Central Asia Institute

Central Asia Institute (CAI) is an international non-profit organization, co-founded by Greg Mortenson and Jean Hoerni in 1996. The organization is based in Bozeman, Montana and works to promote and support community-based education throughout Central Asia, primarily in Pakistan and Afghanistan, by building schools, supporting teacher-training programs, and funding school scholarships.

CAI's mission is to "empower local communities of Central Asia through literacy and education, especially for girls, promote peace through education, and convey the importance of these activities globally." The organization collaborates with communities to build schools in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, with a particular emphasis on areas where there is little or no access to education. Pennies for Peace is an affiliated organization that partners with schools and clubs in the United States and around the world to raise pennies for CAI's educational efforts.

After a 60 Minutes segment aired questions about the organization's effectiveness, the Central Asia Institute has become a reference example for the limitations in evaluating charities based solely on financial analysis.