Thoughts on Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson

I just finished reading "Stones into Schools," the follow up book to "Three Cups of Tea," and I highly recommend it to anyone who has read "The Cups of Tea" by David Orlin and Greg Mortenson. Relative to "Three Cups of Tea," "Stones into Schools" takes on a more personal and gripping tone, as Greg Mortenson himself picks up the pen and continues the story from where "Three Cups of Tea" ended. In "Stones into Schools," the reader gets a glimpse of the many, at times ridiculous, challenges faced by the CAI and Greg Mortenson in growing their operations in Afghanistan while fundraising in the United States (and elsewhere) and continuing their mission in Pakistan. The stories recounted in the book really show how the Central Asia Institute is not your run of the mill NGO. Rather, the CAI shines in providing a vital service to the people at "the end of the road," where not even the local federal governments venture, let alone foreign NGO's.

That said, the book is only partly about the CAI and Greg Mortenson. Always inclined to focus the attention on others, rather than himself, Greg Mortenson spends much of the book detailing stories of admirable determination and sacrifice demonstrated by his motley staff of local Pakistanis and Afghans. There were several moments when reading this book that I found myself truly touched and inspired by the valor and nobility of these men, who Greg Mortenson affectionately refers to as the "Dirty Dozen." At the very least, anyone who reads the book, should gain some perspective and inspiration for dealing with the challenges in his or her life.

A big criticism of the CAI, which was explicitly highlighted in "Three Cups of Tea," was that without Greg Mortenson, everything the CAI has done would unravel. However, after reading "Stones into School," one is left with the distinct impression that it is now the local Afghan and Pakistani administrators and directors of CAI who are making the greatest contributions to the mission of female literacy. Despite Mr. Mortenson having to spend the majority of his time these days raising money and awareness in the United States for CAI's mission, the CAI has managed to push forward. The CAI has built and currently support over 130 schools in the region. They achieved this success despite unforgiving climates and terrain, limited resources and infrastructure, a complicated political landscape, natural disasters, federal corruption and bureaucracy, Taliban reprisals, pervasive drug trafficking, and widely publicized civilian deaths from U.S./NATO military attacks.

Perhaps the greatest personal appeal of Greg Mortenson, and why I think "Three Cups of Tea" has been so successful, is his fundamentally human imperfection. Far from trying to justify everything he is doing, Mr. Mortenson candidly expresses his doubts, guilt, and physical inabilities. He spends some time questioning whether he has lost some level of commitment to the communities he has helped by now spending most of his time in the West. Then again, who is perfect? Who doesn't have doubts? This is reality. This magnetic appeal extends to many characters in the book. The title of the book, "Stones into Schools," is coined from a speech made by a former mujahideen commander who has spent the majority of his life in vicious combat, and who has probably had to be complicit in opium trafficking in order to provide and protect his community. The story of the CAI and the people of the region is not a fictional novel or fairy tale about uncompromising superhumans moving mountains with sheer force of will. Rather, it is about ordinary, flawed people who have to pick up each stone one by one in order to build a better future. It is fitting that Mr. Mortenson describes the "Dirty Dozen" as "underqualified overachievers," because to me, that description would fit him as well. It only seems natural that he would find some kindred spirits during his noble campaign in Central Asia.

Finally, as someone in America who will probably never have the courage and stamina to do the good work that the CAI does in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I feel that the least I can do is give some financial support for a mission that ultimately benefits us all. Despite all the problems in this world, I become hopeful and thankful when I see people like Greg Mortenson and his staff and organizations like the CAI. In summary, I highly recommend this book. It is essentially a story of regular people doing what they can, which in combination amounts to a great sea of change in the middle of what had been a barren dessert.

-- The Kettle Rumbles
PS. You can buy the book here: http://www.stonesintoschools.com/ and a portion of the proceeds will go directly to supporting the CAI's work.

Book Project: Reader Thoughts

Tamreez from Wembley, UK took the time to write some very thoughtful things about the book. Tamreez read Book 27, and wrote the following:

Towards the beginning of the book, I was really impressed by Mortenson’s perseverance. When he started fundraising, he sent innumerable letters to every celebrity he could think of…including Susan Sarandan…because well she looked like a nice person! Only to be met with no response whatsoever. Anyone else would’ve given up but he kept on writing, day in day out, on a TYPEWRITER of all things and then later progressed on to a computer. But then one fine day, just ONE of those people responded and gave him all the funds he required to build a school! Having only sent out about 2 dozen job applications in the last couple of months, I have absolutely no excuse to complain about rejections…

Towards the end of the book, what really struck me was Mortenson’s bravery and courage. After 9/11 the US Embassy gave orders to every American in Pakistan to leave the country, Mortenson was already in Pakistan at the time on business and refused to leave despite his Embassy getting very fidgety and nervous by his presence there. He stayed on to finish the work he had come for and made some important contacts with the media people who had swarmed into Pakistan hoping to report on Afghanistan’s imminent bombardment by the Americans. As a result, Mortenson was able to form important contacts and put out an alternative opinion out there: Terrorism and extremism were not going to be fought with military might alone, we needed to look at the root causes and EDUCATION was the most important. I wish the Pakistani and US governments would take note of that message.

When those of us who are from Pakistan but living abroad feel insecure or unsafe going back home, I hope we can remember Mortenson’s bravery. If an outsider could feel so strongly about his responsibility to Pakistanis that he doesn’t shy away from putting his life in danger, I wish we can also put aside our fears and concerns and do what’s right.

One aspect of Mortenson’s personality that really shone throughout the book was his humility and humanity. Going to far flung northern areas, he would be invited to stay in people’s homes and share their food, clothes etc. These areas are extremely poor and with extreme weather conditions and little facilities and amenities, except for brief periods in the summer, most people aren’t able to properly shower and/or wash their clothes etc during the harsh winter months. So many narrators in the book have commented on how easily Mortenson adapted to these conditions and never looked down upon the people or feel ill-at-ease whether the bedding was stinky or whether a child was the filthiest thing he had ever seen. He drank their tea made with fermented goat’s milk and being a trained nurse treated their pus-filled wounds and infections. Whether he was hanging out with Pakistani tailors and taxi drivers Rawalpindi or Peshawar, or whether he was living as a guest in the Northern areas or traveling across war-torn Afghanistan, Mortenson didn’t bring any airs or pretenses with him and just became “one of the people” which endeared him to all the locals he worked with.

Finally, if I could give him some advice it would be to take out more time for his family and his own health. It’s amazing what he’s doing and I wonder if he’d been able to achieve all this had it not been for the personal sacrifices and long absences from his family, but at the end of the day I think our family should come first and with bad health, he would hardly be able to carry on his work. With CAI’s finances now improved and a better organizational structure, I hope that is the case and I hope Greg can maintain a better work-life balance. The children of Pakistan need him, but so do his own children :)

I am always delighted to see how this book resonates with some people. That doesn't happen with everyone, but it sure serves as an inspiration for me when I see it happen. Thank you for taking the time to write, Tamreez!

-- The Kettle Rumbles

CAI 2009 Achievementts

Some of CAI's achievements in 2009, made possible by private contributors, like many of you!

CAI schools total 131,
CAI built 29 new schools Afghanistan and in Pakistan,
CAI Students total enrollment is 58,000,
CAI now has 36,000 female enrollment,
CAI has a total of 17 vocational centers,
CAI educated 19 higher education scholarship students,
CAI had teacher training & midwife training workshops,
CAI's Greg Mortenson published 3 new bestseller books,
CAI's Greg Mortenson spoke at 214 events nationally,
CAI's program Pennies for Peace raised 150,000,000 cents,
CAI's Pennies for Peace expanded from 280 to 4500 programs in schools, groups & libraries in 20 countries   

-- The Kettle Rumbles

NYTimes: More Schools, Not Troops

More Schools, Not Troops

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

Published: October 29, 2009

A compelling argument against more troops in Afghanistan rests on this trade-off: For the cost of an additional soldier stationed in Afghanistan for a year, nearly 20 schools could be built. [More]

Excerpt: 

Greg Mortenson, author of “Three Cups of Tea,” has now built 39 schools in Afghanistan and 92 in Pakistan — and not one has been burned down or closed. The aid organization CARE has 295 schools educating 50,000 girls in Afghanistan, and not a single one has been closed or burned by the Taliban. The Afghan Institute of Learning, another aid group, has 32 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with none closed by the Taliban (although local communities have temporarily suspended three for security reasons).

-- The Kettle Rumbles

NYTimes: The Women’s Crusade

The Women’s Crusade

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF and SHERYL WuDUNN

Published: August 23, 2009

The liberation of women could help solve many of the world’s problems, from poverty to child mortality to terrorism. [MORE]

---

Some of these people are truly amazing. Seeing what other people have to go through just to be able to read or provide for their kids makes so many of the things that concern people in my world so trivial. When I find myself wasting time, I think about stories like Tererai's. She spent much of her life being told to not educate herself, not to go beyond what was expected of women like her. She was beaten and punished for trying, but in the end, a cattle herder from Zimbabwe DID go to America, IS making a difference for the lives of her children and her people, and WILL achieve all her dreams, including getting a PhD. Wow.

I think we should all ask ourselves what it is exactly that we're doing with our time, wealth, and education. There is more to life than entertainment and luxury.

-- The Kettle Rumbles

News: CAI Annual Fundraiser in (New Brunswick, NJ)

"Central Asia Institute Annual Fundraiser

With Nobel Peace Nominee Greg Mortenson

Nobel Peace Prize Nominee and co-author of Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson shares his humanitarian life’s work at the CAI Fundraiser on October 24, 2009. He is the director of CAI, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports community-based education, especially for girls in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan."

[More Details]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

News Update from Central Asia Institute

'Click the Share button to create links to this email on popular social networking and bookmarking size like Facebook, Twitter, and Digg.'

Shared via AddThis

Someone stole $400 from Kindergarten students! Greg Mortenson has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize! Greg also now twitters! 240 schools destroyed in the violence in the Swat region. No CAI schools, but still, a sad result from the struggle between the Pakistani government and the Taliban.

NY Times: Teacher, Can We Leave Now? No.

Teacher, Can We Leave Now? No.

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

Published: July 19, 2009

Watching the delight in the faces of Afghan girls crowded into a school waiting to learn put a new perspective on the war. [MORE]

---

Thomas Friedman writes about his thoughts after being at one of the Central Asai Institute's schools in Afghanistan. The impression he got was enough to give him hope that perhaps not everything that has happened in Afghanistan is bad and that perhaps the world can't just leave and abandon the region (again).

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Navy Compass: IA/GSA Sailors hear unique viewpoint from best-selling author

IA/GSA Sailors hear unique viewpoint from best-selling author

"Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission To Promote Peace… One School At A Time is required reading for U.S. senior military commanders, U.S. Special Forces deploying to Afghanistan and Pentagon officers as well as military personnel from several other countries. Many who have read it embrace Mortenson’s advocacy for building relationships as a part of an overall strategic plan for peace." [MORE]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

The Associated Press: Third Afghan Girls’ School Experiences Sudden Illness

Third Afghan Girls’ School Experiences Sudden Illness

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: May 13, 2009

At least 98 people from an Afghan girls school were admitted to a hospital Tuesday for headaches and vomiting in the third such episode in three weeks.

Excerpt: "MUHMUD RAQI, Afghanistan (AP) — At least 98 people from an Afghan girls’ school were admitted to a hospital on Tuesday for headaches and vomiting in the third such episode in three weeks, officials and doctors said."

---

I really, really hope that these girls aren't being poisoned. It's awful that people who insist that girls shouldn't be educated resort to throwing acid in their face, blinding and disfiguring them for life. In "Three Cups of Tea," Greg Mortenson speaks of how he got official recognition from the Shia High Council (forgive me if I am messing up the proper title for this council) that his work with educating girls was noble and is in keeping with the Koran. I truly admire the courage of these organizations, teachers, builders, parents, and students. They are risking their lives and well being to educate young women and improve their future.

-- The Kettle Rumbles

NY Times: "Pakistan’s Islamic Schools Fill Void, but Fuel Militancy"

Pakistan’s Islamic Schools Fill Void, but Fuel Militancy

By SABRINA TAVERNISE

Published: May 4, 2009

"Pakistan’s poorest families have turned to Islamic schools that feed and house children while pushing a militant brand of Islam."

This article describes the link between some madrasas (Islamic Schools) and the growth of militant Islamic Fundamentalism. Rashid Ahmed writes about the same connection in "Descent in to Chaos," as does Tom Friedman in "Hot, Flat, and Crowded," and Greg Mortenson in "Three Cups of Tea." Basically, it is believed by many that the majority of suicide bombers go through extremist madrasas. I specify extremist madrasas because not all madrasas are teaching a militant brand of Islam. In fact the majority of them, do not. Unfortunately, there are many madrasas that teach little more than memorization of the Koran. While only a minority of madrasas is directly linked to militant movements, the article posits that a singular focus on conservative interpretation of the Koran is a "stepping stone" to more militant ideals. Ultimately, fundamentalist madrasas are only a symptom of a more systematic failure of the government in Pakistan to provide education and basic welfare to the millions of Pakistanis. In fact, it is widely believed that madrasas have long been purposely supported by the Pakistani government (with help from the U.S. government during the cold war) as an unofficial military force to support Pakistani interests in Kashmir and Afghanistan. Nowadays, many madrasas are funded by money from Saudi Arabia. If Pakistan had spent less money on the military and more on education, perhaps its stability wouldn't be threatened today by a resurgent Islamic militant movement. My question is, where did the $650 million in non military U.S. aid go? Where is the accountability?

-- The Kettle Rumbles

First Post!

I've been learning a lot in the past couple of months since I decided to start a website to help raise money for the Central Asia Institute, and I am happy to finally be able to make my first post on this website!

Let me start from the beginning. In January 2009, I read "Hot, Flat, and Crowded" by Thomas Friedman. In this book, Mr. Friedman writes about the connection between the violent Islamic fundamentalist movement and the world's ravenous, but potentially avoidable, need for oil. Along the way, he describes the story of Greg Mortenson as told in "Three Cups of Tea," written by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. Mr. Friedman mentions how Greg Mortenson and the organization he founded, the Central Asia Institute (CAI), builds schools in remote areas of Pakistan, which have become sanctuaries and recruiting posts for groups like the Taliban, Al Queda, and other extremist groups. Through the few paragraphs devoted to describing how Greg Mortenson had managed to build over 70 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, despite lacking any government support, having little personal wealth, and facing fatwas declared by hostile mullahs, I became intrigued by the existence of such an organization and such a person.

Much of February was consumed by work, tests, and vacation plans, but when I returned in March, I finally read "Three Cups of Tea," and was inspired by the feats accomplished by Greg Mortenson, and frankly, was disappointed by my own lack of vision and social impact for the past couple of years. His story was the proverbial kick in the butt that really got me thinking about how much I understood about the world and what I was actively doing to make it better. I started brainstorming about what I could do to help. I briefly considered hosting a fundraiser for the CAI, but I didn't think I had the social cache to raise any significant amount of money. Also, somehow, collecting money from my friends didn't seem sufficient. I wanted my friends and others to be inspired and be made more aware, like I was through reading the book. After several days, I had the idea of the "Three Cups of Tea Book Project." There was no better way to spread the influence of the book and raise money for the CAI at the same time than the book itself. The basic idea being that I would personally purchase several books as gifts for others, who would then pass on the book to others. I began speaking to the CAI and learned that with $50,000, the CAI can build a school and support it for 5 years. With some simple math, I determined that with 200 books I can potentially raise $50,000 in about 2 years, if things go according to plan. Over the next two months, I thought further about the logistics of this project. I had several questions that needed to be addressed. How would I track the progress of the books? How do I make the process as simple as possible to participants? How would I be able to collaborate with others? How can I help increase awareness beyond the book?

Through some research and experimentation, I learned about tools and applications available for websites, blogs, online collaboration, and fund raising. I discovered that Google has created a excellent collection of integrated online applications which are fundamental to making the Book Project a reality. (So, thank you, Mr. Google!) Now I have a gmail account which is connected to this blog, the future website (still under development), an RSS reader I use for stories on Central Asia and other social concerns, an online map which shows the progress of every book in the Book Project, and shared documents with "The Kettle" team. "The Kettle" was a name I chose in keeping with the theme of "Three Cups of Tea." I hope it will be a source by which people become more aware and understanding of the plight of other people. The people of Central Asia is one group of ignored and misunderstood people, but certainly there are many others around the world. And speaking of "The Kettle team," I am alone for now, but friends have been helping fine tune this blog and the Book Project. In about a month, I hope to recruit some people to help me improve and expand "The Kettle" "franchise." (Would you like fries with your order of social consciousness?)

Between work and a very, very difficult exam that I am taking in June, my progress has been slower than I wanted, but I am happy to say that in a couple of days, I will be launching the first set of books for the Book Project. I will use this first set of books to prove the concept and make improvements to subsequent book launches. Amazon is making a killing from me with these book orders (200 "Three Cups of Tea" books and several more books about Central Asia, Pakistan, Micro Finance, etc.), but I believe the cost in time and money will pay off in several months.

Whew, this was a long post! I'll try to make future posts more concise!

All the best,

The Kettle Rumbles