Rich Walton: The Lonely Edges of Building Schools in Afghanistan

Topics: 

• How to do business where no one can read or write
• How to do business in a tribal country
• How to network in Afghanistan
• Building materials in Afghanistan
• How to build with no Home Depot
• How to manage stress in this environment
• How to build in a place where bombs could go off
• Managing relationships with army base personnel
• What Americans don’t understand about people over there 

Bio: 

Rich Walton had his own Architectural Design business for 30 years, winning several awards for his home designs in the Pacific Northwest. Upon accepting work in Afghanistan in 2009, Rich soon gained a passion for winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people in remote areas by helping build schools that made education available to boys and girls. He firmly believes the only way Afghanistan will survive is through education. Walton worked in Afghanistan for more than four years, traveling all over the country as a construction manager and architectural designer, helping build facilities for both the U.S. and Afghan armies. More importantly, Rich was a key member of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), where he designed and helped construct medical facilities, the Herat University women’s dorm, and a variety of other projects. Upon his return from 4.5 years of service Rich has had unexpected and often unplanned opportunities to speak about his experiences with the people, places and work completed there. He now also shares his experiences in his book One Brick at a Time – Winning the Hearts and Minds of the Afghan People.

Links:
Rich Walton's Website
Rich Walton's LinkedIn Page
Rich Walton's Facebook Page

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