Micro Enterprise and Peace Building Projects Peace Through Teacher Dialogue Initiative

The organization evolved from more than twelve years of hands-on development work in Cambodia, which included building homes for widows, landmine victims, families displaced by war and famine as well as AIDS orphans.In Cambodia, its primary partner is Tabitha, a charitable trust headquartered in Phnom Penh. Pillows for Peace finances micro-enterprise cycles, silk weaving, community infrastructure like the “Wells for Life” clean drinking water initiative and the “Pig Connection” for animal husbandry. Additionally, every year teams of volunteers travel to Cambodia and are taught “by doing” exemplary models of permanent poverty elimination through economic self reliance. The teams raise the money to build between 4 and 10 houses within Tabitha’s project villages. High School aged members of Pillows for Peace organize themselves in student directed ASAP Clubs (All Students Against Poverty) and participate in fundraising through sale of cottage industry goods.

Pillows for Peace imports cottage industry products including hand woven silk purses and fashion accessories, bedding and home decorations, sterling silver ornaments, and jewelry for retail and wholesale. It also creates custom products for individuals or companies. There are no paid positions; everyone volunteers their time and resources, including all administrative overhead costs. Hence, all profits from sales are churned back 100% into reaching out to more families desirous of working themselves out of poverty and human trafficking. In 2005 peace building programs in Israel were launched that strengthen families and develop Peace Practitioners dedicated to building peaceful, coexisting communities. Individuals and corporations are brought on board as mentors and sponsors. A partnership with Na’amat Technological High School in Nazareth serving the greater Galilee area was established to benefit at risk high school aged girls of Muslim, Druze, Jewish and Christian Arab family background with learning disabilities. Teachers and administrators have been recipients of grants for the “Peace through Teacher dialogue” initiative with focus on professional development and lasting friendship across cultures and faiths. Communities in the United States and Germany have opened their homes and schools to host and train teachers in addition to providing equipment and support services to their partners in Israel.

Anyone desirous to share their time, talents or make contributions to lead families into economic self reliance is invited to join our team.