History
Hannah Laufer-Rottman held senior positions at the United Nations World Food Programme and founded Palms for Life Fund, a US-based 501(c)(3) in 2006.
Her vision for Palms for Life is that of an organization that fights for basic human rights, beyond charity or hand-outs, by fostering active participation and ownership by local populations, ensuring sustainable results.
Each local organization carrying out projects funded by Palms for Life is carefully chosen following the Founder’s strict guiding principles. These local implementing partners provide needed services in select communities that lack education, food, water and sanitation.
During her 30 year career with the UN, she saw the devastating effects of hunger, lack of clean water and facilities, and poverty in general.
MY UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
I have always been an unconditional supporter of human rights and tolerance. Because of this passion, I worked for the UN World Food Programme for 30 years. When I retired from the UN in 2006, I took with me my never-ending commitment to ending poverty.
I have seen poverty throughout the world. I know what it means for poor people to live a life with no hope for the future, and I know with complete certainty that we can make a difference by joining hands and working together.
The cycle of poverty can be broken; it takes vision, knowledge, persistence, understanding, commitment, and participation at the local level.
She lived and worked in disadvantaged communities in West-Africa and Latin America.
WHY PALMS FOR LIFE
While I was at the World Food Programme, I brought all of these ideas to my work, informing my project design and community organization with my “religion”. Through Palms for Life Fund, I have developed a more intimate relationship to my work. I empower myself and I empower the people I work with.
THE IMAGE OF PALMS FOR LIFE
The image of hands reaching out to each other is an act of unity, solidarity, and equality –it is not a top-down mentality. The image of palms represents my mission, my hope for a global alliance to fight poverty.
Our projects foster engagement and ownership by local populations, which help ensure sustainable results and accountability. By investing them with responsibility in the project, Palms for Life Fund gives participants back ownership of their own lives, allowing them to be informed, empowered, and hopeful. I believe educating populations in this two-way exchange is the way to change the face of poverty worldwide.
When she left the UN Ms. Laufer-Rottman committed herself to continue the fight to end hunger and poverty, focusing primarily on the countries where she had first-hand experience.
IT’S NOT ABOUT CHARITABLE HANDOUTS, IT’S ABOUT DOING WHAT’S RIGHT
At Palms for Life Fund, we believe that access to food, clean water, sanitation, and education are basic human rights, and should not be dependent on charitable giving or handouts. Our efforts aren’t about feeling or being good.
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION BY LOCAL POPULATIONS
I have brought a rights-based approach, aided by objective analyses of problems, to bring creative and effective long-term solutions to the inequalities I see around the world. Palms for Life Fund’s projects don’t serve “beneficiaries;” we work with participants.
We believe that poverty eradication is everyone’s business; it has to happen now and for all; and has to be done right. I believe that everyone in this world has a basic human right to a good quality of life and it starts with access to the things you need for that to be possible. That’s my “religion!”