I'd always dreamed of exploring Africa, ever since I read my first Tarzan(<<>> )comic as a child. Finally, in 2004, to celebrate my 60thbirthday, I went to Tanzania to experience a safari and climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. Seated next to me on the flight was Tanzania's minister of water and wildlife development. We talked for thousands of miles, and he arranged me to visit a school. When I toured the school, I was shocked. The leaky roofs turned the dirt floors into mud during the rainy season, and the walls couldn't keep out the heat, cold or bugs . The school was in need of all material goods, but the kids possessed great human spirit. It broke my heart that these children had to struggle to survive, so I asked the headmaster what it would cost to feed them. As little as 20 cents per child per day, he told me. Immediately I got home, I founded Kids of Kilimanjaro. Since then we've grown to provide hot lunches for nearly 13,000 schoolchildren every day. The free lunch program has eased a major problem the youngsters face. I know a good education could really make a difference in these children's lives. My parents always stressed the importance of education. I paid my own way through college in Tokyo by teaching English to students and businesspeople. After attending university I moved to San Francisco, when I was 25 years old. In 1978 I realized my American dream when I founded my own company. My success all started with a good education. It's amazing that something as simple as a nutritious lunch can change and enrich so many lives. Giving young people a better, healthier life can inspire them to go all the way through college and lead a movement that transforms their country. Why did the author go to Tanzania to celebrate his 60thbirthday?
He was curious about what Africa was like. He was concerned about the Africans' miserable life. He wanted to get an idea of the area's wildlife. He hoped to lead a movement that would transform his country.