An Interview With Greg Mortenson

An Interview With Greg Mortenson

Humanitarians such as Greg Mortenson wage wars of ideas. In his best-seller Three Cups of Tea, Mortenson told of how he built a school in a remote village in Pakistan. He has since founded more than 130 schools in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, hoping to replace extremism with literacy, especially for girls.
In an interview with Goodreads, a website for book lovers Mortenson explains why girls’ education in these areas is so crucial: “…(T)he first thing that happens is that girls teach their mothers how to read and write. Boys tend to just learn for themselves. Girls immediately start teaching their mothers. It spreads like wildfire….When women have an education…they are much less likely to encourage their sons to participate in violence or terrorism or to join the Taliban.” Throughout the interview, Mortenson displays his unique courage, perseverance and selflessness.
Mortenson’s new book, Stones Into Schools, describes his recent progress in Afghanistan and how women are using education to better their communities. It’s hard not to be inspired by this account of how one person can make a profound difference in the lives of thousands of people.
You have to join Goodreads to see the entire interview, which is FREE, but it’s well worth the effort. Plus, you’ll see all the other great things on this social networking site for readers.