Kuala Trang Village, Indonesia: Ayun feeds his grandfather’s calf. The community gave the calf to his grandfather with the understanding that the proceeds would pay for Ayun’s schooling, as both of his parents were killed in the 2006 Tsunami. Ayun himself could not own the cow directly because he lost all his identity papers in the Tsunami and was too young.
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| Photo by Trevor Snapp, courtesy of Heifer International |
My primary job as a writer here at Heifer’s headquarters is to turn semi-annual progress reports from projects into nice-looking, easy to read reports for our donors. Each report usually includes a story, but I recently came across a recipe that looks easy enough to prepare and definitely delicious. It’s possible something has been lost in translation and interpretation, but I’ve done my best. If I attempt to make it soon, I’ll report back on how it goes (you should, too).
Name: Ms. Afrina Sagala
Title: Program Officer for Heifer Indonesia
Location: Northern Sumatra, Indonesia
How long have you worked for Heifer? 4 years, 9 months
What attracted you to work for Heifer? I was attracted to work for Heifer because of Heifer’s Values Based Holistic Community Development (VBHCD) approach. I have seen community members who work with us grow and make themselves a subject of transformation. Heifer has made something different with the Cornerstones as a foundation for the organization. Heifer’s support has made great impact for family members of these communities. The Cornerstones can be adapted to every religious and ethnic culture in Indonesia.
What has been the most memorable experience you have had while working for Heifer? The most memorable experience for me is the time I went to the field and saw the community grow and have a better life through Heifer’s program. Heifer can inspire the families for transformation. I found they are really happy as a Heifer family. Working for Heifer makes me feel good. It feels good to be part of the organization that enables them to get a better life.
My education includes: Bachelor of Psychology from Gajah Mada University, Indonesia
My hobbies include: Reading and Traveling
Something about me that you might not know: When I meet new people, they always think that I am shy.
What is the best thing about working for Heifer Indonesia? The best thing about working for Heifer Indonesia is being able to work with needy people in rural areas. My work with Heifer Indonesia enables me to do something that helps others.
We all agree – global hunger is a big problem, and there’s a need for big solutions. Today, Elanco announced its commitment to end hunger for 100,000 families globally through a partnership with Heifer. Together, we’ll identify small communities in developing countries that could substantially benefit from the gift of an animal, as well as training in animal husbandry, health care and other practices.
Elanco is a division of Eli Lilly and Company. At their Indianapolis-area headquarters today, Elanco’s president Jeff Simmons said, “We believe every person is born with the right to a hopeful future, and the right to be fed, but today, 1 in 6 people globally are hungry. More than 25,000 people die each day from hunger and malnutrition. That’s like 60 fully-loaded jumbo jets crashing each and every day.”
That’s a sobering thought.
Heifer’s CEO Pierre Ferrari was also on hand for the announcement, and he talked about the importance of a global network that will work in unison toward this shared goal. “This partnership involves more than just Elanco the company. It’s about the employees, too, and customers, the company’s entire network, working with us and with smallholder farmers to help them transform their own lives and futures.”
Already Elanco and Heifer work in Indonesia and Zambia, where we’re working jointly to establish local milk market outlets, improve production and conservation practices and train animal health workers. Today, Elanco announced it will partner with Heifer to work in the Hebei province of China, where more than 20 million families live on less than $1 a day. In that region, we’ll deliver the gifts of livestock and training to 800 families.
A group of Elanco executives and Heifer staffers just returned from a visit to Cameroon where they saw first hand the work Heifer is doing with smallholder farmers there. You can read their thoughts about the trip on their blog.
So what do you think? What are some big or small solutions to the hunger problem? How could large companies follow Elanco’s example and make a real difference in the lives of hungry families?
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| Heifer project participants and community members pass on catfish fingerlings at a ceremony in the village of Pematang Cengal. |
| Regional Program Manager for North Sumatra. |
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| Fish ponds in the village of Pematang Cengal |
In addition to the physical side effects, contracting tuberculosis in Indonesia also means living with a social stigma, according to a story from IRIN News:
“When I was told I had TB, I felt ashamed,” Dini Kusumawadini, 28, who makes a living growing ornamental plants, told IRIN. “But after undergoing treatment, I wanted to share my experience and motivate people with TB so that they could recover.”