February 1, 2009:

 "Bringing Heart to Afghanistan!"

U.S. Embassy, Kabul, Afghanistan - Heidi Kuhn, Founder/CEO, Roots of Peace; Ambassador William Wood, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan; Diane Baker, Executive Director, School of Motion Pictures, Television and Acting, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California; Dr. Zach Lea, Afghan Country Director, Roots of Peace.

Afghanistan was once considered the “Garden of Central Asia,” and Roots of Peace has wisely utilized the funding generously provided by USAID, USDA, DOD and the U.S. Department of State to restore the agricultural bounty of this country shaped like a giant leaf.

In January 2009, Roots of Peace shipped over 50,000 orange saplings from Exeter, California to Jalalabad, Afghanistan--a “fresh” start to the New Year by turning “swords into plowshares” and restoring the once viable citrus industry.

Afghan "volunteers" with their families in Jalalabad to help bring forth California oranges and smiles to "greet" the New Year 2009!

Crates of orange saplings will provide valuable science lessons, as these young Afghan boys observe the growth and restoration of the citrus industry in Jalalabad in the months ahead!

Through funding from USAID, Roots of Peace has turned “ideas into reality” and known as a leading perennial horticulture expert in Afghanistan. Over 3000 hectars (ha) of new orchards have been established in the volatile Eastern Region of Afghanistan along the Pakistan border—an area where Roots of Peace has built a qualified team of Afghan farmers from “zero” in 2007 to over 5000 Afghan farmers in 2009—trusting in the agricultural techniques and teamwork involved in restoring these once productive farmlands which were destroyed by over 30 years of war from the Soviet invasion to The Taliban stronghold.

As the Spring 2009 planting season approaches, the continuity of maintaining this Afghan teamwork is necessary to obtain full impact and a fruitful harvest providing double and triple the income for up to 120,000 families by clearing minefields and replanting through new orchards such as almonds, cherries, pomegranates, apricots, peaches and walnuts. In addition, we are rehabilitating canals, building storage facilities, and introducing new grape varieties and growing practices. Ultimately, our Roots of peace program showed farmers that they could earn more money growing grape trellising and orchards, than by growing poppies.

Roots of Peace shared with the U.S. Embassy the fact that we are working to establish commercial orchard development in Afghanistan, planting over 1.5 million trees, providing technical training in fruit production and marketing development. In addition, we are establishing a national germplasm repository for Afghans, and developing a network of nurseries giving local farmers access to the appropriate high-yielding varietals for their growing agricultural regions. In addition to U.S. funding, we are also grateful to the European Union and Asia Development Bank to establish such goals. In the photo above, an Afghan farmer stakes-out a new orchard.

Afghan elder observes the benefits of the Roots of Peace methodology in his orchards.

An Afghan farmer inspects his orchard.

The Roots of Peace Penny Campaign has raised over 25 million American “pennies” for peace to build/rebuild schools and soccer fields in Afghanistan—a country where 44.6% of the total population is under the age of 14 years old. In August 2005, we visited a site where a giant tent provided shade amidst a giant grapevine where nearly 50 children studied in the blazing heat of summer. Vowing to make a difference for these deserving Afghan children who sought an education, we began a campaign targeting the students in America and Italy who raised the necessary funds to build a structure.

Greeted by the local Minister of Education, Mr. Rasoul Khan, and the local Police Commander, Mr. Asim Khan, these former commanders along the battlefront expressed their sincere gratitude for literally bringing forth a school from the “dust” of Afghanistan so that children would have the dignity to properly create a better education for future generations.

Roots of Peace partnered with "Afghans for Afghans" to send hundreds of hand-knit items from the heart of America to Afghanistan. As our brigade of peacemakers sought to bring warmth to the Afghan people by carrying large boxes of mittens, hats, gloves and sweaters, we were reminded of the generosity of the DHL/Kabul Manager and his staff for graciously providing this “pro bono” shipment of items from Bahia Vista School in San Rafael, California on September 11, 2008—an effort by local Marin County children to transform “seeds of terror” into “seeds of hope.” Yet, only one month later, the DHL Kabul headquarters were cruelly attacked by the Taliban suicide bombers. The legacy of this generous DHL manager walked with us “in spirit” as such a shipment would never have been possible without his sincere belief in bringing forth humanitarian aid to deserving Afghan children.

The joy of presenting these hand-knit items to Afghan farmers brought “warmth” to all who were gathered in the freezing temperatures on a cold winter February day north of Kabul.

“Human Ties” are the roots of humanity as a colorful hat is gently knotted with a bow!

Happy Afghan school children display their new hand knit mittens.

The Roots of Peace (RoP) delegation was imbedded in a bubble and escorted by the U.S. Military through the Shomali Plains of Afghanistan. Together, our team worked with the Nebraska National Guard to replicate our grape-trellising program which RoP pioneered in 2003—establishing the standard design for cement trellis techniques. Furthermore, RoP developed three private Afghan manufacturers to build these sturdy trellises, as the wooden style was burned as firewood in winter.

Roots of Peace installed 1,500 vineyards in the South-Central region of Afghanistan and introduced new varietals. In addition, over 80 grapevine nurseries were established building new businesses for Afghan farmers to manage and propagate their vines to potential buyers.

Respecting the work established by Roots of Peace, the Department of Defense (DOD) developed a partnership with the Agricultural Redevelopment Department (ARD) working with the Nebraska National Guard with a mutual goal to turn “swords into plowshares” by creating bountiful vineyards of fresh grapes for consumption and export markets.

An Afghan child surrounded by support from the Nebraska National Guard and Roots of Peace.

Roots of Peace joins Nebraska National Guard at a banquet hosted by a grateful Afghan farmer—anticipating a “Harvest of Hope” as his vineyards in Kapisa are restored after 30 years of war.

Heidi Kuhn, CEO, and actress Diane Baker, Roots of Peace Board of Directors, announce the support for an additional school to be established in tandem with the Nebraska National Guard. Over ONE MILLION “pennies” for peace ($10,000) have been raised by The Roots of Peace Penny Campaign since September 11, 2008, and the host—a father of 29 children—was overwhelmed by the generosity from the American children to provide an education for his family and neighboring children. These gifts were contributed by Napa Valley High School, St. Helena High School, San Rafael High School, and Bahia Vista Elementary School in San Rafael—along with many private family donors and friends!

A kaleidoscope of color representing the beauty of the Afghan culture was evident at the Roots of Peace reception.

A Special “Tashikor” to Diane Baker for joining Roots of Peace in Afghanistan on a journey of hope!

Join us in our efforts to DEMINE/REPLANT in Afghanistan and other countries, as we create pathways for peace in war-torn countries!