Country: Canada

Organization: PeaceDiviners International Inc.

3) Strategy Summary:
The series of children's books uses magic and fun to convey serious issues to privileged kids who are more likely to grow into lives that can make a difference. Each story ends with an empowering suggestion (e.g. buy fair trade chocolate to help poor child agricultural workers in other countries). What's new is the magical message of kids' buying power. There are some books available on the market that tell of other cultures and challenges, but none that engages kids in this way, to plant seeds for a permanent transformational effect, or that seeks to encourage kids to think about the origins of what they buy, and the conditions of the workers who produced it, to raise a society of sensitive young philanthropists and volunteers.

4) How the Strategy Works:
We are working with teachers interested in global education to develop curriculum-based lesson plans that will be available free through our website, and with donor agencies to get maximum exposure and distribution.

NGOs and others can purchase at wholesale for fundraising purposes. Each book sold gathers funds for potentially many purposes. Obviously the key is in the numbers. 1% penetration into schools in the Anglo World with a modest 50 books sold in each school area would earn enough revenue to support 10 organizations, as well as what it earned for the school or civic org ($4 per book; the more aggressive the school campaign, the more revenue for everyone). This can be combined with appropriate other items (for example, the book with the talking chocolate bar can be sold with Fair Trade chocolate; the book about water can be sold with bottled water that supports a water-focused NGO.)

PeaceDiviners' products serve multiple purposes and raise funds for many causes.

The children s books are designed as information, consciousness-building, and teaching tools.

Products are high quality, value-priced and therefore easy to sell.

Schools raise funds (e.g. $3 - $4 per sale)

Each item sold yields a donation to Oxfam or World Vision (or to an alternative charity of choice), donated in the school s (or org's) name.

PeaceDiviners grant partners also benefit (first year projections about $1-$2 per sale, more as sales increase.)

PeaceDiviners products are not readily available in mainstream stores, so make unique gifts. You can purchase them directly or through school, religious community, or civic organization fundraisers and in some seasonal craft markets or specialty fair trade or independent bookstores. Ask a child or teenager if his or her school is raising funds through these delightful items that fund so many ventures. (For the maximum distribution and exposure they are also available on Amazon.com but the multiple benefits diminish if purchased that way.)

Stop! Coming Next

Other planned subjects the series include:

Toys
Radio
Fair trade clothing
solid waste management
microfinance
air pollution
slavery
faith and spirituality
discrimination
weapons safety
drug abuse
tobacco
slums
street children
fishing and the environment
organic agriculture/genetically modified foods
We are seeking partner organizations involved in activities that help heal these areas.

Schools may also consider giving a commission to students to increase both numbers in the sales force and volume of sales. This also adds to the number of beneficiaries from this fundraising project to include students a multiplier effect for the feel-good value of purchasing it, at still fair market price!

Those who buy the products can be satisfied that they ve contributed to at least five good causes! (Oxfam/World Vision, the school, the students, PeaceDiviners partners, and the partners' communities) and also enjoy a quality item that can be enjoyed again and again (unlike a typical fundraiser of a chocolate bar.)

Without the student and affiliate nonprofit sales force, PeaceDiviners could not earn the income we need to support our partners. This informal sales team also plays a huge role in raising awareness of the issues among our intended audience. We appreciate their worth and value and offer recognition to top salespeople.

Revenue from product sales makes up the PeaceDiviners operating and grant budget. The more PeaceDiviners products sold, the more people behind good works can be funded, removing them from the possibility of burnout and giving them peace of mind. Top salespersons in each participating US state and Canadian province, whether a student or a teacher, will be awarded an all-expenses-paid two-week study tour to meet some of the PeaceDiviners grant partners. The first year s winners will visit five PeaceDiviners partners three in the Philippines, one in Japan, and one in Canada.

Summer or Gap-Year jobs will also be available to a limited number of motivated students, either with the grant partners organizations, or with PeaceDiviners.

The collaborative nature of the program should promote media interest. Instead of competing with others for donor dollars we are working to promote them.

We are interested in collaborating with multiple organziations to distribute messages and support orgs that fit our criteria. We hope to be part of a revolution that will engage consumers to insist that every product have more than simply a commercial profit and to exercise our collective purchasing power. We are working through teacher's federations, book fairs for teachers, educational ministries, national donor agency global education programs etc. In early 2005, we also plan to approach large unions through their corporate social responsibiltiy programs, leveraging the political support for the initial introductions.

5) Key Strategy Elements:

i. Mobilizing Citizen Support:
Stakeholder involvement: teachers, parents, and partners will be consulted as we grow.

ii. Generating Financial and Nonfinancial Resources:
Each book or other product sold brings multiple benefits: teaching/learning benefits to both children and their parents while earning revenue for multiple organizations (PeaceDiviners shares profits with a number of orgs, concentrating on those that are largely self supporting and not drawing salaries from larger agencies.) PeaceDiviners is designed to be self sustaining, not dependent on the ever more saturated giving market. In addition to financial resources, the benefits of raised awareness of not just the issues, but what can be done to solve them, cannot be measured. As we progress, more organizations are likely to join in the effort.

iii. Establishing Relationships with Strategic Partnerships:
This will be key to our success. We are already working with teachers and fair trade networks to effectively use the first book in the series as well as with the Canadian Currency Museum, Canadian International Development Agency, and networks of NGOs fighting poverty, or more specific concerns such as water access, Fair Trade, streetchildren, resettlement and landlessness; (See Partners section of website for some details http://www.peacediviners.org/partners/grant_partners1.htm);

iv. Engaging and Managing Volunteers:
If the series are as successful as the first book indicates one month into the launch, we will be seeking support from schools and civic organizations to use the books as fundraisers. Our volunteer support will thus be indirect (i.e. mobilize the volunteer support of other organizations for a multiple-win scenario where everyone benefits.)

v. Developing Information and Spreading the Message:
Networking opportunities vary per topic, but since all relate in some way to poverty, there are numerous networks through which we can spread. (e.g. we are listed and featured in the Communication Initiative and on various Fair Trade newsletters, and in January 2005 in Owl Magazine - Canadian educational mag for kids that goes to every school and thousands of households.) We have political support from a key labor leader in Canada, and a trade policy Member of Parliament; Individual

6) Increasing Self-sufficiency and Social Impact:
The messages in the books are subtle, but surprisingly delivered. We will be tracking the retention and impact as children exposed to the learning tool grow. With successful delivery and both teacher and student testimonials, we will gather momentum (and therefore increase operating funds); The widest possible distribution of these materials will create options for thinking people of all ages. Speaking tours, mass, web- based and micro media will all form part of the stragety to implement the plan. The website will be used more effectively as an information tool for teachers, posting related lesson plans etc. and encouraging dialogue between teachers interested in promoting global education

8) Organization Mission and Vision:
PeaceDiviners International Inc. is a social enterprise with two grand goals: a) to raise a generation of responsible, sensitive, active consumers and philanthropists among the privileged regarding global poverty problems and b) to support social entrepreneurs who are working to solve them.

Looking Forward to the Next Three Years:
Develop more titles in the book series and work with government education agencies in the developed world to introduce them into school libraries. Use young people as illustrators and writers. Maximize media opportunities. Continue to work with like minded networks (i.e. fair trade, issue focused NGOs) and government agencies like the UN and donor orgs.

Contact Information:
Penny  Poole
Executive Director
PeaceDiviners International Inc.
849 Nicholson Ave.
Canada
Tel: 613 523 8141
Email: penny_poole@rogers.com
Website: http://www.peacediviners.org