A Bit About Peaceful People

     The idea for Peaceful People originated in 1993 while wandering around Asia after spending several years in Gabon, Africa teaching people to build and manage fish ponds.   In Bangkok a friend and I saw some very cool whale-tail shaped stone necklaces and thought people at home would love them.  We bought some and also grabbed some batik sarongs and friendship bracelets in passing.  As it turns out, the only person really interested in buying the whale-tail necklaces was my mom, and I think she just felt sorry for me.  Luckily, the sarongs and friendship bracelets were very popular and Peaceful People was on it's way.

     As of this writing, Peaceful People Imports is sponsoring  poor children in Bangladesh, Nepal, Burkina Faso and Paraguay.   We have donated to projects in Malawi, Philippines, Peru, Benin, Thailand, Indonesia and Paraguay, as well as here in the States.   We are also partnering with warm-hearted companies to raise money for charity.  If you'd like to get involved, see the bottom of this page.

2004 Neighborhood Charity Sale

Where the Money Went: We raised a total of $1,103 which was donated as follows:

     1) Peace Corps Partnership Program.  We are contributing towards building a community library in the village of Ban Na-Ngiew in Thailand. The library will be built at the village’s local primary school. A second part of the plan is to take advantage of the Thai government’s yearly grant to buy books for schools with libraries.

     2) Project Power which is a program that offers classes, social activities and outings to adults with developmental disabilities. We have arranged to get an early look at the schedule for next session (~in July) so we can decide specifically which programs we will contribute towards. These activities offer a great chance for people with developmental disabilities to get out of the house, socialize and have some fun.

      3) Heifer Project International, which donates animals to impoverished families worldwide.  Each family that receives an animal will pass on it’s first offspring to another family, and so on. With our contribution we were able to donate: the remainder of the water buffalo from last year, a goat, a flock of chicks, a hive of bees and about 37% of a llama (hopefully we’ll finish off the llama next year).

2004 Eau Claire International Festival

Where the Money Went: We raised a total of $1,534 which was donated as follows:

     1) Heifer Project International.  With our contribution this time we were able to donate:  5 flocks of ducks/geese, 1 llama, 2 hives of bees, 1 pig, 3 flocks of chickens, 2 trios of rabbits, and about 10% of a "Joy to the World Collection" which consists of 2 sheep, 4 goats, a heifer and 2 llamas.

     2) Project Power which is a program that offers classes, social activities and outings to adults with developmental disabilities. These activities offer a great chance for people with developmental disabilities to get out of the house, socialize and have some fun.

     3) Peace Corps Partnership Program.  We are contributing towards the Young Women's Scholarship Project, which will provide education scholarships to 30 Paraguayan women between the ages of 15 and 30.

2005 Neighborhood Charity Sale

Where the Money Went: We raised a total of $1,248 which was donated as follows:

      1) Kupu-Kupu Foundation:  This is a nonprofit organization in Indonesia that works towards improving the lives of physically and mentally challenged children, adolescents and adults.   I had a chance to meet the founder, Begonia (a social worker from Spain), her husband Made, and some of their clients and see some of their programs.  I was really bowled over by what they were getting done.  This is a great grass-roots project where a little money goes a long way.  

      2) Peace Corps Partnership Program.  We are contributing towards construction of a "Center for Women and Girls" in the village of Ouassa, Benin.  This center will be a place in which girl's education, technical skills and future opportunities will be promoted.  The local community will be providing labor and raw materials. 

      3) Heifer Project International. With this contribution we were able to donate: 1 goat, 3 hives of bees and 5 flocks of ducks.

2005 Eau Claire International Festival

Where the Money Went: We raised a total of $681 which was donated as follows:

     1) Kupu-Kupu Foundation:  This is a nonprofit organization in Indonesia that works towards improving the lives of physically and mentally challenged children, adolescents and adults.  This is a great grass-roots project where a little money goes a long way.  

     2) Heifer Project International. With this contribution we were able to donate: a sheep, half a goat, 2 flocks of ducks, a hive of bees, a flock of chicks, a flock of geese, and a 10% down-payment on a heifer.

2006 Neighborhood Charity Sale

Where the Money Went: We were partially rained out and raised a total of $511 which was donated as follows:

      1) Kupu-Kupu Foundation:  This is a nonprofit organization in Indonesia that works towards improving the lives of physically and mentally challenged children, adolescents and adults.   I had a chance to meet the founder, Begonia (a social worker from Spain), her husband Made, and some of their clients and see some of their programs.  I was really bowled over by what they were getting done.  This is a great grass-roots project where a little money goes a long way.  

2007 Neighborhood Charity Sale

Where the Money Went: We raised a total of $1,164 which was donated as follows:

      1) Kupu-Kupu Foundation:  This is a nonprofit organization in Indonesia that works towards improving the lives of physically and mentally challenged children, adolescents and adults.   I had a chance to meet the founder, Begonia (a social worker from Spain), her husband Made, and some of their clients and see some of their programs.  I was really bowled over by what they were getting done.  This is a great grass-roots project where a little money goes a long way.  

      2) Half the money this year was donated to a local family to help with expenses relating to their child with cancer.   This family is not related to me and are not close friends, but rather one member is an acquaintance from a past job.   I would like to try to protect the privacy of this family a little by not putting their name on this web page, but in the name of being open about where charity money goes, feel free to ask and I will tell you.

Do you have any overstock items, slightly damaged items or products that take up space but don't sell?  They don't have to be in pristine condition, but good enough that someone might want them for the right price.  If you'd like to donate or would like more information, I'd love to hear from you.   Just send me an email at charity@peacefulpeople.com  saying what you might have to donate, and I'll follow up.  Thanks,  Steve