mortenson failed and he nearly died. he was nursed back to health in a remote pakistani village. >> just saw 84 children sitting in the dirt doing school lessons. they asked for help to build a school. >> reporter: and did you? >> i built a school, and then 78 more and still doing it today. >> bob and jane are old friends. >> reporter: mortenson's schools now educate about 30,000 students, mostly girls. 13-year-old saeda is one of them. saeda, do you like learning? are you glad you're being educated? >> translator: yes, i'm happy to tern so i can have a good future. >> reporter: not only does this improve the lives of their families and their communities, but greg mortenson has also found that educated women can be a firewall against extremism. >> when someone goes on jihad they first should get permission and blessings from their mother. if they don't, it's very shameful or disgraceful, and i saw that happen after 9/11, they're primarily targeting illiterate, impoverished society because many educated women refusing to

mortenson failed and he nearly died. he was nursed back to health in a remote pakistani village. >> saw 84 children sitting in the dirt during school lessons. they asked for help to build a school. >> reporter: and did you? >> i built a school, and then 78 more and still doing it today. >> reporter: mortensons schools now educate about 30,000 students, mostly girls. 13-year-old saeda is one of them. do you like learning? are you glad you're being kaeditied? >> translator: yes, i'm happy so i can have a good future. >> reporter: not only does this improve the lives of their families and their communities, but greg mortenson has also found educated women can be a firewall against extremism. >> when someone goes on jihad they first should get permission and blessings from their mother. if they don't it's shameful or disgraceful and i saw that happen after 9/11, they're primarily targeting illiterate, impoverished society because many educated women refusing to allow their sons to join the taliban. >> reporter: mortenson's p