A Mother’s Hope

DAXING, ChinaHailai Gaga lives in Daxing, a community in Xide County, China. She lost her husband several years ago. In this Yi ethnic area, a widow has pressure from other villagers, traditionally. Hailai Gaga had to work very hard day and night to feed her three kids.

To make change to the hard life, Hailai Gaga applied for Heifer’s project and received three sows and a boar in April 2007. She also built a new pigpen, toilet and biogas system and participated in trainings to learn how to raise pig and improve the health care. By using biogas, the family has cleaner fuel that saves firewood and produces free organic fertilizer.

Other members of Shiqiao self-help group shared their experiences on pig raising and helped Hailai Gaga build the pen and biogas system. In return, Hailai Gaga worked with other members of the group to clean the community and plant trees. Through the interaction with others, Hailai Gaga found her confidence, optimism and hope.

Hailai Gaga’s life with three kids is still hard, but she already found the way. “Thank Heifer, she said. “I believe the happy life won’t be a dream. Our family has the confidence.”