Founded in 2007, Between Four Eyes (B4E) is an international non-profit delivering mindfulness and social & emotional learning (SEL) education to conflict and post conflict communities. B4E has developed innovative and culturally relevant curriculum for educational and healthcare settings in Rwanda, Nigeria, and Israel based on preliminary scientific research that supports SEL as fundamental to individual’s health, well being and ethical development. Mindfulness in daily life involves bringing a focused attention to everyday thoughts, feelings, and actions and addresses the competencies to effectively manage stress and conflict. We believe that teaching individuals self awareness, skillful management of emotions and behavior, critical thinking strategies and ways to resolve differences through dialogue and non violence will catalyze positive personal growth and community transformation, in these challenging environments.

We envision a future wherein:
* Individuals can reshape and nurture themselves utilizing mindfulness, compassion and empathy as the principal stewards for healthy human interaction.
* Social and emotional intelligence is incorporated in school curriculum worldwide to foster caring, responsible and accountable student leadership while bolstering academic and personal achievement.
* Developing human capacity and empowering individuals to look within to cultivate their unique talents will help catalyze personal and societal transformation.
* Coexistence is understood as a condition in which people have the ability to live side by side while maintaining their unique cultural identities.

Over the last several years through professional development training for teacher and healthcare providers and in-school programs for senior school student in Rwanda and Nigeria, B4E has been adapting its work to expand to other international communities such as Israel and Palestinian Territories. Although working internationally in conflict-ridden communities comes with enormous challenges; B4E is inspired by the vision of a peaceful world where vital knowledge of mindful awareness and emotional literacy reaches beyond borders.

The health and wellbeing of young people in at-risk environments is frequently marginalized by the trauma they face in their daily lives. Members of these communities frequently witness only the modeling of destructive and reactive ways to manage challenging emotions, and too often repeat the same pattern of violence and hatred to which they have been exposed. By providing social and emotional education, individuals develop the capacity to skillfully relate and constructively respond to their emotions, thereby breaking the cycle of violence that has shaped their young lives. Limiting the influence of destructive or negative emotions can play an integral role in determining one’s success in relationships, school, work and life.

Since 2008, over 1,000 community leaders, educators and health-care providers are direct beneficiaries of our educational workshops. Currently, B4E has strategic partners in Nigeria, Rwanda and Israel, and is implementing a number of professional development programs. All of B4E’s educational programs – including Teacher Training Workshops, Mindfulness Ambassador Councils and university curriculum development – embody an interdisciplinary approach to teach mindfulness and SEL. Utilizing small and large group dialogue, experiential exercises, music, role playing, and home assignments, B4E facilitators invites its students to explore how they get caught in old habitual actions and destructive patterns of behavior which preclude the possibility for real change between individuals and their communities.