“The only way to change the world is to confront your fears, to take that first step. You can be the ignition that sparks a fire that changes the world.”

—Jim Ziolkowski, Founder, President, and CEO of buildOn

     Rarely has history told the story of a war without any losers. However, the non-profit organization buildOn is making a strong—and, so far, successful—effort to change this paradigm.

Utilizing service and education as their weapons of choice, buildOn volunteers aim to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and low expectations present in so many nations around the world.

BuildOn was inspired by the determination of Jim Ziolkowski, a former GE employee who quit his inevitably lucrative corporate career to pursue, alongside his brother Mark, a dream that seemed a long shot.

Jim’s passion for the redemption and transformation of America’s inner cities and the world’s most destitute countries was fostered by his extensive travels to some of the most poverty-stricken regions in the world. Appalled but enlightened after witnessing firsthand the shocking reality that many poor families must face in countries like Nepal, India, and Thailand, Jim became more sensitive to the economic disparity rooted in America.

“I was completely overwhelmed by the injustice of extreme poverty,” Jim recalls on MSNBC’s Morning Joe regarding his experiences backpacking in Nepal, where he witnessed a group of natives celebrating the construction of a school in their village. “However, I saw the natives’ determination, courage, and hope centered around education. I saw that same courage and hope in American inner cities and wanted to act on it, especially with our youth.”

The program started as a vision for a nonprofit (initially called Building with Books) that offered after school programs for high school students in America’s most impoverished inner cities. The goal was to get the students engaged in active community service so that they could be “distributors of goodwill instead of only recipients,” as noted in Jim’s best-selling novel Walk in Their Shoes. It seemed, around 20 years ago, a far-fetched plan.

However, since its startup in 1991, the organization has placed its confidence in the youth’s willingness to dedicate themselves toward making a positive difference in their communities and combating poverty on a local, national, and even global scale. “Kids realize their true value when they engage in service,” said Jim in a recent book discussion at Stamford High School. He is passionate that community service fosters in young people their capacity to dream and be idealistic. “I believe all young people want to make a difference,” agrees Missy Shields, Vice President of U.S. Programs for buildOn. “It’s just about giving them the opportunity.”

This confidence has clearly paid off, as the organization now spans coast-to-coast with programs in high schools from Stamford to the California Bay Area, and engages about 5,000 high school students monthly.

BuildOn also orchestrates several “Treks for Knowledge” annually, in which a team of buildOn high school volunteers (accompanied by two trek coordinators and several translators) travel to an impoverished village in one of seven developing countries, to live amongst and work alongside the natives to construct a school. Among these nations are Haiti, Mali, Nicaragua, and the most recent addition, Burkina Faso.

Juniors Mileny Torres and Olivia Bullock recall their experiences on their trek to Nicaragua: “We were ecstatic and anxious at the same time,” Bullock said  regarding their preparation for the trip, “but overall we came away with a new sympathy for the impoverished.” Mileny agreed, and added that the trip made her “want to be a more helpful person.” Olivia found that she had developed “a profound appreciation for [her own] education.”

Senior Kathy Villeda expressed similar feelings regarding her recollections from her trip to Senegal. “My world completely changed,” she reported. “My host family prioritized togetherness, and the village prioritized education. They taught me the importance of understanding what is truly necessary.”

Kathy, when asked if she would recommend for other students to apply to go on trek, without hesitation replied, “Oh my gosh, yes.”

BuildOn has helped to construct over 630 schools in these seven countries, with 85,000 children, parents, and grandparents attending these schools globally.

For those who want to get involved in local service and better their own communities before considering doing so overseas, buildOn welcomes students of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life to join together in local park clean-ups, food and clothing drives, mentoring programs, and many other service opportunities.

“BuildOn is a great way to make friends, explore your interests, and gain social skills while surrounded by like-minded kids,” comments Rohanna Wagener, Program Coordinator in Stamford.

High school students have demonstrated their growing interest in helping others, collectively contributing over 1.2 million hours of community service through buildOn. Junior Ivan Li is one of these contributors: “The people you meet through buildOn are truly awesome people,” he said. “They’re all committed toward making a positive impact on the world.” Ivan is considering pursuing a future in humanitarian work after college, largely due to his experiences in buildOn.

The crusade toward world literacy and equal opportunity has found its warriors. They are the youth, wielding generosity, determination, and willingness to contribute to the bettering of their world. BuildOn has, for over twenty years, fostered the selflessness inherent in students across the country. The movement continues to provide ambitious and benevolent young minds an avenue geared toward helping others, along with the resources and guidance these minds need to make a constructive difference. Changing the world is indeed a daunting task, but buildOn is evidence of a leap in the right direction.

“The power of service is immense,” assures Jim. “The power of sharing and connecting with somebody else is transformational. It doesn’t matter who is making the biggest difference; the idea is to make it collectively. Then, systemic change happens. Then, we break the cycle of illiteracy and poverty.”