At the young age of 16, Jack Kim started Benelab.org, a “nonprofit web start-up” that performs almost the same web searching functions as Google and shares the social consciousness of GoodSearch–a search engine that donates 50% of its advertising revenue to the charity of the users’ choice.

But unlike Google and GoodSearch, Benelab donates all of its revenue from web searches (which averages close to $0.02 per search) and third party advertisements to a new charity each month.

Pilgrim Africa is an organization that provides medical needs and attention to people in Africa, and it was the second charity Benelab chose to donate its revenues to. In one month, Benelab was able to raise $80 for Pilgrim Africa and when asked about it, Kim said:

[The] amazing thing is that no one donated that. It’s just from website use, and that just shows the idea, and the scalability, and the potential of the idea. Even with the small amount of people using Benelab right now, it is able to save eight people, and that’s what I think is really cool.

Kim, who immigrated from Seoul to Seattle with his family in 2006, told Northwest Asian Weekly that his main inspiration for Benelab came after he connected with a Korean American professor at Stanford University’s business camp and was pushed to pursue his new social venture. Kim’s goal is to raise $10,000 in donations by July 25.

The vision and drive coming from this ordinary teen is truly remarkable. Visit Benelab.org and help make a difference.

[Photos: (top) James Tabafunda/NWAW]