Travel Tales Podcast
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The true mark of a good person is leaving the world a better place than how you found it.
If that is truly the case, then there’s no question that Barton Brooks can be considered a good person.
In the early 2000’s, Barton decided that not only would he make travel a priority in his life, he would make a point to make a positive impact in some way wherever he stayed.
Barton gave cows to Maasai widows in Kenya, planted trees in Mozambique, worked with an orphanage in Nepal, built floating libraries in Laos, opened schools in Cambodia, and facilitated projects in Burma, India, Uganda, and elsewhere. Luminaries like First Lady Barbara Bush and Oprah took notice and praised his work.
But it was Uganda in 2009 where Barton suffered a horrific motorcycle accident that put the entire mission on the back burner, and could have easily ended it all. Years of physical and mental rehab followed at his home in Upstate New York, and Barton wondered whether he could ever get back on the road again.
But time and a will to do good work got Barton back on his feet. He has since started a new non-profit, The Nomadic Bridge, and is currently funding projects around the globe.
His latest causes include a center for disabled children in Bali, reforestation in Borneo, and a community boxing center for troubled youth in Australia.
I first met Barton in Laos in 2009, just months before his motorcycle accident, and through the help of social media, we’ve been able to stay in touch all these years. Great to see him back on his feet and doing wonderful work.