 As a fifth generation resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, a deep respect for the preservation of land was handed down to me through the generations of our family. I was deeply inspired by the leadership of Princess Diana who brought the world’s attention to the vast destructive power of landmines that has wiped out the bounty of the land and shattered millions of lives around the world.In staying “true to my roots,” I founded Roots of Peace to remove the scourge of landmines and bring the land back into productive use for the next generation now living in landmine affected countries. Roots of Peace has been planted on the rich soils of Afghanistan, as our MINES TO VINES™ vision to transform minefields into bountiful agricultural fields is being accomplished. Over 100,000 landmines and UXO’s have been removed since September 11, 2001—turning seeds of terror into seeds of hope! Cancer is a landmine, and landmines are a cancer to the earth. Yet, there is a cure — removal. As a cancer survivor, I ask that you join me in this global quest for landmine removal. The eradication of poverty begins only when soils are free of terror and the bounty of the land restored.Join us as your generous gift of time, talent and treasure will help us realize this goal.
Landmine survivor and grape farmer proudly shows Heidi Kühn his vineyard that is flourishing as a result of participating in Roots of Peace’s program.
While taking a break from a project, Heidi Kühn shows excited Angolan children how to blow bubbles.
Heidi Kühn and Mrs. Shamim Jawad lay the foundation stone for the new Kyleigh Kühn School in Mir Bocha Kot, Afghanistan built with funds raised by American children in the RoP Penny Campaign.   | Testimonies ”I have seen the results of Roots of Peace’s hard work with my own eyes, the smiles on the faces of children, the bountiful orchards, the fresh grapes and melons, and the gratitude of farmers for being given the chance to provide for their families.I had the pleasure of traveling with Heidi to observe Roots of Peace projects throughout Afghanistan back in October, 2006. We visited a small village North of Kabul called Qula Bayazid. Roots of Peace helped this village establish their farms and nursery. Following our tour of a nursery, the head of the village – an 80 year old man approached us. The man had weathered skin, a long white beard, and the grace and dignity that comes with having survived a life of hardship. The man thanked Heidi and Root of Peace for training their farmers, revitalizing their livelihoods and teaching them the skills they needed to restore their precious vineyards.Then he proudly presented Heidi with the gift of a hand-carved wooden eagle as a symbol of gratitude from all the villages farmers. The Eagle is a symbol of freedom.Later, I told Heidi the significance of this proud village elder to publicly present this special gift, the symbol of freedom to an American woman as a sign of deep appreciation in the presence of other village men. This was the highest form of respect and gratitude that a woman can receive from a traditional Afghan man from a remote village in Afghanistan. Thank you Heidi for all you and Roots of Peace has done for my country and continue to do so.“ —SHAMIM JAWAD  “The Roots of Peace Penny Campaign has the potential for changing lives of children who are the recipients and those who are the donors. Children in heavily mined countries will be able to walk safely once the land mines are removed, so they can go to school to learn and reach their full potential . Children who donate to the RoP Penny Campaign learn they can make a difference in the world and become good citizens just by donating a simple penny. It’s the power of those collective pennies that can change lives forever.” —CHERYL JENNINGS  “We are reminded daily of the threat of global warming, the dangerous presence of mercury in our oceans, the problem of disposing nuclear waste, gang warfare in our cities and the ever increasing menace of international terrorism. While we can’t do much as individuals about these matters, we CAN do something about the presence of landmines. Roots of Peace, founded by visionary Heidi Kühn, has demined some of the most heavily mined areas of the world, returning the land to productive use. Through her efforts, farmers may cultivate fields and children may kick soccer balls on former minefields, allowing families to return to their homeland without fear. My commitment to Roots of Peace will be a long one, as there are many minefields all over the world. Yet, I know many lives have been saved by the intervention of Roots of Peace and I know that I have helped to save some of those lives.” —DIANE DISNEY MILLER |
