- Dr. Meyerhof believes that peace begins within the heart of each child, and from there flows outward—to communities, to nations, and to the world.
- Her legacy stretches from Nepal to Guatemala, and now, it beats in the dusty paths and humble homes of Togo’s Aviohonou, Gracias, Wonuga, Vogan, Adamavo, and Amouzoukope.
- Children of the Earth (COE) was born from the vision of Dr. Nina Meyerhof, an international leader and spiritual educator whose life’s work has been to empower young people to become conscious agents of change.
The boy sat quietly on the dusty doorstep of his family’s mud-walled home in Aviohonou, a village cradled by the sun-baked earth of Togo’s Maritime Region. His name was Koffi.
At ten, he was small for his age, his frame thin from years of hunger, his eyes wide with longing. In his hands he held a torn schoolbook pressed tightly to his chest, not for knowledge alone, but as a shield against the silence of abandonment.
Koffi had lost both his parents early in life. He often wandered the village paths barefoot, not searching for food, but for a reason to believe.
Like many children in Aviohonou, Koffi carried a quiet yearning—for love, for justice, and for a world where his dreams could grow like the mango trees swaying near his home.
It was in this space of silent yearning that Children of the Earth (COE) arrived—not with loud announcements or handouts, but with song, silence, and the tender offering of presence.
Dr Nina Meyerhof’s Vision
Children of the Earth (COE) was born from the vision of Dr. Nina Meyerhof, an international leader and spiritual educator whose life’s work has been to empower young people to become conscious agents of change.
“Every child is a light waiting to be seen,” she says. “We do not fix children. We help them find their truth, their purpose, and their peace.”
Dr. Meyerhof believes that peace begins within the heart of each child, and from there flows outward—to communities, to nations, and to the world.
Her legacy stretches from Nepal to Guatemala, and now, it beats in the dusty paths and humble homes of Togo’s Aviohonou, Gracias, Wonuga, Vogan, Adamavo, and Amouzoukope.
A Mission Rekindled
In April 2025, under the compassionate leadership of Project Director Samuel Ayivi, COE was reawakened in Togo.
Samuel Ayivi, a man of quiet strength and unwavering belief, who started working with COE in 2010 as a Chapter Leader, launched the School for Peace and Justice—a programme not simply about education, but about awakening.
“I walked through Aviohonou and did not see despair,” Samuel said. “I saw strength disguised as silence. The smiles of children, despite their suffering, reminded me that this mission is sacred.”
With a small team and boundless hope, Samuel began planting seeds in schools like Floraison and Pythagore, and in villages like Gracias and Wonuga.
These seeds came in the form of music, meditation, storytelling, and drawing. But what sprouted was something far more powerful: a sense of worth.
Song, Silence, and Awakening
One of the first gatherings took place under the shade of a neem tree in Aviohonou. Children sat in a circle. No desks. No chalkboard. Just earth beneath them and sky above.
They sang. Simple songs about peace, love, and the Earth. Then came silence. A guided meditation invited them to close their eyes and imagine a world where every home was filled with love. Some wept. Others smiled. All felt something stir inside.
“When we sing together, I feel like I belong,” said one boy. Another whispered, “This is the first time I’ve felt seen.”
These weren’t just school activities. They were sacred encounters—where children met their own souls.
Gracias, Wonuga, Vogan: Love in Action
The programme expanded organically, reaching Gracias, Wonuga, and Vogan. In each village, Samuel and his team created safe spaces for children to explore the many faces of love: love for self, for family, for community, and for Earth.
Workshops on emotional healing, human rights, and justice allowed children to share their stories and dreams.
In Gracias, a girl drew herself sharing food with her brother. In Wonuga, a boy wrote a poem on forgiveness. In Vogan, children organised a village cleanup, proclaiming, “Peace begins with how we care for our home.”
The arts became a language of transformation. “Art is the voice of the soul,” Dr. Meyerhof often says. And in Togo, the children began to speak.
The Birth of Hearts in Peace
Back in Aviohonou, after a day of deep sharing, the children spontaneously formed a club. They called it Hearts in Peace. It began with some children, sitting in a circle, singing songs and sharing acts of kindness.
With Samuel’s gentle guidance, the club became a sanctuary. They kept journals. They meditated. They planned small service projects. One child offered to help an elderly neighbour. Another brought water to a sick friend.
Koffi, once the silent boy on the doorstep, stood before the group one morning. “When I come here,” he said, voice trembling but proud, “I remember that I matter.”
Adamavo and Amouzoukope: Schools of the Spirit
The movement reached Adamavo and Amouzoukope, where the School for Peace and Justice became a model of holistic education.
In quiet sessions, children explored the meaning of love through storytelling and role-play. They acted out conflicts and learned to resolve them with kindness.
Guest facilitators introduced students to meditation, self-reflection, and values-based learning. In one memorable session, students listed their most cherished values: love, truth, courage, humility, respect, and wisdom.
Then came the question: “How can we live these values every day?”
A boy raised his hand. “By how we treat each other. By listening. By forgiving.”
Institutionalising Peace
COE didn’t stop with inspiration. It wove peace into the fabric of education. Through Peace and Justice Clubs, students engaged in regular dialogues, debates, and storytelling.
Film screenings highlighted global peace builders. Art exhibitions displayed children’s visions of a better world.
Workshops on SDG 16—Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions—gave students tools to see themselves as change makers.
Community outreach projects connected them to local issues, from clean water advocacy to protecting girls’ rights.
Teachers were trained to integrate values like empathy, inclusion, and nonviolence into daily lessons. The curriculum became not just a path to knowledge, but a journey of the heart.
The Power of Spiritual Education
Dr. Meyerhof’s vision infused every step. “We are not just educating minds,” she said. “We are awakening souls. True education is spiritual. It helps children see the sacredness in themselves and in others.”
Through song, meditation, and creative expression, the children of Togo are coming home to themselves.
They are learning that dignity is not given—it is remembered. That justice is not enforced—it is embodied.
A New Dawn
Today, Koffi is no longer just a boy on a doorstep. He is a leader in Hearts in Peace. He leads morning reflections. He sings loudly. He dreams boldly.
“One day,” he says, “I will teach others how to find peace.”
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And he will. For in every village touched by COE—Aviohonou, Gracias, Wonuga, Vogan, Adamavo, Amouzoukope—something sacred is stirring.
Not a revolution of noise, but of quiet strength, of sacred connection, of love that transcends borders.
The light of Children of the Earth continues to rise, one song, one story, one soul at a time.
And it all began with a barefoot boy named Koffi, holding a torn schoolbook to his chest, and daring to believe in love.
