George Srour

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2007

George Srour

Building Tomorrow

http://www.buildingtomorrow.org

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Education & Youth Leadership

The Bold Idea:

Today, over 42 million children in sub-Saharan Africa are not in school and thereby face an uncertain future. In Uganda alone, where 50 percent of the population is under the age of fifteen, some local school districts face dropout levels as high as 80 percent. This is largely due to the fact that the government does not have the means to provide children with accessible schools; additionally, fees for uniforms, books, and transportation are prohibitively expensive for most African families. 

Building Tomorrow offers a sustainable solution by generating one-to-one partnerships between U.S.-based colleges and communities in sub-Saharan Africa. American students learn the value of philanthropy, cross-cultural partnerships, and social responsibility as they develop extensive campaigns to raise funds to build new schools and support strong educators in their partner African communities. College/university chapters develop long-term relationships with their partner communities in Africa as they work together on creating a locally-based education solution. Building Tomorrow intends to open a total of ten schools and provide an education to 3,000 students by 2010.

Biography:

George Srour developed the idea that evolved into Building Tomorrow as a student at The College of William and Mary. In just six weeks, he helped raise $45,000 to construct a three-story school in Kampala, Uganda, which now serves 350 children. George, a 2005 college graduate, credits his experience working for the United Nations World Food Programme for inspiring him to launch Building Tomorrow.

Moment of Obligation: What experiences led to the desire to start your own organization?
Turning the corner at Meeting Point Kampala and being greeted by fifty "double" orphans (kids who have lost both parents to HIV/AIDS) who looked up at me and said, “Hello, madam!” After I learned that they didn’t have any male teachers and ‘madam’ was the standard greeting for any visitor, the organization’s staff said it would cost just $10,000 to rebuild their dilapidated wooden school. I didn’t think twice—I knew the College of William & Mary community could make that happen and it was only a matter of time before we returned and gifted a $45,000 check for a new school.

Gall to Think Big: What has given you the ability to dream big and take on deeply entrenched social problems in the world?
I credit the friends that I've made as a Special Olympics Volunteer for being my own inspirational role models. The heart and perseverance of the athletes I’ve worked with and the lessons I’ve learned alongside of them have been a huge part of my life and a constant source of motivation. In a way, Building Tomorrow is trying to achieve the same things Special Olympics has for people with intellectual disabilities—affording them the opportunity to shatter stereotypes, develop an unwavering sense of self-confidence, and look forward to a bright future.

New and Untested: What’s innovative about your new idea for social change? 
We’re not just empowering vulnerable children in sub-Saharan Africa by giving them access to an education, but we’re also opening the doors to philanthropy and social responsibility for thousands of young people in the United States.  On the ground, we recognize that we’re one of many stakeholders in the field of education, and in order to facilitate the growth and success of a targeted area’s youth, we have to work in partnership with parents, local leaders, district governments and most importantly, children.

Seeing Possibilities: What are the most important qualities to be a successful social entrepreneur?
Unfortunately, lasting social change doesn’t happen overnight. Having faith in the model of Building Tomorrow, as well as some patience in pulling everything together has been a big part of the success we’ve enjoyed to date. I’d say that faith, patience and out-of-the-box dreams are central to social entrepreneurship—you’ve got to have a vision to chase, the belief in the means to make it a reality, and the persistence to get it off the ground.

Which musical artists/albums get you going and keep you inspired?
Diamonds on the Inside by Ben Harper, People Gonna Talk by James Hunter, Gutterflower by Goo Goo Dolls, June’s Picture Show by Ingram Hill and Ndere Troupe.

What books do you recommend?
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, The Known World by Edward P. Jones, and of course, The Complete Adventures of Curious George by H. A. Rey. 

Which websites do you visit often?

• msnbc.com
• bbc.com/news
• oanda.com (OANDA, to keep tabs on exchange rates)
• flyertalk.com (FlyerTalk, since lots of my time is spent in the air) 

What advice or quote do you keep close to your heart as a social change leader?
“Education is the key to unlocking the door that will eradicate poverty.” - Desmond Tutu.