John Wood Founder of Room To Read

Leaving Microsoft to Change the World. Educate the World's Children.

Oct 31, 2008

John Wood left his career at Microsoft to make it his life's mission to educate underprivileged children. His nonprofit "Room to Read" has built more than 5000 libraries

John Wood's story is one that many dream of. He left a promising career at Microsoft to build schools in impoverished countries and wrote a book about it. None of it came without personal sacrifice. He disappointed his corporate mentors, left a lavish life style and broke off a close relationship with a woman he loved. Looking back on his decision, Wood says he feels lucky to be working in a role that allows him to witness so many examples of human kindness.

How it Began

In 1998 John Wood was an overworked Microsoft executive who took a vacation trekking in the Himalayas. Here he met Pasupathi, a Nepalese "Education Resource Officer" who invited him to one of his schools. Wood was stunned to witness the harsh reality of Nepalese children. The handful of books they had were backpackers castoffs, an Umberto Eco novel written in Italian, a Danielle Steele romance and the Lonely Planet Travel Guide to Mongolia.

"Perhaps, sir, you will some day come back with books," was the sentence that would stay with John Wood.

From one Book Drive to 5000 Libraries

It started with a book drive. John collected 3000 books in his parents garage and delivered them to Nepal in 1999 with his father. Dinesh Prasad Shresta, a rural aid worker in Kathmandu, suggested: "We should be more organized and do this properly. Relying on "results, accountability, hard work , aiming high and selling", management skills that made Microsoft soar in the 1990s, Wood developed a business plan. By the year 2000 his nonprofit had opened 26 libraries in Nepal. In 2008 Room to Read had built 1,500 schools, 2,300 libraries and provided 1,500 girls' scholarships. It has expanded to Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Laos and Sri Lanka, and is now working in South Africa and Zambia.

Room to Read's Programs

One of the key concepts of Room to Read is to engage local communities in the planning and construction of its projects. Villages often raise a significant portion of the overall costs by dedicating labor, materials, space and small amounts of cash.

Focus On Girls

Due to economics and cultural bias, families often dismiss the education of young girls. Providing girls with a solid education has a ripple-effect throughout society. It reduces gender inequity, as boys realize that the girls are just as smart as they are. Benefits for the society as a whole include:

Greg Mortenson and John Wood

Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea, who builds schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, also found that educating girls pays off in many ways. Mortenson and Wood come from different backgrounds, but their stories sound strikingly similar. Both realized how crucial it could have been, if the U.S. had supported Afghanistan in re-building its educational infrastructure after the Soviets left. The Iranians and Saudis were eager to help Afghanistan and built "madrassas" or religious schools, that taught their students a hate-filled, Anti-Western version of Islam.

Get Involved

There are many ways to get involved in one of Room to Read's projects. You can sign up to receive Room to Read's e-newsletter, volunteer with a local chapter near you, make an introduction at your corporation, church, foundation or any other place that might want to hear about its projects.

Inspired by students helping out, Room to Read created its Students Helping Students website, where teachers and students can download Read-A-Thon kits.

Wood, John: Leaving Microsoft to Change the World. An Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children, HarperCollins, 2006. Paperback $10.85.

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