Pathways To Peace is Honored as a 2025

Purpose Earth Grant Recipient

for its

Avon Mattison Girls Shelter in Kindia, Guinea

Pathways to Peace is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $10,000 Purpose Earth grant for its vital work in providing shelter for girls who say "no" to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and become homeless as a result. The Avon Mattison Girls Shelter was founded on the International Day of Peace, September 21, 2023. This shelter would not be possible without our partners in Guinea from WAR AGAINST POVERTY, led by Sylvanus Bangoura. Our partners in Guinea celebrated the opening of the shelter with great joy and immediately welcomed two young girls seeking refuge. Once in the shelter, the girls are provided with all their basic needs, as well as a counselor to support healing from the trauma of being forced out of their family home. They immediately get enrolled in and attend school, and if they choose and are ready, they have the opportunity to be trained for a job in their community. They also can choose to be peacebuilders, role models, and advocates for other young girls who wish to escape the torturous practice of FGM. The Girls Shelter is also a pivotal component in a multilevel strategy to end FGM in Kindia in one generation. Learn more about the Girls Shelter: The Girls Shelter in Guinea - Pathways To Peace

#IamBrave – The Girls Shelter in Guinea was selected from a pool of nearly 1,700 submissions from countries around the world. The Purpose Earth Grants Selection Council finalizing the award winners represent a diverse group of leadership in the sectors of environmentalism, social justice, cultural exchange, the Arts, entrepreneurship, leadership, and sustainable agriculture. 

“The grant from Purpose Earth means everything to us! It means we have a credible partner who recognizes and supports the courage of these young girls to speak on their own behalf and become who they were intended to be. It inspires an entire community to look at itself and declare that girls and women have value and will no longer be silenced. It impacts current and future generations who will not suffer the act and consequences of FMG and are committed to gender equity. Thank you, Purpose Earth!” - Tezikiah Gabriel, Executive Director of Pathways To Peace

“I am very much grateful to you for giving me hope and courage to face the future. Please allow me to say without you my life would have been miserable. Saying no to Female Genital Mutilation was a hard thing for me because I know my family will not allow me stay with them. But with all that, I took the courage and said no because FGM is bad. Leaving my family's house was painful but when I met Sylvanus, I explained myself to him and he told me about his work with Pathways To Peace and that they were opening a shelter for girls like me. Today I am living here in the shelter happily. Through the support of Tezikiah and her team, I am living a better and happy life. Going to school, living in a comfortable house (The Girls Shelter ) and they provide all that I need. Many thanks to you and I will do all my best to be educated and be a good leader so I can help other girls like me. I will always love you.” - Salaymatu

Purpose Earth is a global grant and mentorship program activating purpose-driven projects addressing environmental protection, community activation and cultural collaboration. Nurturing collaboration and community, within and among these sectors, to accelerate real-world impact.

“By investing in the people and organizations working at the local level, Purpose Earth fosters a sustainable and collaborative future on a global scale, whose ripple effect goes far beyond the local communities these projects serve.” - Purpose Earth co-founder, Laura Rose.

About Purpose Earth:

Purpose Earth’s mission is to fund and mentor purpose-driven people and projects around the world. Since 2019, Purpose Earth has awarded over $475,000 to 54 projects in 31 countries and engaged in 100s of hours of mentoring sessions with project leaders, ensuring grantees have guidance in operational strategies to support longevity for long-term impact. 

Website: purposeearth.org

Please click the gift package for the girls shelter.

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We can’t do our work without you.

This newsletter comes to you from Pathways To Peace (PTP), steward of the Culture of Peace Initiative (CPI) newsletter. PTP is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, whose work would not be possible without our volunteers and your support. If you would like to support Pathways To Peace programs and activities around the globe, you can do so by clicking the Donation Button above. A heartfelt thank you from the Pathways To Peace Team! 

For more information or to make a donation by check, Venmo, or Paypal, please contact:

Tezikiah Gabriel, Executive Director

tez@pathwaystopeace.org

651-357-4436

Pathways To Peace Business Office

122 Demont Avenue E, #173

St. Paul, MN 55117