Tag Archives: Cow

From the Field: Sharing the Burden

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

Granny and Narek

Granny Siranush and grandson Narek at their home in Chinar, Armenia. Photo by Aram Petrosyan, Program Coordinator, Heifer Armenia

Springtime often evokes thoughts of baby animals, beautiful flowers and warm sunshine. But for the Voskanyan family of Chinar, Armenia, it is the most dangerous season. Cultivating their fields is dangerous work because Azeri snipers may at any moment break the cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Daily routines, like taking their children to school, are also done with fearful hearts. In 2011, the family became Heifer International participants and received a pregnant heifer through Passing on the Gift®. The cow has lightened the family’s burden by providing milk to make butter and sour cream.

Philippine dairy farmers must have passion, patience and perseverance to succeed, because poor nutrition and disease can easily rob farmers of their prized cows. More than 100 potential partner families of Heifer Southern Philippines recently visited successful dairy farms to learn about the industry. These learning opportunities activated participants with the knowledge to become businessmen and women of great potential. They quickly realized that, “There is daily money in milk.”

Africa Presidential Initiative Launch

Heifer Malawi participated in the Presidential Initiative Launch on April 4, 2013. Photo courtesy of Heifer Malawi

Heifer continually works with partners to mobilize projects that will positively impact participants like the Voskanyan family and smallholder farmers. On April 4, 2013, Heifer Malawi showcased Heifer’s work in the Dairy Value Chain Project at the Presidential Initiative Launch in Africa. The event launched two projects, Two Crops per Year and One Cow per Family, which aim to strengthen irrigation and engage farmers in dairy production. Heifer Malawi Country Director Petronella Halwiindi said it was an excellent opportunity to share Heifer’s role and represent all its major players.

 Learn how you can impact families worldwide

 

Heifer Vietnam Participant Renews Mind and Community

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Giau of Heifer Vietnam

Photo by Lam Trinh Hong Nhung, Program Officer, Heifer Vietnam

Giving animals to impoverished families is not enough. Heifer International prepares its project participants with specific training so they can succeed. Heifer helps families learn a new way of living, which renews their minds from the psychological and social effects of generations of poverty.

Giau is a member of the Heifer Vietnam project Improving the Capacity of Disadvantaged Farm Households in Chau Hung A District of Vinh Loi, Back Lieu Province Through Values-Based Holistic Community Development.

As a child, Giau’s family was too poor to afford her school fees. She never learned to read or write until a friend recently began teaching her. Now, Giau keeps excellent records of her family’s finances and investments.

She received the gift of a cow in June 2010 and has already passed on the gift to another family in her community. Giau also plans to help her son expand his mechanic business with the profits from selling cows.

Through resourceful and practical investments, Giau was able to purchase fishing nets and invest in the project’s group savings fund to cultivate vegetables. She and her husband catch fish from the river in front of their house and sell them at the local market.

In her community, Giau encourages Heifer participants to invest in cows instead of making short-term, high-risk endeavors. She views the cows as insurance and has created a network of support for her community to understand the goals of Heifer Vietnam.

Giau of Heifer Vietnam

Photo by Lam Trinh Hong Nhung, Program Officer, Heifer Vietnam

Learn how you can help support the work of Heifer International

Around the Web: Beatrice’s Goat, Cow Puja, Effective Giving

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Every Sunday we highlight some of the people who are funding our work creatively or helping us spread the word of our mission online. If you spot Heifer International while you’re surfing the web or know of a fun or creative fundraising effort, please share it with us here in the comments.

Building Faith online Christian Ed community mentions Beatrice’s Goat, a book by Page McBrier, among a list of several great Stewardship Books for Children. This book tells story of a girl and the difference the gift of an animal from Heifer makes in the life of a community.

Cow Puja Cookies

Photo credit: Squash Blossom Farm

The 2nd Annual Cow Puja and Farm Fair was held September 30 at Squash Blossom Farm, and the awesome cookies pictured here were up for grabs in exchange for a donation to Heifer International. Thanks to the cooks, Bethany and Brendan! See more pics from this fun and festive day!

Diane Lane, a longtime supporter, talks about filming the PBS documentary “Half the Sky” and a bit about her experience with Heifer International.

You may want to check out this blog on the Provident Planning blog, What’s the Most Effective Way to Give? The blogger and his wife, who have donated to Heifer, outline their priorities on deciding where a donation will make the biggest difference.

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School students in Dunedin, Florida, raised more than $1,000 during its “moo” service learning initiative to buy two cows for hungry families and communities in developing countries through Heifer International. To raise the money, students sold cookies and milk during snack time and after Mass in September, and made and sold cow-print hair bows and awareness ribbons.

Heifer Around the Web: Japanese Students Hold Bunkasai Festival to Raise Funds

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Every Sunday we will highlight some of the people who are funding our work creatively or helping us spread the word of our mission online. If you spot Heifer International while you’re surfing the web or know of a fun or creative fundraising effort, please share it with us here in the comments.

You’ll want to check out these blog posts we spotted this week: 

We were honored to be included in ABC News blogger Lauren Torrisi’s blog post, Fight Hunger With These 5 Charities.

Abby Van Derstuyf, on right, competes with Brooke Isaacs during a chop stick race.

Abby Van Derstuyf, on right, competes with Brooke Isaacs during a chop stick race at a Bunkasai festival. (Photo courtesy of Oberserver & Eccentric)

Roby Brock, of TalkBusiness.net, writes about several Heifer enthusiasts who put the “fun” in fundraising: an 8-year-old creating and selling greeting cards, a group jigsaw puzzle, Jog for a Hog, Big Moo Canoe, as well as some celebrities helping to bring in cash for our projects around the world.

From daily Lenten activities to a Japanese festival and a man dressed up as a cow, the entertainingly unique fund-raisers keep coming:

The JBAB Chapel Protestant Community Challenge hoped to collect $5,000 for one Gift Ark during Lent. “Ark Banks” were given out along with calendars daily activities ideas for adding to the bank. Each week, a different animal was featured, along with an explanation about how the animal could help a family become self-sufficient. The challenge ended with the $7,779 in donations.

North Farmington High School Japanese language students held their first Bunkasai festivallast week, offering those attending everything from rice balls to origami lessons. The event raised $700 for Heifer International and provided fun and learning for students and those attending.

Holy Cow! I was especially interested in this story about a school principal wearing a cow suit after his students fundraiser for Heifer! The school is Salem Lutheran, which is about two miles from my pre-Arkansas home in Affton, Mo.

If you know of any unique fund-raising events or ideas, let us know so we can share them in a future post!

Cow Helps Georgia Family Heal after Armed Conflict

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

Laura with her daughter Anano.

Laura with her daughter Anano.

Do you remember
The days of Karaleti,
The blue arch of mountains –
Unknown paradises?
~Galaktion Tabidze, Georgian poet

The village of Tkviavi is only 40 km away from Karaleti, so poetically described by Galaktion Tabidze, a famous Georgian poet. When Heifer Georgia first entered the region, the sky over the mountains was not so blue, but rather grey, both literally and figuratively. The armed Russia-Georgia conflict of August 2008 swept over the region and left the villages devastated.

“We had to hide in the fields for several days,” says Laura Kareli. “There was no one to take care of the cattle, and they just wandered away. We knew this was happening, but there was nothing we could do to stop them without endangering our lives.”

Like most families in the area, before the conflict, the Karelis were engaged in animal husbandry. When conditions changed, they had to adjust to the new environment. The family took up horticulture, requiring investments of fertilizer and equipment, which the family couldn’t afford. The harvest was poor and scarcely enough to provide a living for the family of seven.

When Laura’s husband Tamaz learned about Heifer’s project, he thought it was worth trying. The newly created association considered his case, and soon the Karelis had a new family member – a beautiful black cow. This was a turning point for the family. Their daily diet became enriched with milk and dairy products. With proper treatment, the cow started providing more milk, which the family sold to receive additional income. Their monthly income used to equal GEL (Georgian Lari) 150, or approximately $90. Today that amount has nearly tripled.

The Karelis improved their living conditions and paid for a connection to the central gas pipeline. Now, instead of a wood oven, they cook with a gas stove. Due to soggy firewood, which is expensive to begin with, and very little fuel, Laura used to spend a whole day cooking porridge for her children. “It was my dream to have gas to cook delicious food fast for my family. I have another dream – to have better heating in the house, since we have

Tsitsino takes care of the calf.

Tsitsino takes care of the calf.

very severe winters here, and there is not enough firewood to heat the entire house. We will try to save money from the sale of cheese and install gas heating also. Thank you for giving us a chance for a new and better life,” Laura said.

The Karelis’ cow delivered a calf, who lives with its mother in a shed. Both animals receive special care from Tamaz’s father Shota and mother Tsitsino. They look after the calf with great care and, in two years, will pass it on to another indigent family affected by the conflict.

Tamaz became an active member of the Farmers’ Association, and today he serves as its deputy chairman. Laura takes care of the household and their three children: sons Shota, 20, and Giga, 19, and daughter Anano, 4. Named after his grandfather, Shota Jr. is enlisted in the army. Both brothers want to continue their education. Anano attends kindergarten. She says the milk the cow produces is the best.