Heidi Kuhn, the founder and CEO of the Roots of Peace, non-commercial humanitarian organization, has been awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by the American University of Afghanistan.

Ednews reports that on November 14, the award will be presented to her at a ceremony attended by the former first lady of the United States, Laura Bush and Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton. Heidi Kuhn informed about this and said that she feels very satisfied for being awarded such a higher degree.

"I am deeply humbled to receive an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, in a company of a group of such highly accomplished women-all who have done incredible work advertising the plight of Afghan citizens," said Kuhn

It should be noted that for the past 25 years, Roots of Peace has worked in war-torn countries around the world to remove the remnants of war, landmines and unexploded ordinances, and restore the land in order to rebuild peaceful communities for generations to come.

More than 500 million smallholder farming households across the world live on less than $2 a day. Building a sustainable, regenerative source of income that gives families livelihoods and stability is one of the most pressing issues to be addressed in post-conflict countries. With the help of Roots of Peace, farmers are addressing the key challenges to increased income by applying modern technology and farming techniques that result in increased yields and sustainability.

The Roots of Peace “Mines to Vines” approach has impacted over one million farmers and families. By removing landmines and the remnants of war, Roots of Peace frees land held hostage by unrest. In Afghanistan, it has facilitated the export of fresh fruits, nuts and spices to markets around the world, contributing to the increase in Afghan agricultural exports from $250 million in 2014 to over $1.4 billion in 2020. Roots of Peace’s award-winning methodology isrooted in building a business model for peace: providing market-driven solutions tailored to rural communities in war-torn lands and serving as a catalyst for industry-wide development across the world.

By Elnur Anvaroglu