Tag Archives: Central and Eastern Europe

Rabbits Ensure a Better Life for Beso’s Large Family

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Story and Photos by: Marina Kazaryan, Project Assistant, Heifer Georgia

Kumisi is an average village in Georgia not far from Tbilisi. People here live, hope, labor and wish for a bright future, though circumstances are not always so favorable and they have to struggle. After establishing a Farmer Association, villagers discussed and eventually agreed to start rabbit farming with support from Heifer International. “When Heifer started the project in Kumisi, not everyone was convinced of its sustainability and usefulness,” said 31-year-old Beso Kakhelashvili. “However today, seeing how our households have expanded and how we keep developing, more and more people get involved.”

Beso received his rabbit family in a Passing on the Gift® (POG) ceremony from his neighbor Nodar. “Nodar’s family lives right next door to us. I could see how rapidly his farm grew and what benefits it brought to the family,” Beso said. “So, when the time came for the first POG in the village, I decided to join.” Ten four-month-old rabbits, two males and eight females, were the gifts that started what today is a successfully developing farm. 

Rabbit farming is not common in this region, so Beso and his fellow villagers had a lot to learn. Beso participated in trainings conducted by Heifer Georgia staff, featuring experts on Heifer’s 12 Cornerstones for Just and Sustainable Development, rabbit keeping, forage production, and other topics. Today, Beso happily shares the valuable knowledge he received to help others.

Beso’s large family includes his grandparents, parents, brother and sister-in-law, and their young children. Before Heifer, the family owned one cow and a few beehives, but this would hardly suffice for such a large family, especially with his grandparents’ pension as their only stable source of income. Their situation has changed considerably since then.

At the beginning of the project, the family’s diet was enriched with rabbit meat. As their rabbit population increased, they started selling the meat. The additional income allowed them to invest in home renovations to make it more comfortable for the large family. Now they stay toasty warm, even in winter, which is notoriously snowy in Georgia. They also are able to buy new clothes, medicine for Beso’s grandparents, and additional nutrition and vitamin supplements.

The Kakhelashvilis added cattle, turkeys and sheep to their farm, where Beso works with his parents. The day before our visit, the sheep gave birth to three lambs. The weather wasn’t particularly warm, so, to the delight of the children, Beso and his neighbor arranged for the lambs to stay inside. Next time we have young ones, I’ll get the shed appropriately prepared and arranged for any weather condition,” Beso said. “My income from the rabbit farm will give me the possibility to purchase all the necessary equipment.”

“The concept of ‘Passing on the Gift’ is very important,” Beso said. “Neighbors help each other, share with and take care of each other, and that creates a special bond. This is vital in the village’s life.” Beso has already continued this tradition, and in 2011 gave away 10 rabbits to another family. He says he’ll gladly do it again.

 

Irish Heifers Given to Romanian Women on International Women’s Day

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Editor’s note: We received the following update from Heifer Romania’s Communication and PR Coordinator Laura Manciu on the Irish-bred heifers that flew to Romania to improve the lives of families and communities. Photos by Heifer Romania staff. Read previous posts about these heifers here.

Irish heifers grazing on Romanian hay.

Of the 66 Irish heifers that landed one month ago in Romania, 45 were distributed yesterday for International women’s Day as Heifer gifts to 45 women from Rasca, Cluj County. More than 300 people took part in the celebration.

This original placement ceremony proved to be very special for our women beneficiaries and is part of the Milk for Orphans Project. One cow gave birth the day before the event, and the calf was also brought safely. Each family also received 110 pounds of nutritional supplements to help the animals adapt better and faster to the region’s climatic conditions.

The springtime gifts of Holstein Frisian breed heifers were offered by Heifer International and Bothar Ireland. The Senior Director of Strategy of Bothar, Peter Ireton, attended the event together with the beneficiary families, Heifer Romania team and many other guests.

“It is a pleasure to work again with the Heifer Romania team, which proved once more their professionalism and dedication for social projects,” said Ireton.

His Excellency, Oliver Grogan, the Ambassador of Ireland in Romania, also took part in the ceremony, thanking Heifer Romania and Bothar for their support and encouraging the project participants to follow this path and make this project a great success. He wished to meet personally some of the families and visited them at home.

His Excellency said:

For Ireland and me, it is a great honor to be invited to this celebration where Irish heifers are offered as gifts to women in Rasca. I want to believe that these cows will keep a small part of their Irish heritage. These volunteer activities continue a longtime tradition, which started more than 20 years ago by a few families. Irish farmers are filled with a sense of pride when donating animals, feeling highlighted by the fact that some years ago they were just as poor. I am convinced that the farmers that provided the animals would be very happy to know their cows are in very good hands.

The purebred cows were airlifted from Ireland to Romania, as part of a social and food assurance program that assists farmer families and orphans. The heifers distributed are the second transport sent to Romania, through Bothar and Heifer International by Irish farmers. Since January 18, the heifers spent a month and a half in quarantine, and on International Women’s Day were given as gifts to female beneficiaries of Heifer International.

“I never believed that anyone would give me such a valuable gift. I will take good care of the heifer, and my family is happy to pass on the gift to another family, just as poor as us. I will help others just as I was aided and will donate milk to the orphan children,” said Livia Rosu, one of the recipients.

Media representatives were present, and the event had coverage at all levels. There was one TV channel that broadcasted the ceremony live. This project is already well known thanks to the first transport of airlifted heifers. Up to now, 91 heifers were distributed in Rasca, and the community is working hard to make this project successful.

During the event, the beneficiaries’ children delighted the crowd with traditional folkloric songs and dances.

Crowds gather to see the Irish heifers.
His Excellency, Oliver Grogan and Peter Ireton visit a beneficiary family.
His Excellency, Oliver Grogan, offering gifts to young artists who performed
Romanian folkloric dances
His Excellency, Oliver Grogan visiting the Tise family animal shelter.
His Excellency, Oliver Grogan, with new women project beneficiaries.
His Excellency, Oliver Grogan; Ioan Morar, the Mayor of Rasca;
Peter Ireton, Senior Director of Strategy of Bothar;
Ovidiu Spinu, Country Director of Heifer Romania;
Vasile Cozma, Vice Governor of Cluj County
Peter Ireton and His Excellency, Oliver Grogan, with some of the Romanian beneficiaries.

Heifer Romania Country Director Ovidiu Spinu said, “Part of the heifers that are already in their new homes have given birth to beautiful offspring. Their owners are pleased that the animals adapted very well and are much more productive than the local breeds. It was easy for the Irish Frisian to adapt to the conditions as Rasca, as previously these animals were kept outside, freely on pastures.”

Wild Birds Improve Georgian Households

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Story and photos by Marina Kazaryan, project assistant, Heifer Georgia.

Pheasants.
As the legend has it, in the 5th centuryA.D. King Vakhtang I Gorgasali was hunting in the woods, when his falcon caughta pheasant. Fighting in the air, both birds fell into a spring nearby and diedbecause the water was boiling hot. Astonished by such unusual naturalphenomenon, King Vakhtang ordered to build a town around the hot springs. Thisis how Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, came to life. Ever since, pheasants wereconsidered almost as a symbol. However today they are not as easily found inthe natural habitat. So much more curious it is to learn that in a village ofTeleti several kilometers away from Tbilisi there is a farm breeding the wildbirds.

The Laliashvilis family.
The Laliashvilis are a family of six: Tengiz (40),his wife Ekaterine (37), daughters Teona (18) and Nino (3), son Giorgi (5) andhis mother Zhenia (68). Today they are owners of a developing pheasant farm,being a part of Heifer project. The beginning wasn’t easy though.

Since early youth Tengiz prepared himself for amilitary career. He completed the obligatory military service at 18, and eversince has been in the army serving all around the country. “We wouldn’t see himfor years sometimes”, says his wife Ekaterine. In the last military conflict severalyears ago Tengiz was wounded in the region of heart and was released fromservice. It was then that he decided to start a pheasant farm.

Pheasant breeding is quite an innovative branch ofagriculture in Georgia, Tengiz had to study the habits of the birds, experimentwith food and propagation. But several species that he owned were not enoughfor full-fledged farming. Family’s scarce income which was received fromselling incubators of his own construction could not cover costs for forage andveterinary needs.

Pheasants in the volary.
When Tengiz learned about Heifer International’sactivities in Georgia, he immediately decided to join. Here, as in everythingelse, his wife whom he has known since school days stood by his side. WithHeifer’s assistance Tengiz established a Farmers’ Association. Five originalfamilies got 15 “families” of pheasants, each consisting of one male and threefemales, as well as forage and additional training. “In a short period of timeI became quite a celebrity”, says Tengiz laughing. “People would hear about apheasant farm and come to see it, first from the neighboring villages and thenfrom more distant regions”. Some came as tourists but many got interested inthis new field.

Tengiz near the incubator.
This year Tengiz has already started the firststage of giving away nestlings in the Pass on Gift tradition of Heifer, andmeanwhile he is already preparing the second generation of receiving families,provides them with training in pheasant breeding and helps building incubators.“It’s a new area and people are eager to get involved because it opens up newopportunities”, explains Tengiz. When correctly treated, pheasants grow quitelarge, have tasty meat and are profitable for sale. Tengiz already has severaloffers for purchase of pheasants. He also wants to prepare a certain part ofbirds for wild nature and release them into their natural environment to restoretheir traditionally large but today considerably decreased population.

Laliashvili’s elder daughter Teona became a studentof pharmaceutics last year, and their son Giorgi will go to school in theautumn. Their living standards have considerably improved, today they can allowthemselves heating and better products. The family has purchased a computerwhich is used for children’s education and for collecting more information onpheasants breeding and treatment. Tengiz built a complex of open-air cageswhere pheasant families can breed. In spring he plans to lay out a gardenaround the cages.

Tengiz with his children, taking care of the birds.
And it is not only economical conditions that haveimproved with the beginning of the project. “When I returned home after theinjury, poor income and unemployment were torturing me”, remembers Tengiz. “Istarted having serious psychological problems. Today I simply have no time for depression”.Everyone in the family have their part in the farm’s everyday life, from theyounger kids to the elderly granny who is very fond of their new inhabitants.Pheasant breeding consumes enough labour, keeping the entire family occupied.Birds must be fed, cages cleaned, eggs collected and you always have to keep aneye on new families to make sure the breeding goes the right way and does notspoil the pedigree.

“After all the difficulties we’ve been through,this farm returned Tengiz to the family”, says Ekaterine. “We will always be gratefulto Heifer International for giving us this opportunity to develop ourinitiative and making us even more united”.

Heifer’s Heart: Ora Bytyci

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Name: Ora Bytyci

Title: Country Director, Heifer Kosovo

Location: Prishtina

How long have you worked for Heifer? since May 2002 (almost 10 years)

What attracted you to work for Heifer? When I returned to Kosovo from London in 2002, after the war, I learned about Heifer and really liked the fact that it was an organization that didn’t just give animals, but also hope.

What has been the most memorable experience you have had while working for Heifer?There are a lot of widows in Kosovo, women who lost their husbands in the war. I went to help start the War Widows Project in Krusha e Vogel and will never forget the looks on the women’s faces as I was speaking about things like the 12 Cornerstones. They looked at me as if I could not possibly understand what they had been through. When I left, I was filled with mixed emotions. I didn’t know whether I should be happy because we were helping, or sad because they had been through so much and we were expecting so much from them. Two years later, I returned to conduct Project Self-Review and Planning (PSRP), and there was a huge difference. They spoke more freely. I will never forget that moment. I love heifer because you can really feel the difference it makes. I was so proud.

My education includes: Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Information Technology from Prishtina University

My hobbies include: reading and playing with my two sons

My family consists of: my two sons: Leka, 8, and Granit, 11, and myself

Something about me that you might not know: I used to wait tables and could carry about five plates on one arm.

What is the best thing about working at Heifer Kosovo? With seven of us, my team is like a little family. We’ve all been at Heifer Kosovo for a long time. Kosovo is a poor country that has suffered a lot and needs a lot of help. I like to be a part of helping Kosovo get on the right track.