In 1993, this hiker drifted into an impoverished Pakistan mountain village after a failed attempt to climb K2. After he regained his health, he promised to return and build a school. Over the next decade he has built over 60 schools educating over 25,000 children especially girls. He is a living hero to rural communities of Afghanistan and Pakistan, where he has gained the trust of Islamic leaders, commanders and tribal chiefs for his tireless efforts. He is one of few foreigners who has worked extensively in the front lines of the war on terror.

His book Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time was a best seller. This brilliant storyteller is a real-life Indiana Jones and a testament to the power of the humanitarian spirit.