welcome to beyond the headlines i'm cheryl jennings. today we're going to talk about something most people in this country don't ever talk about or think about because we don't think it affects us here in

america. it's about what you would do if your child's playground or soccer field had one land mine in it. would you let them play there? or in your garden or your in your farm? >> we'll tack to a local charity that is dedicated to removing land mines and thousand they engaged children and around the world in a show of global citizenship and why they have of some of the support of some of the most prominent vintners in napa napa valley. they have a flagship program in afghanistan helping farmers and awarded the biggest government contract ever in afghanistan. it's part of than effort to win the hearts and minds which is something that roots of peace has been doing for a decade.

>> the grapes are a big change. citrus all kinds of fruits. it takes an extreme poverty situation $2 a day on their farm. >> thousands of farmers in afghanistan are voluntarily sign up with the northern california group of roots of peace. they are learning they can make more money growing grapes than growing opium poppies for heroin. >> they are in a desperate situation. you have a perfect situation for civil unrest. they need to see there is a right out of their hole. improving their yields because it dramatic rim proves are income. >> many farmers are being trained by of a gangs hired and trained by roots of peace agricultural experts. average athe farms average about two and a half acres.

it's called a hector. >> it will generate about $2100. grapes seven to eight times as much. grapes is dramatically. they are making much more than the poppies. >> so the executive director and the founder say they are using the same market force to show afghan farmers the enormous price they will get by switching. this chart shows what they can earn from poppy crops but fruit crops especially trellis grapes can bring afghan farmer thousands a year. >> they are making $4,000 and up on their crop. they can buy cars and cell phones. it's a different world to them. >> they can choose how to take care of their family now.

>> i think it's fair that agriculture is priority in afghanistan. >> richard holbrooke talked about a change of strat in afghanistan focusing on al debris cultural progress. roots of peace have been showing how to improve their crop fields and to do exports with the help of the u.s. the agency for international development. >> it's something that has never been done before. >> roots of peace started in 2004 trou prou shipped by trucks to many other countries. >> then we back up these refrigerated containers fill them up and off they go or take

down down to the airport and fly them to dubai. >> the success has made a major government contract to expand the work. it was award add $30 million contract. that is the largest government contract ever awarded to a nonprofit in afghanistan. >> 12.2 million trees today and we're going to be able to replicate that aggressively in the spring. >> roots of peace is based in san rafael and has been working in afghanistan 2003ce 2003 raising money to remove land mines and unexploded ordinance from 30 years of war and then they help farmers improve their crop. they developed their model program in cambodia. first they raised money to clear the landmines in a province, but that built up another dilemma. >> they lost a generation of farmers, a lot of the men had been killed.

the sons young ones didn't know how to farm. >> constant wars in afghanistan cost a generation just like cambodia and other war ravaged countries. united nations learned about the success of roots of peace and asked them to help afghan farmers. >> we shipped night afghanistan in 2003. we did the model and we did it in three provinces to start out. now, we're active in 25 or 26 provinces. >> the $30 million usaid grant will help farmers in majority of 30 provinces. i saw the work being done in afghanistan in 2005 two years after the nonprofit started its demonstration. i traveled with the founder of roots of peace heidi and her daughter kylie. my cameraman and i joined them.

they will were removing land mines from the shamali valley. we saw them move right behind the de-miners learning the new skills. they were taught by agricultural experts from u.c. davis and the money came in a private donor. >> diane disney miller daughter of walt disney. >> a check for $250,000. >> their nonprofit in downtown san rafael is run by a small staff of volunteers and employees dedicated. and when they in afghanistan they run their work out of an en

closed compound in kabul. you'll see boys and girls playing sack soker together because of roots of peace. the offices in afghanistan and san rafael means roots of peace has come a long way from the basement of a home. that is where heidi founded roots of peace in 1997 armed only with a phone. she was inspired by princess diana. >> she put it in the forefront and she was a mom. >> they struggled to become aware of the land mine issue, they were raising four kids. she is a cancer survivor. gary was in high-tech commuting to the silicon valley. >> when diana made her trip to angola, i watched because way is aware of the land mine situation and how challenging it must be

for farmers and families to try to walk. >> roots of peace started with hundred farmers. the new grant will hem that eventually affect the lives of 100,000 farmers and their families. cheryl jennings, "abc 7 news." >> we're going to take a break. when we come back we're going talk about the incredible efforts that local high profile vintners to rid the world of land mines. play please stay w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w

w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w wllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll op football... it's a man cave! the boys next door will never leave. who says we want them to?

welcome back to beyond the headlines. today we're talking about roots of peace which is working to remove land mines in war-torn countries. you heard about diane a mother. >> his homeland was involved with the war in independence and understands why land mines can countrystop a country from making economic progress. he came here recent to talk with me about land mines. >> the croatia war for five years and after the war i understood there was about two million land mines in croatia. he street or on

the children's playground. >> what happens when it goes away, when the land mines goes away the fear goes away? >> then they produce wine and they are happy. we made 24 cases of wine which was donated to the roots of peace and bought it. they labeled it roots of peace wine which i'm very proud to see roots of peace sign. >> joining me now to talk about turning mines into vines is founder of roots of peace is founder herself heidi and margaret. lovely to have you here. >> you are doing good work

cheryl. >> heidi what is i the like to have important people like them? >> it's a great honor to have legends of the vine, but peacemakers working from the ground up replacing the scourge of 70 million land mines that lay dormant in countries today. >> of all the charities you could have chosen you and your husband decided to work with roots of peace. >> it's such a passion because to have child that can't go out to play because of the danger of a land mine and what it does. this idea that you know by taking out mines and planting vines then it comes to reality

the grapes of the crop are better economically for the farmer than whatever he planted before. >> now you have an institute so your heart is as a farmer? >> we can only do as good as we on is the product and the product is the grape that comes from the vines. its select variety and we hope we can inspire people in afghanistan to grow good grapes. >> and what are some of the

other things. >> robert mochb davi and director of mondavi joined me to witness in december of 1997. and we've always taken a humanitarian approach. land mine with a grapevine or every other seed it's where we will go. land mines hold the land hostage >> margaret we have just a few second left if you had one wish about land mines what would your wish wish be? >> anything is possible. save those children.

>> wonderful. >> thank you. >> we do have to take a break. we'll continue our discussion in just a moment. when we come back we'll talk about a recent trip to israeli and vietnam. we'll be back with more beyond the headlines.

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us is heidi founder of roots of peace. we were talking about new initiatives. a special envoy for president obama to afghanistan and pakistan you were working with him. >> we honor the passion of the late ambassador richard holbrooke. he led the nonprofit invited to join that and the afghanistan-pakistan united states trilateral effort and that is double and triple the income of afghan farmers. >> can you envision at some point of doing it in other countries. so you made a quick trip to vietnam? >> it was this past summer. i saw sight that i cannot

imagine that estimated one million land mines in the west bank in particular. bethlehem and the valleys there is riddled with one million land mines these are pomegranites and dates fruits and olive so when you have one million land mines holy land is not holy when there is land mines in the ground. this is -- >> this is a cross cultural apolitical effort regardless of our hand or politics on our mind when a landmine is there it's a seed of terror that holds the people hostage for future

we are hoping in the spring the vote will be unanimous and we are allowed to go into the holy land and truly make it holy for all faiths colors and creeds. >> i want to move to vietnam. working with farmers and getting rid of land mines there. >> today in vietnam i think people would be absolutely shocked to know there is an estimated 2.5 million land mines 35 years after the war has ended. i went to various parts of vietnam, 87% of the land is riddled with land mines. children step on land mines when they go out to play. >> this is farmer who lost both

his legs. some it makes it very difficult taking out an estimated 2.5 million land mines 35 years after the war has ended. >> we're going to take a quick break. when we come back we'll going to show you how hundreds of children around the world are helping children in war-torn countries through the roots of peace campaign. we'll be right back.

welcome back. today we're talking about the de-mining of war-torn countries and an organization that is helping the situation roots of peace. they returned to afghanistan to use pennies from american children to build a new school in afghanistan. this is the second school built

by the roots of peace children campaign. soon those children in afghanistan will have access to the internet and the world. >> afghan boys set for the opening ceremony of a brand-new high school for their sisters and 600 other girls in a province in afghanistan. it's at an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet. these pictures are from roots of peace. this is the only high school for girls here. it was paid for with pennies raised by children from the san francisco bay area and around the world. >> i was approached by first governor of afghanistan. >> she promised to build a school there. heidi risked their lives traveling through taliban territory to attend the school's dedication this fall. >> they know we're there and we're helping the afghan people. >> necessity received brand-new

computers donated by a company from dubai. they also returned to the very first school built by the campaign back in 2006. there they delivered more brand-new computers. >> we believe through education and agriculture that this money will be lifted up. >> she was 18 on her first visit to afghanistan in 2005. i was with her and heidi when kylie saw people studying out under a hot tent. these children now are immensely grateful. cheryl jennings, "abc 7 news." >> heidi this is very

different for me. we're going to start with you and your husband. we have great pictures. first of all kylie. >> she started at u.c. berkeley and is model in new york city and giving halfroceeds toe proceeds to roots of peace. so the campaign for the children and they can have better future. >> your son? >> he is a director and in vietnam drafting peace. >> and another son that is a doctor? >> he a medical doctor at u.c. davis and cardiologist. >> and christian? >> he is a sophomore in high school and the weekend

ambassador for the campaign. he is helping actively. >> this started back in 2003 and how much have you raised for the roots of peace campaign? >> at the moment two cents but we've raised 50 million pennies for peace. >> you're looking for pennies andll change quarter dimes and pennies as many as we can. afghanistan is a country where 44% of the population is under the age of 30 years old. if we going lift this country up it's going to be through education. >> how can people get involved as a volunteer or with the farming situation? >> it's an easy process. go to our pro website and you

can register your school anywhere in the united states anywhere in the world. we're so proud children in italy and other places because every single penny zblounts congratulations on all your hard work. and we'll check back with you. >> unfortunately we are out of time. the website is roots of peace.org. i want to say a very special thank you to michael mondavi for coming in today. that is it this for this edition i'm cheryl jennings thanks for joining us and we'll see you next dime. bye-bye.

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