Category Archives: Asia/South Pacific

Our Work in Asia and the South Pacific

Posted on by
0

Heifer’s Cornerstones are at the heart of the Asia/South Pacific Program’s Values-Based Holistic Community Development model for sustainable community transformation. Through this model, project participants are empowered to help themselves and make a sustainable impact on their communities.

Women in Heifer’s A/SP projects assume positions of leadership in their communities, living their values and helping others in need. These projects take families from hunger and poverty and move them to a level where they no longer focus solely upon meeting their basic nutrition needs.  Once this progress has been achieved, Heifer implements second-level projects in the same communities, leading to community-level economic transformation.

Support our work in Asia and the South Pacific:

Subscribe to our A/SP RSS feed.

Read more about our work in Asia and the South Pacific below and on our Success Stories page.

[portfolio_slideshow size=thumbnail]
Pin It

Heifer increases goat productivity in Nepal

Posted on by
0

In January Heifer launched its dream project for Nepal, Strengthening Livestock Value Chain (SLVC). Its goals are to increase meat and milk production to substitute current imports and create a unique value chain for meat and milk that incorporates smallholder farmers not only in the production phase but also in marketing it. But there was a glitch. Over the years degradation of genetic merit in goats resulted in lower levels of productivity. In layman’s terms, they had fewer babies who did not grow as well and farmers could not sell them for good prices.

Farmers of Ladavir in the Sindhuli district in eastern foothills of Nepal are a part of a unique classroom under the Community Initiative for Genetic Improvement in Goats (CIGIG). Here they learn about how to improve production of goats through selective breeding. These farmers are not new to rearing goats but what they learn in this classroom will teach them to do so in a more scientific way through observation and intervention. To put it simply, it’s the Mendel’s Law in action. A pool of healthy genetically superior does and bucks will be produced by the end of the project and will be marketed across communities around the country to in-turn increase their production. Ladavir will be a training ground and resource village for genetically superior high productivity goats.

Heifer’s work around the world is not just limited giving animals and agricultural inputs if farmers but also extends to doing what needs to be done to bridge the gaps between the present that the future that Heifer envisioned together with the families it works with. CIGIG is one such initiative.

Participants of the first CIGIG class mull over a poster that depicts how to select a good male and female goat from physical traits for breeding.

Pin It

Heifer CEO in Nepal: First Steps into Sustainability

Posted on by
0

On his first day in Nepal, Heifer International President and CEO Pierre Ferrari found himself among a group of withdrawn yet excited women in an unused classroom in the village of Kabilash in Chitwan district, a jostling 45-minute drive uphill on a dirt track that was patched up from recent landslides especially for his visit. The ethnic tribal women spoke of the challenges of and their aspirations for Heifer’s signature project, of which they were going to be a part. This was a first for Ferrari. Having traveled through Nepal in February 2011 and having heard about the country’s achievements in implementing transformational projects ever since he joined Heifer, Ferrari was more accustomed to strong women displaying confidence. “It validated the time and money we put into trainings to build the social capital to strengthen and transform women,” said Ferrari.

The women in Kabilash are part of a groundbreaking effort in Nepal that will scale up Heifer’s work to end poverty and hunger by increasing goat and milk production by helping women farmers increase production and enabling them to take part in the value chain through cooperatives formed and led by women. The overarching goal of the project, reducing importation of live goats and milk, will increase income for smallholder farmers through increased production and participation in the value chain, which will ensure that they get a fair share of the profits.

Heifer’s plan in this beautiful but resource-poor community is to establish sustainable partnerships with the local government, which is a co-funder of the project. “Our five-year plan consists of improving livestock and agriculture to help the people of this village escape poverty,” said Village Development Committee Secretary Pradhumna Khadka. “So when Heifer came to me with an opportunity to partner, I accepted it without any reservations.”

This is a partnership that works for all. Because after Heifer completes its work in Kabilash, it can be assured that the impacts will be exponential. “By this time, Heifer will have strengthened the farmers, the cooperative they form, and the agents of development, the government organizations, who are there to stay,” said Parbati Rawal, executive director of SRAM, a Heifer local partner NGO that will implement the project in Kabilash.

Heifer Nepal is geared up to implement similar projects in 28 districts of Nepal in the next five—an ambitious plan that has already been able to seek support in forms of resource leverage and collaborative partnerships from the national and local government and other development agencies.

Pin It

Heifer India Leads Rukkhi to a Better Life

Posted on by
2

Rukkhi Devi with her goats.

A Heifer India project participant stands in front of her new concrete house, which was made possible through the organization's sustainable agriculture development program.

Rukkhi Devi stands in front of her new concrete house.

 

“In the last six months, the biggest change has been that from a thatched house. I have been able to build a concrete house.”  —Rukkhi Devi

Life is getting better for Rukkhi Devi. She looks at the two goats she received from Heifer India. These now have four kids. The two to be passed on are ready for the big ceremony. The goats changed her life. She got three liters of milk every day: she kept one for her family’s consumption and sold the rest at about $1 per liter to the local merchant. The family has sold two bucks for 5,000 Rupees (about US $ 100) this month. About 10 months ago, they sold a male kid male for $40. The family has earned a total of $140 that has increased their family income.

But in order to get this result, Rukkhi had to learn how to keep her livestock. She learned the benefits of keeping the goats in a shed so the hot summer sun would not burn their skin. She learned how to stall-feed them too. The fodder seeds Heifer provided also helped.

Rukkhi is also seeing the benefits of the vegetable seeds she received. Now the family has eaten green vegetables every day for the last three months. These positive results encouraged them to plant eight more trees this year.

The highlight of the project were the three import trainings Rukkhi received:

  • The nutrition & hygiene training has been very informative. Rukkhi says it has helped her learn and understand how to maintain personal hygiene and to keep the house and its surroundings clean. She understands the importance of a toilet in the house. She also understands the strong emphasis on good nutrition for good health.
  • The training on smokeless stoves has helped her understand the hazardous implications of smoke on health, especially on the health of women in the house. She says she understood how the smoke would affect her vision, her eyes and her respiratory tract. She is glad that these problems, which were deemed to be eventualities, will not affect her or her family now. She also understands that it will save on fuel and fuel costs, and also reduce the ill effects caused to the environment. She is happy that she will be able to cook twice as quickly, the utensils and dishes will not turn black from charcoal and the kitchen will not be covered with soot.
  • The training on rain water harvesting systems helped Rukkhi realize the importance of water management. She says her family would save a total of about $57 annually on water because of collecting rainwater. Given the scarcity of water and negligible amount of rain in the region, the rainwater harvesting system would help them maintain an unrestricted supply of water throughout the year. This would impact the lives of the women positively because they are the ones who travel long distances to fetch water, she adds.

Editor’s note: This post is part of a series that follows the progress of specific families, starting at the beginning of their work with Heifer. In Asia/South Pacific, our colleagues have chosen one family in each region in the countries where we work and will bring us quarterly updates. You can read the first story about Rukkhi Devi and her family here. 

Pin It

Why Water Buffalo?

Posted on by
0

It is truly astounding how each gift of livestock can change the lives of Heifer participants all around the world. I’ve seen it each time I’ve traveled for work. But I’ve never been more impressed than when I saw some water buffalo projects on my trip to Cambodia in 2010.

San Pheap, 12, Sok Phong, 7, and Sieng Hai, 6, on a water buffalo in Chrey Krem, Cambodia.

Imposing creatures to be sure, water buffalo are actually quite gentle and patient (as you can see from the photo above as this animal allowed three little boys to ride on her back).  It was really fun to watch Seng Ouy bathe his family’s water buffalo. The animal’s reaction to the bath reminded me a lot of what my basset hound looks like when I put him in the tub to wash him down.

Water buffalo are prized in Cambodia. Often too expensive for smallholder farmers to purchase on their own, water buffalo often serve as “living tractors” for farming families in Southeast Asia. The draft animals can help families plant up to five times more crops than they would be able to plant by hand.  And rice planting is backbreaking work.

water buffalo bath

Seng Ouy, 19, washes the family's water buffalo.

The gentle giants also provide families with milk rich in calcium and protein that can transform malnourished children. Plus, the fats in buffalo milk make it ideal for processing into cheeses that also help build strong bones.

Another benefit families see from water buffalo is manure. Adult water buffalo produce about six tons of manure a year, and for families that have biogas digesters, that manure provides precious methane to power cook stoves and lamps.

Give the gift of a water buffalo today. You’ll be providing a family with a valuable tool that will give them plenty in return.

This post is part of our What to Give series, where we’re helping you choose the best Heifer gift for your loved ones. Read previous What to Give posts here, and subscribe to the What to Give series here.

Still don’t know what to give? Check out our entire online Gift Catalog.

Pin It

The Cost of Inequality in India

Posted on by
1

The horrifying story of a young woman who died after being brutally gang raped in New Delhi is putting inequality in India in the international spotlight. The murder of 23-year-old Jyoti Singh Pandey is spawning widespread protests and a push for major change to the chauvinism and oppression Indian women face.

The need for change became even clearer this week, as political and spiritual leaders continued to openly blame women for inviting assault by being out in public after dark or wearing skirts. And on Wednesday, a lawyer for three of the five men accused of raping and torturing Jyoti Pandey said Pandey and her companion were solely responsible because they were out together after dark, but were not married. Wow.

The moral argument for addressing gender inequality in India is clear. And surprisingly, the economic argument is clear, as well. A survey of 2,500 women in several Indian cities revealed that nearly 82 percent of the women are leaving work earlier since the infamous Dec. 16 attack to avoid being away from home after sunset. The survey indicates that one in three women in Delhi reduced their work hours or quit their jobs altogether to avoid making themselves vulnerable to attacks. This drop in productivity will only add to India’s poverty.

India is one of the world’s poorest countries when measured by per-capita income, and the country’s failure to invite women into the workplace and support them there is a major factor. Only 35 percent of Indian women work. Just think of the potential forfeited when millions of women opt out of the workplace.

Pin It

Follow me to the Philippines

Posted on by
1

Next Wednesday, January 23, I’ll be departing for the Philippines. Like we told you last month, I’ll be traveling there to report on the rebuilding efforts after the damage caused by Typhoon Bopha last month.

Photo By Nacho Hernandez

I’ll be going to to Sta. Josefa where at least 366 families in two projects were significantly affected, with homes damaged or destroyed. More than 250 pigs were lost, as well as 90 goats. Rice, corn and banana crops were significantly damaged, and initial estimates from Heifer communities place damages at $550,000.

I hope you’ll check back in on the blog periodically, as I intend (depending on connectivity) to blog while there about the families affected by the typhoon and also about Heifer’s Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction program, which helped our project participants prepare for the typhoon.

In the meantime, you can give to Heifer’s Disaster Rehabilitation Fund. While Heifer is not a first responder, as part of our program work, we help our at-risk communities prepare for the potential impact of disasters.  Even so, natural disasters often overwhelm a community’s ability to respond. Our Disaster Rehabilitation Fund is a pool of money that can be accessed by country offices affected by disasters that exceed their ability to cope.

Pin It

Typhoon Bopha’s Aftermath

Posted on by
0

The last time I posted here I was on my way to the Philippines to interview project participants who had lived through Typhoon Bopha. I told you that I’d be posting about my experiences. But we had no Internet, much less reliable electricity. Since I’ve been back I’ve thought a lot about my trip. It was one of the hardest trips I’ve taken. Below is a short reflection piece on my time there.

—–

I’ve seen real poverty before; heard the most heart-wrenching stories from war widows in Kosovo and survivors of the Khmer Rouge. I’ve witnessed the excitement that a gift of a goat brings and the incredible act of Passing on the Gift. But what I saw and heard in the Philippines was a level of devastation I’ve never encountered.

I was in Mindanao just six weeks after Typhoon Bopha tore through the island. As we made our way to the project sites it was as if we were inching our way closer and closer to a war zone. Palm fronds, bent permanently in the direction the winds were blowing, gave way to decimated villages.

Not only are the physical scars obvious—homes in pieces, partially rebuilt or gone completely; people living under tarps; men cutting away rotten portions of wood in an effort to save any materials from damaged houses; layers of silt and mud deposited in rice and corn fields; crops dead where they were planted, trees down—there are now psychological and emotional scars.

 

Ester Talledo talks about life after Typhoon Bopha.
Ester Talledo talks about life after Typhoon Bopha.

 

 I spoke to parents who say their children are afraid of the slightest winds, with mothers who have nothing to feed their families, and with fathers who are out of work because of factory closings or farm damage.

The typhoon ripped away hopes along with homes and livelihoods. All the Heifer beneficiaries here wanted was to provide their children with a life better than the one they had known. But with no food, no income and no job opportunities, it’s only a matter of time before kids will have to drop out of school.

What I learned in my 10 days there was the meaning of urgency. Typhoon Bopha was a minor blip on the Western world’s radar. But these people need help and they need it now. They have no food and won’t until the rice is harvested in the next few weeks.

In my five years with Heifer I’ve learned that each trip to the field leaves an indelible mark, and that each also comes with its own perils of the heart. I’ve been home from the Philippines for three weeks now, and though the images of crippled palms and makeshift homes are as clear as the day I was there, it’s the words of Ester Talledo that will remain with me forever: “While we’re alive there’s still hope. We will stay strong.”

—-

Heifer’s Disaster Rehabilitation Fund is reserved for to help Heifer participants who are victimes of events like Typhoon Bopha. Please give if you can. 

Pin It

Malaria=Poverty=Malaria

Posted on by
0

Web

Today is World Malaria Day, which might have slipped your mind. That’s understandable. The United States eradicated malaria in 1951, and unless you’ve done much traveling it’s probably never topped your list of things to worry about. But for half the world’s population, the 3.3 billion people threatened by the deadly mosquito-borne illness every day, malaria isn’t so easy to forget.

Malaria symptoms include fever, headache, chills, vomiting, anemia and respiratory distress. Children infected with the disease are extremely vulnerable because they haven’t had time to develop any level of immunity.

Malaria is a mean disease that preys on the poor and the innocent. In 2010, 90 percent of all malaria deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, the region of our planet that’s home to the highest proportion of undernourished people. Poor people with limited resources and limited access to health care often can’t afford housing with screened windows and doors to protect them from infected mosquitoes. And once infected, people suffering from malaria lose work days and the paychecks that go along with them, deepening their poverty. This is a handicap faced by countless Heifer project participants who can find themselves incapacitated by malaria multiple times each year.

Most deaths from malaria claim children under the age of 5. That means that every single minute of the day, a child dies of malaria. Pregnant women also face heightened risk.These numbers will knock the breath out of you, but luckily they’re better than they used to be. Malaria mortality rates have fallen by more than 25 percent since 2000. And with continued use of mosquito nets and insecticides, the hope is that the disease will continue to loosen its grasp.

The theme for World Malaria Day 2013 is “Invest in the future. Defeat malaria.” The disease still kills 660,000 people each year, according to the World Health Organization. But not everyone agrees on the numbers, and in fact, the Seattle-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation puts the death toll at 1.2 million per year. I know that number will be stuck in my head for a while.

Happily, we know that bed nets, insecticides and improved housing can slow or stop the spread of malaria. We also know how to treat it. It’s just a question of resources. If, after reading this, you’re having a hard time getting malaria off your mind, visit the WHO’s World Malaria Day 2013 website to learn more.

Pin It

From the Field: Embracing New Opportunities for a Successful Future

Posted on by
0

This weekly post shines a light on a handful of stories from Heifer.org’s “From the Field” section.

When we are open to new opportunities, our future is often positively affected. Heifer International project families experience this all the time. Embracing the new and trying something different, regardless of what one’s history or neighbors say, has made a profound difference in the lives of many.

Heifer Armenia and Ashtarak Kat CJSC, the country’s leading milk producer, are working together to help families improve the breed of their animals and build successful dairy businesses through the Milk for Communities project. Valuable training and equipment for artificial insemination (AI) will enable families to make the most of their milk cooling unit. Soon these families will pass on the gift to new families, and an even greater impact will be made on hunger and poverty in Armenia.

Sulekha Devi, a CAHW in Bihar, India, with her goat

Coffee is the main economic activity for the residents of Cajamarca, Peru, but the crop is always vulnerable to an unpredictable climate and market fluctuations. When farmers here added guinea pigs and other inputs to their farming mix through Heifer’s Healthy Life and Sustainable Production for Coffee Producer Families in Lambayeque and Cajamarca project, they discovered that it pays to diversify. Now, with multiple crops, these families enjoy greater food and income security.

Sulekha Devi is a member of the Musahar community in Bihar, India. The Musahar are a Hindu scheduled caste, making them one of the country’s most vulnerable groups of people. They have no land of their own and must work as sharecroppers or agricultural laborers to support their families. Since Heifer India started the Mithila Women Empowerment and Sustainable Livestock Program, women like Sulekha are being trained as Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs). Sulekha has become an expert in diagnosing and treating animal conditions and has become a tremendous asset in her community.

                                     Find out how you can give a new opportunity to a family today.

Pin It

Discovering Livestock’s Potential to End Poverty

Posted on by
0

Ursula with her family's pigs.

Freddie Cabrales was a native of Barangay Aurora, Santa Josefa, Agusan del Sur in the Philippines. He is the third son among eight siblings. His parents’ main source of income was farming that supported only the family’s basic needs. As tenant farmers, Freddie’s parents were in constant financial hardship. After graduating from high-school, his parents could not afford to send him to college, so Freddie helped his family by going to work as a farm laborer. He was eventually hired as maintenance worker and harvester in a banana plantation in their province.

Ursula Cabrales is from Barangay Pamotuanan, Lianga, Surigao del Sur. She is the eldest daughter in a family of nine.  As the eldest, Ursula felt obliged to take her part in supporting the family finances, so after graduating from high school she went to work as laborer at the same banana plantation as Freddie. A friendship developed and blossomed into a romantic relationship between Freddie and Ursula. After six years of pre-marriage arrangements, the couple decided to settle down and start a family of their own. When they were married, Ursula was 23 while Freddie was 21.

The couple continued to work at the banana plantation, and att the early stage of their married life, everything ran well. Their modest income was just enough for the basic needs of the couple, and they sent a little savings to their respective families. But when their first baby was born, they started to face financial challenges. Although they were expecting a baby, they were not prepared for Ursula’s difficult pregnancy and delivery. They were financially unprepared for a hospital delivery since giving birth in their village was commonly attended by community health volunteers or a mid-wife.

Because of hospital expenses, the couple became indebted to the company were they worked. Ursula stopped working in the company and focused on her new role as a mother to their newborn, Krisia May. Freddie at this time was the sole earner in the family. Considering the large amount of loaned money that was automatically deducted from Freddie’s monthly payroll, the family suffered a great financial difficulty. They had no one to help them, not even their own families. Prayers to the Almighty and a positive outlook in life kept them afloat. After two years, their second child, Kiar Ian, was born. Even with the financial challenges, the family endured; the happy family welcomed their new baby boy with fresh hope.

Then one day the family was surprised by the news that the banana plantation where Freddie was employed was closing due to bankruptcy. This really bothered Freddie and Ursula — they felt so helpless, and they needed to support their growing family. The couple made use of their skills as farm laborers. Both of them engaged in seasonal farm labor in their neighbors’ farmlands. They asked their neighbors to watch over their two little children while they were worked in the fields. Their situation was not easy as Ursula recalled, “There were times that my husband and I would skip meals because the food was just enough for the two kids.” “We would go to sleep with an empty stomach—thinking where to get food for tomorrow,” Freddie added. “The neighbors were tired already of our promises just to borrow rice and sardines and repay them pay as soon as we could.”

The financial crisis of the family had gotten worse in addition to the fact that two more children were added to their brood. They now had two high school students, one grade-school-age child and a nursing infant. This is when the family decided Ursula would work as a domestic helper in Kuwait. This was the only way they knew that would help them escape poverty.

Ursula was earning US $357 every month in Kuwait, and she was able to send most of that money to Freddie for the family finances. Although still insufficient, the family made do with what they had. After only 18 months, Ursula called up her family informing them that she would be coming home in a week. Ursula arrived home with bare hands: no luggage, no presents, just her old self…but different. Only then the family learned that Ursula suffered maltreatment from her employer in Kuwait. She was abused both physically and mentally, forcefully locked up at her employer’s house and given spoiled food to eat. She managed to escape by jumping from an open window of the second floor and ran to the Philippine embassy in Kuwait to seek help. The family decided not to let Ursula work abroad again.

Ursula’s painful experience caused her psychological trauma. She was afraid of going out of the house or meeting people in their community, and her self-esteem depreciated. Freddie went back to seasonal farm labor work again.

When asked what helped them survive the bad days, their simple reply was “we still had dreams —to be free from poverty. We knew it could be done, and we believed it could be done.”

Freddie and Ursula’s outlook began to improve when they joined Heifer International’s RISE Project. The family is one of the members of the ASFA Self Help Group. They received a swine fattener and a gilt. They also received vegetable seeds, corn and soy beans. The project has a component of feed milling, thus the whole project received one feed mill. The group attended technical seminars and trainings related to the nature of the project, and the families learned about begin part of a coop-enterprise.

According to the couple, they are starting to realize their dreams for their family through the project. Ursula, who is the representative member of her family in one of the self help groups said, “During the Cornerstones workshop — I became hopeful and renewed to go on living for my family; my favorite cornerstone is Sustainability and Self-Reliance. I almost lost this value because of past experiences.”

At present, Ursula ensures the health of the pigs received by providing them enough food rations in reference to the recommended technology they learned from the series of the project trainings. She was also elected as the Project Management Committee (PMC) secretary. Ursula was also selected to participate in the RISE project Farmers Field School on Swine Production.

Freddie, on the other hand, asked his parents to let him borrow a portion of land where he can plant vegetables and corn. Freddie’s parents asked the permission of the land owner, and the latter generously granted Freddie’s request. Just recently, Freddie harvested 10 sacks of yellow corn; it was sold to the group as raw material for the feed mill. He earned Php 7,000.00 ($167) from his corn, which he considered as his first income as a farmer.

Last January 6, 2012, Ursula sold the swine-fattener to the local market of Santa Josefa after 3 months of feeding. She received Php 13,000 ($310) as sales for her 145 kilogram pig. She deposited Php 2,500.00 ($60) to the SHG as her Capital Build Up (CBU) for their feed mill enterprise, and another Php 2,500.00 ($60) was deposited to her self-help group as savings in preparation for the feed her sow and gilt will need. She had Php 8,000 ($190) as cash on hand. Minus the total amount of feed for three months, she is proud to say that she earned an income of Php 4,000 ($95).

Last May, her sow delivered 13 healthy piglets. Since the sow gave birth at midnight, Ursula and her family helped to ensure the sow’s safe delivery. Ursula is very enthusiastic in sharing her experience and stressed the application of the knowledge gained from the trainings on swine production. Upon weaning, one of the piglets was given to the owner of the breeding boar, and she chose two of the healthiest and best piglets for the pass-on. Ursula sold the 10 piglets for Php 2,000 ($48) each. Thus, she earned a gross income of Php 20,000 ($476) for this specific cycle alone. For eight months, Ursula and Freddie earned Php 28,000 ($667) from the pigs and piglets they sold.

Freddie and Ursula are discovering livestock’s potential to end poverty. They never experienced raising livestock until the project came. Now, they bought an additional gilt to expand their swine production. They also improved and expanded their flock of pigpens from the money they earned from the sales of piglets.

Their family is now a picture of happiness; they can now eat three nutritious meals a day. Ursula, when asked what she wants to share about her past, responds with a shy smile, “I do not want to look back. My family’s future is much brighter now. Freddie and I are more hopeful that we can provide good food and a good education for our children. The past is history now; I want to concentrate on the future, that is – to pass on the gifts we lovingly took care of.”

Ursula Cabrales gives a speech at a Heifer International ceremony

Ursula gives a speech at a Passing on the Gift ceremony.

Pin It

Heifer International Helps Empower Women in Cambodia

Posted on by
0
Heifer project members are all smiles during a group discussion.

Heifer project members are all smiles during a group discussion.

Many women in Cambodia cannot read or write. Their illiteracy is rooted in the belief of many Cambodians that women should not be educated because they will become housewives and not be involved in decision-making inside or outside the home. Heifer Cambodia is working to empower women through literacy and group-savings community programs. Heifer Cambodia Country Director Keang Keo shares how Heifer is transforming lives in her country.

Pin It

Heifer International Families Care for Elderly in India

Posted on by
5

People in India have flocked to cities in search of better, higher paying jobs. This urbanization has led to the breakdown of the traditional practice of living with extended family. The nuclear-family-household trend has held unforeseen consequences for the country’s elderly. They are often left uncared for and have difficulty caring for themselves, especially when they fall ill. Heifer India Country Director Avni Malhotra shares how Heifer recipients are working to care for elderly residents in need in their communities.

Global Family Day India

Photo by Brigette Lacombe, courtesy of Heifer International.

Pin It

Happy Global Family Day 2013

Posted on by
0

As many of us spend time home with our families today to celebrate New Year’s Day, we at Heifer would also like to celebrate Global Family Day. I hope you’ll enjoy this slideshow of some of our project participant families from around the world.

Global Family Day 2013

Photo by Christian DeVries, courtesy of Heifer International.

Pin It

Increased Income Leads to a Better Life

Posted on by
0

Tuerdi with one of his family's cows.

With the funding provided by Heifer, Tuerdi — who with his family has a small farm in Yarkant Village, Xinjiang, China — had bought a cow of a fine breed, and with his painstaking care it had been raised into a rather large animal. However, Tuerdi was in a great anxiety, for the cow had never been in heat during the past several months. With the help from the Heifer project community facilitator, Tuerdi got in contact with the local animal husbandry bureau. After examining the cow, the vet told Tuerdi that the obesity of the cow may have prevented her from being in heat. He advised Tuerdi to transfer the cow to a more spacious and cooler place where the cow would be able to move around for some exercises. Following this advice, the cow was really in heat after a while. Tuerdi was so excited that he could not wait to phone the veterinarian to mate the cow. Now that one month has passed, Tuerdi is waiting for the miracle with high expectations.

The the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Tuerdi and his wife fasted in accordance with the Uighur’s custom. For their children’s health, they bought five kilograms of meat and slaughtered three chickens and three ducks the family had raised. All of these foods were enough for the children. In addition, the four Bada wood trees and an acre of walnuts (of high quality through grafting) began to bear fruits, resulting in a total of 15 kg of Bada wood and 5 kg of walnuts. Although the gains are not very much, Tuerdi is very pleased to see that their work is finally paying off, and he says he will save these fruits for his family instead of selling them.

Tuerdi is also looking for additional ways to increase his income. Soon, his one acre of corn will be harvested. He hopes to use the corn stalks as forage. And he will grasp another chance to realize another plan: the season of cotton harvest season in South Xinjiang is coming soon, and many Shache farmers would earn money through picking cotton in other places. Because there will be no one left at home, they will sell all their sheep. The price will fall and Tuerdi plans to buy the sheep to increase his flock from 10 to 20. After a while, when price of these sheep is better, he will sell them all to earn some money. He believes that through his effort, his life will be much better in the near future.

Editor’s note: This post is part of a series that follows the progress of specific families, starting at the beginning of their work with Heifer. You can read previous posts about Tuerdi and his family here.

Pin It

This Holiday Season, Give the Gift of Animal Care

Posted on by
0

When a family becomes a Heifer project participant, it almost always involves animals. We’re known around the globe for providing livestock and training to help smallholder farmers overcome hunger and poverty. These animals provide much-needed nutrition, but they also serve as catalysts that improve the family’s livelihood through the sale of wool, milk, honey, or the like, allowing a family to improve their living conditions and attain more education.

Animal care

Mrs. Madeline Nole Quispe of Peru at her veterinary medicine cabinet. Photo by Jake Lyell, courtesy of Heifer International.

But these small farmers cannot do it alone. To keep their livestock healthy and viable, families need access to veterinary services and expertise; but in many countries this animal care is limited or non-existent. This is where community animal health workers come in. These “para-vets” learn valuable skills like animal health, husbandry, breeding, nutrition and housing, and they can fill an important need when local professional veterinary care isn’t available.

Irene Pandosen is a community animal health worker who helps Heifer project participants in the Philippines. Right after her training concluded in 2010, she was put to the test when almost all of the swine in her community were inflicted with a viral disease that affects pregnant pigs and causes miscarriage, premature birth, or even death of the mother and piglets. Irene coordinated closely with the provincial veterinary office to control the outbreak, and as a result, only four pigs owned by the project participants died (compared to more than 50 owned by non-members).

Animal care

Irene with her family and sow. Photo by Jun Dom-oguen, courtesy of Heifer International.

“The epidemic was the turning point. [Prior to the outbreak] most of the families doubted my knowledge. They would ask me things about animal diseases and how to control them, and then go to the veterinarian and ask the same question to see if my answers and explanations were the same,” Irene said. “I take every opportunity to learn so that I can give good service. I talk to veterinarians and research every time I find an opportunity. I take learning as my responsibility to my group and to the community as well.”

Irene has gone on to become a local expert in artificial insemination. This technology means safer and more efficient breeding of pigs — farmers no longer need to transport large boars over poor roads and rugged terrain. Farmers pay Irene directly for her artificial insemination services, and she has seen her income increase about 15 fold as this enterprise has grown to include other members of her family.

This year, you can donate a Community Animal Health Worker Kit to provide quality animal care through our gift catalog. For $200 (or $20 for a share of a kit), you can honor a loved one with a gift that helps people like Irene care for livestock in the communities where Heifer works.

This post is part of our What to Give series, where we’re helping you choose the best Heifer gift for your loved ones. Read previous What to Give posts here, and subscribe to the What to Give series here.

Still don’t know what to give? Check out our entire online Gift Catalog.

Information for this post was contributed by Jun Dom-oguen and Karla Narcise-Rodulfo, Heifer Philippines

Animal Care Worker in the Philippines

A community animal health worker practices her trade at a Heifer project in Magupange Village, Philippines.

Community Animals Health Workers in the Philippines

Community animal health workers tend to a goat at a Heifer project in the Philippines.

Pin It

Heifer Philippines Continues Rehabilitation Efforts

Posted on by
2

Rehabilitation work is underway in the Philippines to help Heifer International project participants begin the long recovery from Typhoon Bopha, which struck the southern island of Mindanao on December 4, 2012.

Philippines recovery.

Elmer Negros and his son, building a makeshift cabin in the place where their house used to stand. His wife watches while washing all the clothes that got soaked during the Typhoon Bopha. Their house was totally destroyed by the typhoon. Photo by Nacho Hernandez, courtesy of Heifer International.

Philippines country staff has asked Heifer International for $50,000 in immediate disaster rehabilitation funding to help provide short-term food relief and materials to repair homes and a feed mill, such as tin for the roofs and raw feed ingredients for surviving animals.

Philippines emergency aid.

At the headquarter of HEED, Heifer's local partner in Santa Josefa. Staff and volunteers preparing bags of rice for distribution to the families that have nothing to eat as a consequence of the Typhoon Bopha. Photo by Nacho Hernandez, courtesy of Heifer International.

On Saturday, representatives of the federation of self-help groups (SHGs), organized by Heifer Philippines country staff, met with HEED, the local partner, to discuss and schedule procuring and distributing supplies to help families who were affected. For Heifer, 366 families in two projects in Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur, were significantly affected, with homes damaged or destroyed. More than 250 pigs were lost, as well as 90 goats. Rice, corn and banana crops were significantly damaged.

A banana plantation, destroyed by Typhoon Bopha.

A banana plantation, destroyed by Typhoon Bopha. Photo by Nacho Hernandez, courtesy of Heifer International.

The groups also met with representatives of Save the Children and World Vision to help coordinate rehabilitation efforts and food supplies. Heifer regional staff plans to meet December 21 in Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur, with the SHGs and HEED to discuss longer term rehabilitation planning.

Florita M. San Miguel, a Heifer participant, with her pig and recently born piglets. They were born right after Typhoon Bopha hit Santa Josefa. Photo by Nacho Hernandez, courtesy of Heifer International.

Between today and December 23, Hercules Paradiang, Heifer Philippines country director, and his team, will work with the SHGs and HEED to secure, repack and distribute food and roofing materials for repairs. Then, between December 21 and 24, members with carpentry skills and others will be divided into groups to help repair and rebuild homes that were damaged, as well as distribute and help prepare food as needed.

Ariel Alcantara, a neighbour of Santa Josefa, in front of what remains of his house. It was almost destroyed by Typhoon Bopha. Photo by Nacho Hernandez, courtesy of Heifer International.

Between December 26-29, crews plan to reconstruct the feed mill warehouse, and then on December 30-January 2, 2013, to purchase raw materials to put the feed mill back in operation by January 2, 2013. Between January 8 and 10, 2013, Heifer Philippines staff, along with the self-help groups and local government units, will provide Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) workshops to five Heifer project communities.

The workshops, which help families prepare for and endure emergencies and disasters, had been planned for December 4-7, but was canceled because of Typhoon Bopha’s assault on the island.

Heifer International plans to send a World Ark writer and photographer to the Philippines in late January to visit the impacted area and report on the families, as well as ongoing CMDRR efforts across the country to better prepare families for disasters such as Bopha, lessons that can be shared with other Heifer International communities in high-risk areas around the world.

Pin It

The New Year Brings Hope for Pite Niuniu and His Family

Posted on by
0

The past three months, Pite Niuniu has continued to work in another city, away from his small farm in Zhaojue County in China’s Sichuan Province. Nonetheless, the family had a fairly-good harvest: 1000 kg of corn, 600 kg of wheat and 1500 kg of potatoes. The production of potatoes is of half of last year’s due to insufficient sunshine and too much rain.

The wife is peeling the corn.

Pite Niuniu's wife, Azhe Zuotu, shucks corn.

This past quarter new born piglets were sold, which gave the family RMB2400 Yuan (US $385). The price of this quarter is not so good, but the family needs the money to prepare for the Yi ethnic minority’s celebration of the New Year.

The wife is feeding the pigs

Azhe Zuotu feeds the family's pigs.

The weather has become quite cold at this time. People have begun use fire to keep warm.

Editor’s note: This post is part of a series that follows the progress of specific families, starting at the beginning of their work with Heifer. Read the previous posts about Pite Niuniu and his family here.

Pin It