The joy on the faces of children at the Asuncion Oviedo School in northwest Nicaragua is something Geoff Morgan will never forget. Along with many generous donors and volunteers, he replaced their unsafe school, which was constructed of scrap metal and wood. Today, the children learn in bright new classrooms in a sturdy structure. This is one of 14 projects completed through Building Walls of Wisdom, a non-profit organization founded by Geoff with the goal of eradicating poverty through education. He invites 100 individuals to donate to each new school project and to help build it, if they are able.
“To date, our organization of micro-philanthropists have secured the funding to build schools in Nicaragua, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Ghana giving close to 600 children access to education,” says Geoff, a REALTOR® with Sutton Group – Incentive Realty Inc.
Geoff has travelled the world exploring, teaching and volunteering in 60 countries and holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. In his travels, he has met people from a diverse range of cultures, classes and ethnicities.
“Nothing has affected me more completely or wounded me more deeply than witnessing the needless human suffering caused by absolute poverty. Witnessing this type of inequity firsthand is the reason why I have made a lifelong commitment to creating educational opportunities for children living in poverty.”
Geoff was inspired to establish Building Walls of Wisdom in 2009. He is supported by four board members with experience in commerce, marketing and education. Currently, they are inviting ‘champions’ to donate approximately $200 each and participate in projects in Ghana and Nicaragua.
Pictured: Geoff Morgan with Jon Tam, a representative from charity partner SchoolBox.
This story was adapted – with permission – from one originally featured on the Sutton Spirit website. The Sutton Spirit program recognizes Sutton associates across Canada that improve and enhance the lives of the people around them.
