Greg Mortenson - Central Asia Institute

Central Asia Institute

After experiencing frustration in his efforts to raise money for the school, Mortenson convinced Silicon Valley computer pioneer Jean Hoerni to fund the building of the Korphe school. Following Mortenson's success in building the school, Hoerni invited him to serve as the first executive director of Central Asia Institute. The mission of the non-profit organization is to promote education and literacy, especially for girls, in remote mountain regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Mortenson describes dangerous encounters during his travels in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Three Cups of Tea describes his travels in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province including his escape from a 2003 firefight between Afghan opium warlords, how he was subject to two fatwās by conservative Islamist clerics for educating girls, and receiving hate mail and threats from fellow Americans for helping educate Muslim children.

Mortenson has written and spoken widely about the importance of education and literacy for girls worldwide. He has further stated that girls' education is the most important investment all countries can make to create stability, bring socio-economic reform, decrease infant mortality and population explosion, as well as improving health, hygiene, and sanitation standards. Mortenson's view is that "fighting terrorism" perpetuates a cycle of violence where there should instead be a global priority to "promote peace" through education and literacy, with an emphasis on educating girls. Mortenson has been quoted frequently as saying, "You can drop bombs, hand out condoms, build roads or put in electricity, but unless the girls are educated, a society won't change,". According to op-ed columnist and friend of Mortenson's, Nicholas D. Kristof, the schools built by CAI have local support and have been able to avoid retribution by the Taliban and other groups opposed to girls' education because of community "buy-in", which involves getting villages to donate land, subsidized or free labor ("sweat equity"), wood and resources.

Mortenson emphasized that providing children with schooling offers the best weapon against injustice and social stagnancy. “You can build roads, and put in electricity,” he said, “but until girls are educated, society won’t change.” The former mountain climber is quick to highlight the many benefits of providing girls with at least a fifth-grade level of education: a drop in maternal and infant mortality rates, a decrease in population rates, and healthier and more educated families, as mothers pass on the importance of education to the next generation."

Mortenson is executive director of Central Asia Institute. As of 2010, CAI reports it has established or significantly supported 171 schools in rural and often volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, providing education to over 64,000 children, including 54,000 girls, where few education opportunities previously existed.

From 2006 through 2011, Greg Mortenson promoted his book as well as fundraising and promoting girls education through public speaking events at schools throughout the United States. Travel expenses for his speaking engagements were paid for by Central Asia Institute through the end of 2010. Mortenson personally kept monies received in exchange for his service as a public speaker as well as royalties from the sale of his book. In 2009, the total cost of his book promotion, fundraising, and awareness building for girls education paid for by CAI amounted to $4.6 million.