WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- When Washington manicurist Lidia Schaefer returned to her native village in Ethiopia , she was troubled by what she saw : children walking three hours each way to attend classes held not in a school , but under a tree . Lidia Schaefer sold her house and car and set aside tips and part of her salary to raise money for the school . When she learned in 1998 that one of the girls she 'd met -- Medhine -- had been attacked and killed by a hyena after falling behind other children during the long trek home from school , Schaefer knew she had to act . She began setting aside a third of her salary and all of her tips , and later sold her house and car , to raise enough money to build a school for the village . `` She 's definitely not your average manicurist , '' says Denise Abrahams , a longtime client . `` This is the kind of thing that you hear about Oprah Winfrey doing . '' Do you know a hero ? Nominations are open at CNN.com/Heroes . For Schaefer , it was simply a matter of doing what felt right . `` I do n't work with my head , '' she says . `` I really work with my heart . '' Watch Schaefer 's clients and colleagues discuss her efforts » . Born in Feres Mai , a large village in northern Ethiopia , Schaefer moved to the United States in the mid-1970s when civil war broke out at home . During her troubling visit back home in the '90s , she recalls , `` I promised the children I was going to open a school for them . '' But she had no idea how to tackle such a big project , especially while raising her own two children and working 12-hour days , six days a week . Watch Schaefer speak with CNN 's Larry King » . The motivation to fulfill her promise came with the news of Medhine 's death . `` That really pushed me to do it , '' she says , `` to build a school so that would n't happen again . '' Schaefer lobbied the Ethiopian government to donate land in a central location so the school could serve children from several nearby villages . The decision was made to build a secondary school , since the nearest one was more than 18 miles away . Back in Washington , Schaefer began setting aside money for construction of the school . `` I was working two days for the school , four days for me , '' she recalls . Her clients and co-workers rallied to help , holding raffles and making contributions . Several clients bought individual doors or windows for the school . Watch Schaefer talk about the school » . But Schaefer realized it would n't be enough . To finish the school , she needed to do something drastic . In 2002 , she gave up her symbols of the American dream , selling her home and car . It 's a sacrifice that still stuns her colleagues and friends . `` I could n't believe it , '' remembers salon manager Patty Gonzalez . But Schaefer saw nothing remarkable about her decision . `` I do n't feel like I [ gave ] up a lot , '' she says . `` I want [ the children ] to learn , to get something out of their life . '' Schaefer ultimately raised more than $ 250,000 for the school , which was completed in 2006 . When she went back for the dedication , Schaefer was honored with an elaborate procession through the village . For her , it was gratifying to see what she 'd accomplished . `` I was so happy , I ca n't even describe it , '' she recalls . Today , nearly 1,500 students are educated in the school , which boasts an eight-building campus with 16 classrooms , a science lab and library . `` It 's simple , but it 's nice , '' Schaefer says . Though she 'd hoped to name the school in memory of Medhine , the government -- which runs the school -- instead named it the Lidia Secondary School , telling Schaefer , `` We want it to be your name so that more people [ will ] be like you . '' Schaefer has indeed inspired many others to follow her example . When Ethiopian communities around the United States heard about what she 'd been able to achieve , they launched an effort to build more schools in her region of northern Ethiopia . So far , they 've raised enough money to build 12 schools , due to be completed by July 2009 . Schaefer still sets aside her tips and wages to support her school and has kept up her fundraising efforts to buy supplies . A colleague at the salon designed T-shirts to raise money for desks for the students . Schaefer 's next goal is to equip the school with computers . `` They need computers so they can talk to the whole world , '' she says . Her colleagues and clients say Schaefer serves as an important reminder that people do n't need money or power to make a difference . `` She 's very inspiring to me , '' says Gonzalez . `` I 've learned from Lidia that even if the project is big , if your heart is in it , you can do it . '' Want to get involved ? Check out Lidia Schaefer 's Web site and see how to help .
D.C. manicurist raised more than $ 250,000 to build school in native Ethiopia . Inspiration came after seeing children walk three hours to classes held under tree . Girl killed by hyena while walking home motivated Lidia Schaefer to fulfill promise . Do you know a hero ? Nominations are open at CNN.com/Heroes .