Category: Articles

The Grossmans learned that the people of southeast Turkey had recently experienced a devastating fifteen-year conflict between the Turkish military and Kurdish militants.
By 1999, when the conflict was largely over, 7,000 Turkish soldiers and 30,000 Kurdish civilians had lost their lives.
During the conflict, three thousand villages were burned to the ground. Many people lost their homes, their neighborhoods, and their livelihoods. Life became so difficult that most people were only concerned with survival.
Education became a luxury—especially for girls.

After studying Turkey for a year, members of Tiny Peaces decided to extend a hand of friendship to the women of southeast Turkey. Nineteen women from the Phoenix area and a few or their relatives and friends eventually went to Turkey. In their suitcases, they had packed 500 bead kits and 400 pairs of eyeglasses. At a women’s center in Sanliurfa, the American women taught the Turkish women how to make a simple beaded eyeglass holder to sell for extra income.

Before learning to bead, the women of this area could bring in extra income only through their traditional handicrafts. But the time-consuming crafts of rug weaving, crochet, and embroidery only brought in a few cents an hour. A beaded eyeglass holder could be made in a half hour and bring in about ten dollars. Sharron Owens and new friend making a beaded eyeglass holder.

While they were there, the American women became aware that the daughters of these women were being quickly married off as soon as they reached puberty. The marriage of these young teen-aged girls meant one less mouth to feed as well as a substantial “bride price” paid by the groom to the bride’s family. Besides being married off, the girls were also kept home from school to carry water, tend farm animals, and care for younger siblings.

Young Turkish girl tending sheep.
Tiny Peaces now offers a small monthly stipend to the families—if they will keep their daughters in school.

Adalet Budak Akbaş of Sanliurfa, Turkey, oversees the scholarship program.
The organization contributes their funds to an ongoing scholarship program created by a young woman named Adalet Budak Akbaş who has lived in southeast Turkey all her life.

As of this year, 1,070 girls have gone through high school through this program. Adalet says she selects the most intelligent girls who would otherwise have to give up their education because their families cannot afford to send them to school.

“We visited 12 new applicants this summer and were again impressed by how much they needed our help to achieve their educational dreams,” said Gary Grossman (Jeni’s husband). “We are fortunate to have good oversight and someone there locally who can make sure these families get the funding they need to keep their daughters in high school.” Twelve new applicants for Tiny Peaces Scholarships.

“The great thing about giving these scholarships is that once the girls graduate from high school, the Turkish government will pay for their university tuition, as well as their room and board,” said Jeanne Leavitt (of Mesa) who now serves as president of Tiny Peaces. “Our scholarships serve as bridges to a more solid future for generations to come.”

Jill Homer (of Mesa), a former president of Tiny Peaces said, “It’s such a great honor to support these girls when you realize that the alternative to education is a life of illiteracy, dependence, and back-breaking poverty. We’re giving these girls some real options in their lives.”

Article submitted by Naomi DeGroff, RSE Blue College Student.

For more info about Tiny Peaces go to: www.tinypeaces.com
Contact: Jeni Grossman ... Cell: 480.703.7701 + Home: 480.892.0514
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