We don’t just see the world. We interpret it through our ideas and beliefs, which are shaped by our culture, our education, and by the people who surround us. All of these barriers stand between us and the raw experiences of the world. They act as filters impacting how we perceive, how we think and ultimately how we act. As with most people this insight didn’t come easily to me. For a long time I was enveloped in a reality that was largely defined by what others thought and as a result concentrated my time on things I felt I could impact.
Growing up my view of poverty came from the advertisements I saw on TV with images of African babies with distended stomachs and flies on their face. This depiction desperation and hopelessness often left me feeling helpless. I have to admit I changed the channel.
It was through my own intimate and sustained encounters with poverty in South America, Asia and Africa that my view slowly began to change. Throughout this time I met people despite their difficult living conditions that were full of laughter, hope and determination. All they were lacking was an opportunity to earn an education. What was most surprising was how little this opportunity would cost, just $10,000 to build a one-room school.
Over the past three years Building Walls of Wisdom has delivered the dream of an education to half a dozen communities and hundreds of children around the world. We have seen the difference that our small actions can make and we are determined that this will be the last generation to live in poverty.
Through this experience I have learned that we must live our lives from the inside out…what we value and believe should define how we act. We must open our eyes and our hearts to all humanity and accept responsibility for creating a world we want to live in. A world we are proud to live in.
How do you change the world? One community, one school, one student at a time…
Thank you to all those who have helped Building Walls of Wisdom’s dream become reality over the last three years.
Together we possess the ability to create profound, meaningful and lasting change in our world.
Geoff Morgan
Founder
Building Walls of Wisdom
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