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This one is about how I was able to raise $500,000.00 to build four schools in Kenya – and it's about the bigger impact your business could have…

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19 Replies to “Day 29: Building Schools and Being Awesome”

  1. Thank you Jeff for all you are able to do to make this world a better place in which to live. I have been to Kenya and can fully appreciate the wonder and awe you must have experienced seeing those kids in their excitement over their new school. This was the best of the videos due to way the topic was affecting you as you talked. Your humility, thankfulness for the opportunity to serve and graciousness in explaining it to us were very evident.

    By the way, you look good in a shirt with a button or two on it also!

    Jim

  2. Great Series Jeff. I hope to be at your level one day. Building slowly. I want to give back as well. Keep kicking butt.

  3. Jeff, I was part of PLFLive 2014 when you really hit it out of the park for them. Then I watched the video from last summer and I have to tell you, the goosebumps from the Live event to watching your video multiplied. You’re right, you can’t imagine the “feel” of the impact unless you’re feet on the ground, but I can’t imagine feeling even better than I did at the end of PLFLive. Your impact on the world is amazing. Thanks!

  4. James McPherson

    Reply

    Thanks Jeff for leading the construction of desperately need schools in Kenya. I was there over eight years ago and fell in love with the people. I actually taught and lead chapel service in a window-less school in the slum district for one session God bless you!

  5. Oh Jeff…you brought up tears in my eyes…

    Giving back is really important…I am already dedicating 5 % of my income to charity 🙂

  6. Jeff:
    I love contributing to the local community, despite the fact that I am still generating at poverty level (sigh.) I am NOT willing to give up, not willing to let the disappointment of having people tell me “Oh, what a great service you provide for food-deprived teens, people out of rehab, pets of the homeless”..and yet they don’t support my business endeavor. Hats off to you and your contribution!

    You and your organization give me hope it is possible for me to be an even bigger success,

    Paula
    Sorted Affairs

  7. Yasam Farooq

    Reply

    Jeff, it’s absolutely amazing knowing that you are making an impact with your wealth, there are many millionaires and billionaires who should be doing the same but ohh well, thats up to them.

    Me personally, im only 18 and my plan is to spend the first half of my life (Maybe not half, much much sooner!) making as much money as possible, the the rest of my life giving it all away.

    May Allah bless you ?

  8. G B Crawford

    Reply

    Jeff,
    I understand it’s not all about you, Jeff Walker, it’s about the power of our true potential, and living up to it. It’s about determination, dedication, persistency, applying our beliefs unto action. Purpose. Deeply embedded vision and passionately inspired definite objectives are requisite – our soul purpose. Where you once began, your vision has since expanded. The same is true for each of us. God has magnified you in your work, I believe it is because of what was always in your heart from the very beginning. You were centered upon true principles. The fruits of your labors are evidence.
    We now are more able to have greater increase having had our minds exposed to the possibilities with the true example of your reality. Now our thinking upon your example can solidify our thoughts, embolden our belief, magnify our actions, and help us lengthen our stride. It is a more exhilarating and beautiful day today since we have had our deepest aspirations illuminated with the examples of life altering realities from the results of what was once only a thought – that thought which originated from within your heart. Faith is the moving cause of all action, and you have added to ours.
    Thank you.

  9. Jeff, I was wondering if you could explain to me why so many people are building schools and whatever all over the world when we have such needs here in our country, the United States. I live in the State of Washington and the schools here are a mess. Fact: the state legislature was ordered by the state’s supreme court to properly fund our schools. If they didn’t by a specified time they, the legislature, would be fined $100,000 per day. The fines are up to $34 or $36 million dollars as of this writing and climbing and the schools are falling apart. I hear similar stories in other states. Yet I also hear stories where people are doing so much for the kids in this other country and that country and our own are suffering. Take a ride through Appalachia sometime. Visit some of the schools in the poorer parts of our major cities. They are a disaster and getting worse. Yet again I hear all these people talking and bragging about “look at me” I helped build a school in Kenya or someplace outside the United States. Why is that? Why not take care of our own who then can help other people. If we could get our own house in order we could help these other countries more effectively and more often. If you have any ideas or know why people continue to bypass American school children, by sending their money outside the United States, I would really like to know what their reason(s) are. I just don’t get this. Maybe I am just not smart enough. Maybe my school wasn’t very good in teaching me how to think and figure it all out. Thanks for your time.
    Richard Sowa

    • @Richard: There are needs everywhere. Obviously, I can’t support all of them. And this video doesn’t talk about all the places where I’m giving and/or supporting through fundraising. The reality is that I am currently both giving and fundraising for schoolkids in the U.S. – it’s not something I talk about, because I’m doing it in private.

      However, that’s beside the point – the reality is that we each give where we can, and to the places and causes that resonate with us. I know the impact a dollar can have in Kenya for these people that have extremely challenging circumstances. I how far a dollar donated to World Teacher Aid will go. I know how WTA is being managed and how closely their husbanding their funds.

      When I can do a fundraiser and in a weekend raise enough money to build an ENTIRE SCHOOL that will educate 500 kids per year for the next 20 years… it’s something I can get excited about. More importantly, it’s something I can get my tribe excited about. If I stood on stage and tried to get my audience to give a little drop in the bucket towards paying fines in some school district in the state of Washington, I would have had zero success.

      If you take this video as bragging and “look at me”… then I’m sorry about that. I put this out to inspire others to activate their communities.

  10. My husband and I are just in the very, very beginning stages of of our online business journey. We both work full time jobs with really long hours. I am a kindergarten teacher and it has been an extraordinarily rough start to the year. Today I just sat at my desk and cried–for about 2 min. tops. I have mountains of work to do, but started with checking email. I have been so busy this month with back to school that I haven’t had time to watch any of the videos in your current series but knew I needed a “mental break” today and decided to check it out. To say I was overwhelmed by these videos is a huge understatement. When I watched you in Kenya, I thought–“This is what I should be doing–what education should look like–a happy, motivated group all working together to engage in the beauty of learning. It is so not what my reality as a public school teacher is. I had high hopes that we would be further along in our journey by now so that I wouldn’t have had to return to school this year, but unfortunately it didn’t work. I am having a hard, hard year but more determined than ever to work diligently to pursue our dream so that I am not sitting at this desk this time next year, but rather my own working my own business. Thanks for far more than just a mental break–thanks for the amazing inspiration! Much luck in your future endeavors with this group!

  11. Michael Wagner

    Reply

    I feel blessed that I get to witness your inspiring example, Jeff. I am reminded of that poem by Tagore: “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” It is my sincere hope that we all get to experience, in our own way, what you experienced when you went to Kenya and saw the grand opening of that school. I believe that it’s our highest calling…

  12. Hi Jeff,
    This message brought tears to my eyes. My prayer is that The Lord will bless you in even greater ways. In essence legacy is what it is all about. Contribution enriches the world.

  13. Hi Jeff.
    Thank you for this inspirational video about your fundraising.
    Hopefully when these beautiful kids have an education , the animal poaching will end, and people like you and your World Teacher Aid can make the ‘shift’.
    with love Anne

  14. Erin Nicole

    Reply

    Thank you so much for sharing this experience with us! I was first introduced to you from my brother this last year as I am venturing into the business sector. I was actually in the process of organizing a benefit concert for a organization that helps people in Africa. My brother found some questionable publicity regarding fraud with the leadership in the organization and so I steered clear of that but I still dreamed of going to Africa and I know that I will. You inspired me to believe I could do it by building a team of other believers and finding a cause. Thank you again so much!

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