The Richmond Mayo-Smith, Jr. Visionary Fund was created by the board and staff of World Education to honor the memory and celebrate the life of an extraordinary educator and humanitarian who was instrumental in launching World Education. Richmond, or Dick, Mayo-Smith built his life around an idea that fueled his work:

“The possibility of making the world a better place for the next generation is for me both the major challenge of the human species and its unique capacity.”

Dick had a long history with World Education. He generously shared his passion and his deep knowledge with our partners, staff, and leadership from the organization’s very beginning in 1951. While in India at the University of Delhi, he worked with World Education founder Welthy Fisher and was instrumental in building its predecessor, Literacy House in Lucknow. Dick went on to work for World Education and then served on our Board of Directors, including becoming Chair of the Board from 1975-1981.

Your donations in Dick’s honor have made a difference in the lives of people like Dikchhaya, a Nepali woman who was forced to drop out of school for bonded labor, who learned responsive parenting and educational support for her daughter Liza, through World Education.

It is because of your continued support that this fund helped 24 unexploded ordnance (UXO) accident survivors in Laos gain livelihood training and small grants to start their own small businesses.

Your support will help ensure that our work to provide greater access to education for thousands of students like Sona, who returned to school with Youth on the Move Cambodia, continues for years to come.

We invite you to join us in continuing to recognize the vision and dedication of Dick Mayo-Smith, a man who has helped World Education grow around the world. When asked if you would like to donate to a specific project, please enter “Mayo-Smith Fund.” Checks can be mailed to World Education at 44 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210 to the attention of the Fundraising Department.

If you would like to discuss the fund or start your own legacy, please email: thankyou@worlded.org or call us at (617) 482-9485.