When Greg Mortenson set off in 1993 with a group to climb K2, the second largest mountain in the world, he never expected he would make it almost to the top — and then fail to reach the peak.
He never expected two Balti men would help him off the mountain and welcome him to be a member of their village.
And he never expected to start 22 schools in Pakistan while spearheading an effort to educate girls as a result.
Central Asia Institute Executive Director Greg Mortenson shared his experiences at the “Three Cups of Tea: Cross-Cultural Lessons from Pakistan and Afghanistan” slide show with a full house Wednesday night in 100 Willamette. The University of Oregon Outdoor Program hosted the event.
Since his maiden voyage, Mortenson has spent nine years advocating girls’ education in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the literacy rate is close to 32 percent.
Mortenson told the crowd that while recovering from the physical and emotional exhaustion of the climb, he visited a local school and was moved by the conditions he saw. Children were studying in the dirt, and the village couldn’t pay for teachers.
And the villagers saw him.
Before long, they asked Mortenson to help them build a school. He was also instrumental in building a bridge and getting eye care and a clean drinking water system to the area.
After returning to the United States, Mortenson began looking for potential sponsors to fund the project.
Of the 584 fundraising letters Mortenson sent, he had only one success. All 16 of his grant papers were turned away.
Still loyal to his cause, Mortenson did not give up.
Students in River Falls, Wis., where Mortenson’s mother was a principal, started a penny bank to contribute. That bank of pennies wound up totaling $623.40. From there, Mortenson sold his belongings for extra cash. Last minute funds from Swiss physicist Dr. Jean Hoerni helped him meet his building budget.
The project is viewed by many as a way to give back.
“The Outdoor Program likes to promote getting out and having accountability and respect for the impact we have on people,” Outdoor Program Assistant Director Suzanne Hanlon said. “So many people climb K2 without thinking of the people impacted or the garbage. It’s important to give something back,” she said.
In light of recent events, Mortenson reminded the crowd that many in Afghanistan are still wanting peace and stability for their country, and encouraged awareness.
“Terrorism is not the problem,” he said. “The real problem is ignorance, misunderstanding … unemployment and illiteracy,” he said.
International studies major Kirstin Gunderson came to hear Mortenson for just that reason: to become informed.
“There are a lot of different takes on terrorism,” she said. “It has a lot to do with delving into different perspectives to give us a more peripheral view.”