Central Asia Institute Educates Girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Warning: I am going to get on my political soapbox here but please bear with me. During the holiday season everyone wishes and prays for peace but we really need to do something more than just talk and wish and pray. We are fighting 2 wars and yes, they are necessary for our safety and morality but using violence to fight violence only creates more violence. Something has to be done at the root level, where intolerance and hatred begins that leads to violence.

One man is doing this and is succeeding at it, “one child at a time”. Greg Mortenson is the co-founder of the Central Asia Institute which develops and runs schools in remote areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. His belief is that peace can be achieved by getting rid of ignorance and hatred and the only way to do that is through education. His schools are primarily girls because he says, “When you educate a boy, you educate an individual but when you educate a girl you educate a community.” These are such powerful concepts and it hit me like a brick wall when I heard an interview with him on NPR. His book, Three Cups of Tea about his journey from climbing K2 to changing the world, just hit the best seller list. There is also Three Cups of Tea: The Young Reader’s Edition.

You can help Greg’s goal of peace and hope by donating to the Central Asia Institute. He is 100% privately funded and this is important because that means he can keep politics out. His schools are not an extension of the US government and military. The staff of CAI are from local villages who know the cultures of tribal communities. This is the only way to achieve sustainable and successful development of these programs. There is no imposition from external judgments, of what “we” think is best for “them”. This is a very special program and awareness is key but obviously donation is the most important. Please consider a donation of any amount.