Can one person make a difference in the world? Can one person battle the war on terror with books instead of bloodshed? Can one person change the perception some of the most hostile countries have of the United States? Today I would like to share with you how Greg Mortenson, director of the Central Asia Institute, is changing the world through the use of education. From his failed attempt at K2, and near death, Greg was nursed back to help by locals in a remote Pakistani village. Wanting to show is gratefulness, he promised to return to build a school for the local children. To fulfilling his promise and building the school, and with his overwhelming success as director of the Central Asia Institute, Greg Mortenson has proven that one person can make a difference.
How did Greg Mortenson end up on K2 and ultimately that small Pakistani village?
In 1993 Greg decided to climb K2, the 2nd highest mountain in the world, to honor the death of his younger sister. After spending two and a half months on the mountain, and performing a high altitude rescue, Greg accepted failure of not reaching the summit and began to descend. During his descent, he became disoriented and lost and took a wrong term. Near death, he was helped into a local Pakistani village (Korphe) where he was nursed back to health. Wanting to repay the villagers for their compassion, Greg promised to return to build a school for the local children. Before he left, he used his left over expedition supplies and medical knowledge to help the locals.
How did Greg Mortenson keep his promise of building that school?
Back home in California he sat down at his typewriter and began writing letters asking people to help donate money the $12,000 needed to build the first school. The response was less than overwhelming. One response he received was from his mom, who had collected over 62,000 pennies to help build the school. As Greg would say “Children had taken the first step towards building the school and they did it with something that is practically worthless in our society—pennies. But overseas, pennies can move mountains.”
Of the 580 letters Greg sent out, including one to Oprah Winfrey, he received one other response. That was from Tom Brokhaw, who like Greg was an alumnus of the University of South Dakota. Tom sent Greg a check for $100 with a note wishing him luck.
Eventually Greg’s luck did change when he met a Silicon Valley pioneer named Jean Hoerni who agreed to donate the $12,000 needed to build the first school. When Greg went to his PO Box to pick up the check, he found it there with a small not saying “Do not screw this up. Regards. JH.”
Greg cashed the check for $12,000, stuffed the cash in a leather bag, and boarded a plane to Pakistan. When he arrived he used his contacts from his failed K2 attempt and the local villagers to try and buy labor and supplies needed to build the school.
The progress at first was slow due to local Pakistani customs. According to an old proverb, “the first time you have tea with a villager you are a stranger. The second time you are an honored guest. The third time you are family.” Thus it takes 3 cups of tea in order to gain the trust and respect of the locals in order to conduct business. Finally on December 10, 1996, three years after behind nursed back to life, Greg Mortenson completed the first school and fulfilled his promise. But Greg wasn’t done there.
What has Greg Mortenson done since building that first school in 1996?
In 1996 Greg became the director of the Central Asia Institute (CAI), which has helped build schools, support teachers, and educate people throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan. To date Greg and the CAI have built 61 schools, supported over 562 teacher, educated 25,000 students, including 14,000 girls and have been active in other parts of the region such as Mongolia.
While building these schools Greg has been kidnapped, had his life threatened by an angry Islamic cleric for educating Pakistani women, been in the middle of a firefight between local tribes, and has even received hate mail from fellow Americans for educating Islamic children.
For his work, Greg is highly respected in the region and as one Pakistani journalist said: “For the jobless and economically deprived, with little self-knowledge, they admire war because it is something they can adapt to and through which gives their life meaning. Thus the work Greg is doing, educating the local people, particularly women, is giving them the tools they need to pull themselves out of poverty.”
So I ask you again, can one person make a difference in the world?
From his failed attempt at K2, and near death, and the local villagers nursing him back to health to his promise to repay his gratefulness by returning to build a school, to keeping that promise, and finally with his overwhelming success, Greg Mortenson has proven that one person can make a difference.
Whether we are educating women in remote parts of the earth, taking a more active role in our children’s lives, becoming a mentor, or donating our time or money to a cause we believe in, each one of use can make a difference.
I urge anyone who is interested in finding out more about Greg Mortenson to pick up a copy of the NY Times Bestseller, “Three Cups of Tea.” To find out work about the Central Asia Institute, please visit their website at www.ikat.org.