Three Cups of Tea

One of the privileges of having financial security is the luxury of having enough to give to others. Certainly giving to others can be practiced at all of levels of financial well-being. Arguably the more financially success one is, the more one is capable of sharing that with others.

You often hear folks not wanting to donate money to organizations because they are afraid that their contributions won’t really effectively reach those in need. I wanted to share with our readers an incredible opportunity to contribute to the development of those in need and know that your money will be well spent.

Three Cups of Tea is a story about Greg Mortenson, an American whose failed summit of K2 redirected his life to promote peace one school at a time. The book details Greg’s thrilling adventures that have resulted in building 61 schools and educating 25,000 children of Pakistan and Afghanistan. I predict that it is incredibly likely Greg will achieve the Noble Peace Prize in years to come.

The book itself is a tribute to what one man’s passion can achieve. It is also a true example of how development dollars could be spent more effectively if need was met with flexibility and reason rather than bureaucracy. (I write this in a seat brought to you from the American people with the generous support of USAID, an agency that despite best intentions by many remains bureaucratic by nature.)

If Three Cups of Tea interests you at all I would check out the book. If you purchase online going to Amazon through the website, 7% of the cost will go towards building schools in central Asia. The Central Asia Institute is a place were you can see your money go to a charity that will spend your money well. The CAI has managed to keep the cost of building schools to an estimated $20,000 per school and also works on scholarship and health related projects.

Another opportunity to contribute was also started by Greg. Pennies for Peace is is a way for children to learn about the world and help children around the world to enjoy the luxury of education. The first $623.45 for Greg’s first school came from children collecting pennies. If you know someone who is an educator or have kids that you would like to share the lesson of giving, this is a great avenue to do so.

Salaam Alaikum – Peace be with you!

Miel

Images courtesy Greg Mortenson, Central Asia Institute