Timothy Sheghere Mgonja (pictured with his family) got the idea to ask Heifer for camels after he visited the Meserani Snake Park and Maasai Cultural Museum in Arusha, Tanzania. The park offers camel rides, and Timothy thought the camels could make a great tourism business.
Once he learned the other benefits of the camels he convinced his group in the town of Same to ask Heifer for the animals. He, his family and all group members now use the camels to carry water, pull a plow, entertain tourists and produce milk. He says this work is what he was born to do and can't imagine ever doing anything else. You'll read more about him soon in
World Ark and on
www.heifer.org.
Our Heifer group also sought inspiration on a rainy afternoon at the Meserani Snake Park, where black and green mambas, pythons and other slithery creatures such as crocodiles lurked around every corner.
Richard Bugaisa, Heifer Tanzania communications officer, bravely volunteered to wear a mildly poisonous African grass snake with the proper spirit of adventure, all in the name of getting attention for Heifer. He got a bit nervous, though, when the snake started to wiggle.