Founders
Benjamin O’Hanlon
Australia
Ben is an experienced educator and international program leader with over a decade of teaching and facilitation experience across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. He holds a Bachelor of Education and both a Graduate Certificate and dual Master’s degree in International & Community Development.
Ben has lived and taught in indigenous Australian communities, designed and led community-engaged programs in partnership with grassroots organisations, local leaders, and students in diverse settings—across latin America and Southeast Asia. His work centres on ethical, decolonial approaches to service learning, ensuring programs are co-created, community-led, and sustainable in practice.
He brings personal and professional experience supporting individuals with disabilities, championing inclusive and strengths-based learning environments wherever he works.
Whether facilitating leadership workshops, mentoring international students, or collaborating on community projects, Ben brings a deep passion for cultural exchange, systems thinking, and equitable global partnerships.
In his spare time, he loves to travel, play the guitar, and explore the coastlines of wherever he finds himself next.
Meaghan Jones
United States
After graduating from Berkeley with a BA in Latin American Studies, and an MA from ETH Zurich in the same subject, Meaghan decided to live and work in the region. She has lived in South America (Chile and Brazil) for over seven years working in both education and IT.
Meaghan enjoys moving to new countries and trying out new cultures and languages.
Eduardo Ferraz
Brazil
After traveling the world for over 2 years and coming back to Brazil, Edu decided to specialize in Project Management, doing an MBA in the field. With a career focused in projects and logistics, Edu has vast experience in organizing and executing different types of projects.
He is Wilderness Advanced First Aid trained with Wilderness Medical Associates.
Edu loves to travel and one of his favorite hobbies is diving.
Community Partners
Brazil
Partnership Ministry for the Environment and Local Leaders
Collaborating closely with local community leaders and the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment to co-design and implement community-led development projects in Paraty, Brazil. These initiatives aim to support the Ministry in it’s mission to balance tourism, community development and natural preservation, including projects such as trail marking in the national park, partnerships with local entrepreneurseach and marine turtle protection. All shaped by the knowledge and priorities of Paraty’s small-scale fishing and caiçara communities, rooted in centuries of seasonal stewardship along Brazil’s Atlantic Forest coast
This partnership brings together grassroots insight and federal resources to ensure projects are culturally appropriate, climate-resilient, and aligned with national environmental goals.
Ultimately, this joint effort supports both environmental conservation and social well-being, reinforcing Paraty’s identity as a living cultural landscape intertwined with a healthy Atlantic Forest ecosystem.
Global Partners
3 Bricks has lasting relationships and led programs with ethical global partners in Bali, Thailand, the Galapagos Islands, the Dominican Republic, and Belize
Our partnerships with ethical local leaders and organizations in Bali, Thailand, the Galapagos Islands, the Dominican Republic, and Belize, grounded in mutual trust and shared values. Across these regions, our founders have co-designed service‑learning programs ranging from marine conservation in Belize, cultural education and elephant care in Thailand, Social enterprise in Bali, education support and tortoise preservation in the Galapagos, to community health and environmental stewardship initiatives in the Dominican Republic. Each program is shaped by local expertise—elders, youth, and grassroots groups guide the design, implementation, and evaluation of projects that reflect cultural traditions and support ecological resilience. These collaborations reinforce 3 Bricks’ model of partnership: ethical engagement, community ownership, and meaningful global exchange. Together, we support both local wellbeing and leadership development, while fostering cross‑cultural learning that empowers all participants.
Peru
Partnership with Indigenous Yanesha Leaders
Over the last decade, 3 Bricks founders have worked in respectful partnership with Indigenous Yanesha communities in Peru, co-designing and delivering vital infrastructure—like a community health centre, coffee production, traditional crafts, and clean water systems. The Yanesha on the fringes of the Amazon with around 7,000 members across 48 communities, deeply value their ancestral wisdom, forest stewardship, and rich cultural traditions.
Every step from planning to completion is guided by Yanesha leaders, embedding community priorities and strengthening cultural continuity through intergenerational storytelling and traditional practices. Together, these initiatives support local wellbeing while affirming the Yanesha’s vision for a culturally vibrant, self-determined future.