Why was the Pennies for Peace program developed?
When Greg Mortenson decided to build a school for the village of Korphe, he sent 500 letters to celebrities, and received only one check back. He became discouraged, and his mother, a principal, suggested talking to the children at her school. They raised $623.40 in pennies, his largest donation ever (at that time). The generosity of the children prompted adults to give, and Greg was able to raise $12,000 in a year, enough for the first school. The philosophy behind Pennies for Peace is that our best hope for a peaceful and prosperous world lies in the education of all the world’s children. Pennies for Peace encourages children, who will be our future leaders, to participate in creating global peace through education. Through the program, children gain cross-cultural understanding and learn how to approach world problems with a “solution” orientation.
