According to UNESCO: there are over 154 million children in the world deprived of education due to poverty, slavery, racism, religious extremism, gender discrimination, and geographical isolation. The cost to educate a child in the third world is about $ 1 per month per child. To achieve global literacy, the investment would be $ 8 billion per year for 15 years.
Greg MortensonMy father ended up starting the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, which is on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. My mother started a school.
Greg MortensonAnd they did it with something that is basicly worthless in our society - pennies. But overseas, pennies can move mountains
Greg MortensonIn times of war, you often hear leadersโChristian, Jewish, and Muslimโsaying, โGod is on our side.โ But that isnโt true. In war, God is on the side of refugees, widows, and orphans.
Greg MortensonOnce you educate the boys, they tend to leave the villages and go search for work in the cities, but the girls stay home, become leaders in the community, and pass on what they've learned. If you really want to change a culture, to empower women, improve basic hygiene and health care, and fight high rates of infant mortality, the answer is to educate girls.
Greg Mortenson