Today was the third day of education week for the Global L.E.A.D. program. The speakers for the day were Louis and Leone Van Der Linde and one of the many students they have impacted with their pay-to-read program. Though there are similar programs in the states, none I have heard about have been able to make such an impact, on so large a level. To be able to motivate a mass of students to read these books and actually incorporate what they have read into their everyday lives is truly amazing. Being able to hear first hand how the program was able to make such a strong impression on one of the students helped our group understand what the program was about. The program works to take some of the school’s most troubled students and transform them into the schools best.
Apart from speaking about the book program, Leone spoke about the power of giving and not only how it makes a difference in the lives of those you give to, but on yours as well. She spoke of the power of dreaming and always doing your own thing. The moment in her speech that stuck out the most personally was when she said that you should give like a tree. “The tree does not discriminate between the rich or the poor, it gives unconditionally.” What a way to live, you don’t think about giving, you just give to those who need it most. Leone then moved on to speak about our overnight trip to the township, which we learned she coordinated. Before we arrived in the township and even after we left, none of us knew where the food that the soup mothers provided the children came from. Today we learned that all the food came straight from the Van Der Linde’s. I cannot begin to express the inspiration I felt coming out of the speech this morning… I can only hope that one day I can make an impact somewhat similar to theirs.
--Josh Green
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