| 25,000 people die every day due to hunger-related | | | | Looking back, Schuler's motivation to make a |
| illnesses. To put this loss of human life in perspective, | | | | difference in the world came as a result of visiting |
| think of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami happening | | | | Ethiopia a year ago. He will never forget people |
| every 10 days. The horrific impact that poverty and | | | | carrying big yellow buckets to take water out of the |
| hunger has in communities throughout the world is | | | | dirtiest rivers and streams to bring home. He |
| something that weighs heavily in Zack Schuler's heart | | | | concluded that there had to be something he could |
| and he is doing something about it. | | | | do, because what he saw meant that "something |
| He became a contributor to Opportunity International | | | | was not right in this world." The microloans that |
| and has embarked on a mission to eradicate global | | | | Opportunity International provides to the working |
| poverty through Young Ambassadors for | | | | poor were a perfect match for Schuler's personal |
| Opportunity (YAO). The goal of YAO is to increase | | | | belief that, "more than anything, poverty-stricken |
| awareness of the problem to as large a number of | | | | people want a job to provide for their families, to |
| people as possible in the 18-35 year old demographic, | | | | have self-esteem and become respected and |
| so that they can further enable the microfinance | | | | contributing members of their community." |
| work that Opportunity International carries out in | | | | If you want to help end poverty, go to the Young |
| impoverished regions worldwide. | | | | Ambassadors for Opportunity page on Facebook and |
| Under Schuler's direction and in a very short time, the | | | | become a Fan. |
| YAO chapter in Los Angeles has reached 257 | | | | In addition to his work organizing the first formal |
| members; his near-term goal is to get 5,000 people | | | | chapter of YAO in Los Angeles and helping organize |
| to join YAO chapters in the United States and | | | | its Chicago chapter, Zack Schuler has a "day" job as |
| organize the first "Big Day" when every member | | | | CEO of Cal Net Technology Group, a provider of |
| goes online and donates whatever amount of money | | | | information technology consulting and support |
| they can, to help eradicate poverty. | | | | services to companies in Southern California. |