John Wood: A Reading Journey

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Table of Contents1.1 John Wood: An Introduction

1.2 Room to Read – the beginning

1.3 How has Room to Read impacted the

lives of people?

1.4 Credits and Acknowledgements

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1.1 Introduction John Wood, Social Entrepreneur, Founder

of Room to Read

Born in 1964, Hartford, Connecticut

Educated in University of Colorado and

Kellogg Graduate School of Management

at Northwestern University, where he

graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree and a

MBA (Masters in Business Administration)

Worked as an executive for Microsoft

between 1991 and 1999 3

1.4 Credits and Acknowledgements

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1. http://www.roomtoread.org/

2. http://www.creatingroomtoread.com/meet-john-wood/

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wood_(activist)

4. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/08/AR2006090801938_3.html

(Article on John Wood and Room to Read in The Washington Post)

5.

http://www.asianscientist.com/2012/04/features/john-wood-founder-room-to-read-zak-the-yak-2012/

6.

http://www.riverstreet.net/blog/2012/Nov/27/our-room-to-read-in-cambodia/

1.2 Room to Read – the beginning On a trekking holiday to Nepal in 1998, he was shocked to

find out that there were no books in the library of the school

he was invited to visit

Impacted by the words of the School’s Headmaster that he

might someday return with the books, he decided to use his

energy and strength to appeal for book donations from his

contacts

In 2000, he returned to Nepal to set up 10 School Libraries

and with this gesture, Room to Read began its mission 5

1.3 How has Room to Read impacted the lives of people? For the past 14 years, Room to Read has impacted the lives

of 8.8 million people living in the developing world through the

following:

- Construction of Schools and Libraries

- Reading & Writing

- Girls’ Education

- Local Language Publication

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1.3 How has Room to Read impacted the lives of people?

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Playtime in a Classroom in Vietnam, where Room to Read has helped provide Education Opportunities for Girls in Rural Areas

A newly constructed library within Rumchek Primary School, Chheu Teal Srot Kraom Village, Cambodia