Mark Richey Woodworking is proud to be sponsoring a school for girls in the remote Wakhan corridor of northern Afghanistan. This is one of the poorest regions of Central Asia and in desperate need of schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure. MRW is working with the Central Asia Institute, a non-profit organization that promotes education and builds schools, especially for girls, in the remote mountain regions of northern Pakistan and Afghanistan. Stone was cut by local masons for the 50 student school and construction was completed in the summer of 2008. It is a 32-hour jeep ride over rugged mountain trails to the school from Kabul, and the region is buried under snow for more than six months annually.

"After many years of travel in remote and impoverished regions of the planet, I believe our best chance of making a real change in the world is by providing education to children, particularly girls who receive on average far less than boys, in many developing nations. For that reason we have chosen to support the Central Asia Institute and their marvelous mission of building secular schools and educating tens of thousands of children." Mark Richey, President.

To learn more about the Central Asia Institute and to find out how little it costs to make a difference, go to www.ikat.org or learn more about CAI founder Greg Mortenson and his best selling book Three Cups of Tea at www.threecupsoftea.com.

Right column image courtesy Central Asia Institute