Artists For World Peace Gears up for 'Year of Girl' Missionary Work Overseas

As the Middletown-based charity wraps up another successful year, Artists for World Peace thanks its donors for helping to accomplish:

• The Children of Peace Program supports the living and educational expenses of 15 children in China, India, Haiti, and Tanzania.
• Ongoing sustainability projects: The Peace Pig Club, the Cluck-Cluck Club, and the maize grinding machine continue to provide income for the Good Hope Trust Orphanage in Kibosho-Umbwe, Tanzania.
• Through our interest-free micro-loan program we have helped women in Africa purchase equipment and training to create a brick making business, provided the funds needed for women to purchase sewing machines to start independent businesses, and funded a start-up business that profits through the sale of pigs and chickens.
• With a portion of the donations from our house concerts, we continue to support the Amazing Grace Food Pantry in Middletown
• The Dr. Yoram Kaufmann Fund awarded three fine art grants and two scholarships this year. Grant recipients included Kamar Thomas from Jamaica, who graduated from Wesleyan University; Eddy Valerio from the Dominican Republic, who is currently studying at F.I.T. in NYC, and Keshav Raj Acharya, who is studying Ethnomusicology at Kathmandu University in Nepal. Fine Art scholarships were award to two Middlesex Community College students pursuing art, Samyory Parilla and Michaela Anderson.

•  The building of a safe house for 50 sex trade victims in Parbhani District, Maharashtra, India.
   
• Provide interest-free micro-loans to women villagers who are creating sustainable and successful businesses to support themselves and their children.
   
• The Community Health Center has been completed, but still needs supplies and furnishings: an eye clinic is scheduled for the summer of 2014.
   
• Provide scholarships and grants to women studying and working in the arts.