Rotary Club of San Francisco Members Heidi Kuhn and Tucker Kuhn, mother and son, embarked upon a Roots of Peace mission from July 24 to August 4, 2021 in the Western Highlands of Guatemala to determine the "root" cause of migration to the U.S. Border. They traveled to the remote regions of San Marcos, Huehuetenango, and Quiché — the regions with the highest concentration of "out migration" among youth under the age of 30 years old.
Heidi Kuhn, CEO, Roots of Peace, partnered with ABC 7 News to provide exclusive news footage featuring the plight of families who live on less than an average of $5 per day. The ABC 7 News segment will air in early September 2021.
For the past two years, Tucker Kuhn, Roots of Peace Country Director in Guatemala, has been working closely with Central American farmers to expand their business model of cultivating peace through agriculture. By growing high value crops and providing access to international markets, Guatemalan farmers may have the dignity to earn a proper income and remain in their homeland. "Instead of building higher ways, we need to build longer tables for families to dine in their homeland,” stated Heidi.During their visit, the Biden/Harris Administration announced a new plan to tackle the "root" cause of migration from Central America. Heidi and Tucker both met with the Mission Director of USAID and Past District Governor Francisco Viau of the Rotary Club of Guatemala City.
