John Wood founded the global non-profit Room to Read after seeing poor education conditions in Nepal. He had previously worked at Microsoft for nearly a decade, holding various marketing and business development roles. In 1998, while trekking in Nepal, Wood visited a dilapidated school with too few books for the large number of students. Determined to help, he collected over 3,000 books within two months. He returned to Nepal with the books and was inspired to leave Microsoft in 1999 to focus full-time on improving literacy and gender equality in education through Room to Read. The organization has since constructed 1,930 schools, established 17,534 libraries, distributed over 15 million books, and benefited more than 9 million children.

1. Citizenship 2 Badge work
BB 27th Singapore Coy
Group Members: Shaun Khoo, Maximus Teo,
Darren Choy, Yang Yujie

2. 
Introduction to this Social
Entrepreneur
 John J. Wood, born in January 1964, in
Hartford, Connecticut where he spent
his early childhood
 His family later settled in Athens,
Pennsylvania, where he attended high
school
 Holds a bachelor’s degree from the
University of Colorado, and a master’s
degree in business administration

3. 
Introduction to this Social
Entrepreneur
 Worked as an executive for Microsoft
from 1991 – 1999
 His positions included:
• Director of Marketing for Australia
• Director of Marketing for the Asia-
Pacific region
• Director of Business Development for
Greater China
 Now, he is the founder of a global non-
profit organisation, Room to Read,
which focuses on literacy and gender
equality in education

4. 
 Wood took a much-needed vacation from his work at Microsoft in
1998 to trek through the Himalayas
 While trekking, he met a Nepalese “Resource Director” of a school
in a neighbouring village, who showed him around the dilapidated
schoolroom
 Wood was shocked by the environment, the large number of
children cramped here, and especially the huge shortage of books
 As Wood left the village, the headmaster made this simple request:
"Perhaps, Sir, you will someday come back with books.“
 Wood was determined from that moment on; he emailed friends to
help donate books, and within 2 months he collected over 3,000
books
History and Impact of this
Venture

5. 
 Wood and his father helped to carry these books on a train of
donkeys, and returned to the village in Nepal
 With the heartwarming sight of children with books before
Wood’s very eyes, he was convinced to leave his corporate life
at Microsoft in 1999 and devote his life to this wonderful cause
 Room to Read’s impact
• Schools constructed: 1,930
• Libraries established: 17,534
• Books distributed: 15,641,734
• Children benefitted: 9,700,000+
History and Impact of this
Venture

6. http://www.roomtoread.org/page.aspx?pid=210
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wood_(activist)
https://mteverestmindcamp.wordpress.com/2008/11/01/featured-november-2008-guest-john-wood-
ceo-room-to-read/
http://www.theweeklyreview.com.au/play/john-woods-hair-raising-childhood/
http://www.roomtoread.org/OurLeadership
This presentation is proudly brought to you in GOD’s Name by
The Literal Literacy
References