donated to a range of children’s, women’s and environmental causes. She has been involved with CWS since 1999 and despite being a wonderful and busy mother, wife and friend, she always has plenty of time to help anyone in need.
Zein Williams, Director
Zein was born in Jordan and her family moved to HK in 1984. Having received a mixture of Chinese and
Western education in HK and having traveled extensively in Asia and the Middle East with her family throughout the 80s and 90s, Zein developed an interest in the economics, sociology and the history of Development and a passion for helping those less fortunate. Having received her BA in Sociology and Development Studies at the University of Sussex in the UK in 2001, Zein then returned to HK to pursue a career in the NGO field. She was determined to find an organisation that was cost effective, personal, transparent and sustainable – all this led her to CWS.
The Team in Hong Kong
The small team in Hong Kong actively sources funding for CWS from various donors in Hong Kong. They work together to ensure that the projects have the funding required to continue to support children and families in Nepal.
The Team in Nepal
The CWS team in Nepal is made up of a dedicated group of local and international staff who work directly with our beneficiaries. CWS Founder, Douglas Maclagan is also based in Nepal and oversees the activities there.
CWS UK
Since our inception in Hong Kong, we have been working closely with a charity in London called
CWS UK
. Together we fund the team in Nepal and share some of the same projects. This allows us to save costs, share resources and reach out to more children