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VOL. 27, NO. 26, March 07, 2008 (Falgun 24 2064 B.S.)
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LEAVING MICROSOFT TO CHANGE THE WORLD
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Saga Of Inspiration
One fateful journey of an American trekker leads to a momentous inspiration triggering the worldwide phenomenon called Room To Read
By SANJAYA DHAKAL
Ten years ago when John Wood came to Nepal on a three-week holiday from his extremely busy schedule as an executive-level officer at the world-famous Microsoft Company, little had he thought how momentous a turn his life would take in subsequent years.
The very objective and the path of John Wood changed when he chanced upon a visit to a dilapidated school in a remote village in Bahundanda of Lamjung district in western Nepal.
Then working as the business development director for Chinese region for the Seattle-based Microsoft Company, Wood gladly abandoned the prestige, money and power for the sake of leading a campaign to help underprivileged children around the world.
It was a mere chance that one day during his trekking, he met with Pashupathi Neupane, a local district resource person. Hearing about the lack of resources to improve school education in villages from Neupane, Wood decides to pay a visit to a local school the following day.
There he finds the school in poor physical condition. An avid readers from childhood, Wood is further distressed to find no books in the school library. A few books they had were locked inside a tin box because of teachers' fear that 'kids could ruin them.'
Neupane told Wood that though he was a district resource person, he did not have enough resources. "Maybe you can help," was what Neupane told him
"I did not know when he spoke those words where that would lead," Wood said, speaking at a function held at Yala Maya Kendra last week, which was held to launch the Nepali translation of his global bestseller "Leaving Microsoft to Change the World" – a book about his rich saga of experience from Bahundanda to Seattle to cocktail fund-raisings to business practices and so much.
Neupane's words subsequently led Wood to quit his highly-paid job and high life and wander in search of kids' books. He called his friends and acquaintances requesting for donation of children's books. No sooner he collected thousands of them, which he brought to Bahundanda loaded on the back of a yak.
That move ignited an entire campaign called Room To Read. The campaign founded by Wood helps set up libraries by donating books to the remote regions for the purpose of underprivileged kids; it also aids in computer education and provides scholarship to girl students.
The campaign has now expanded beyond Nepal. "What started in Nepal has been exported to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and in five provinces of India. What started here has leapt across the oceans and reached South Africa and Zambia," said Wood.
The Room To Read has founded over 5000 libraries and set up more than 400 schools apart from providing scholarships to over 4000 girls across the region.
Wood's book describes one man's inspiration, which goes on to change not only his life but also the lives of thousands of underprivileged kids around the world.
Translated by Nepali writer Khagendra Sangraula, the book titled "Microsoft Dekhi Bahundanda Samma" was launched by Neupane and Wood jointly.
"I hope that we will similarly be able to help the underprivileged students from Rolpa, Rukum, Dolpa and other parts," said Pashupathi Neupane, gleaming with pride when speaking at the launching ceremony.
As one commentator Anil Chitracar said about Wood's book,"It shows to many youngsters even from Nepal who aspire to one day work for Microsoft company that the journey to Microsoft is but half a journey. The other half is about returning back to Nepal and working for the society here."
