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Stones into Schools, Promoting Peace with Books, not
Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan. by Greg Mortenson. 2009. Viking, 420p.
Following his best-seller Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson continues his
true tale of hazardous work to build schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In
spite of extremely difficult terrain; an ongoing war with numerous civilian
casualties; buried, unmarked land mines; the challenge of a variety of ethnic
groups and languages; and considerable personal risk, Greg serves as an
education missionary.
Having lived immersed in Afghani and Pakistani cultures, he offers lessons to
the West as well as the East. Tribal elders holding the wisdom of that group are
respected and consulted. The jirga, a village council or meeting, serves as the
setting for discussion of issues and possible conflict resolution. Remarkably,
in a jirga prior to a war between tribes, agreement is reached on how much loss
each side can sustain before it ends. By this agreement, this Eastern culture
limits its risk and loses. Western cultures could learn from this wisdom. In an
interview with Bill Moyers, Greg expressed regret that the US did not consult
the Afghani elders prior to the announcement of President Obama’s escalation of
that war.
Wonderfully, his Central Asia Institute (CAI) without government funding, but
from private donations, has built 131 schools. Currently, 58,000 students are
enrolled in these schools. CAI’s mission is to build schools in rural areas
beyond the end of the road. Previously, these children had met for lessons
outdoors, in tents, even in an old toilet shed. The strong local support for his
efforts is proven by the survival of these schools in areas rife with conflict.
While Greg carefully maintains the independence of the CAI from the US military,
he shares his insights with some US military officials. Some top officers
appreciate the high value of his humanitarian work.
Consistently, Greg campaigns for education for girls. He recognizes the multiple
benefits of educating girls and women. Educated women have fewer, healthier
babies.
Recently, the CAI has begun to fund Womens’ Training Centers in cities. Held in
homes and various existing buildings, a woman is hired to teach interested women
from that neighborhood. Due to their popularity, the numbers of centers and
attendees is growing rapidly.
Written January 20, 2010
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