Immediately after meeting John Wood and hearing the story of his Room to Read program, I was reminded of one of my favorite childhood books. Though he isn't prone to wearing green leotards or stealing from the rich, this modern-day Robin Hood acquires donations from the world's largest companies and distributes them to the poor in a form that will last many lifetimes.
"I want to break poverty with the power of education," says Wood, who aims to help educate 3 million kids by the year 2010. "If you want to change the world long term, there's no better place to start than with the little people."
In 1998, Wood decided to take a break from the hustle and bustle of his high-tech executive job and head to Nepal.