Heifer International has received a $1.5 million grant to help fund phase two of the RISE-UP: Resilience Initiatives through Sustainable Enterprises and Upgrade of Community Preparedness project. The money will extend work in the Philippines while expanding the work to Guatemala, two of the most disaster-prone countries in which we work.
The grant from the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation will help strengthen the disaster preparedness and risk reduction capacities of up to 7,200 at-risk small-scale farming families—4,200 in Guatemala and 3,000 in the Philippines—by providing essential training and resources that sustain their livelihoods and increase their resiliency in the face of disaster.
This is the second grant for the disaster reduction work. Heifer was awarded a $1 million grant in December of 2013 from MACF to support the first phase of RISE-UP, which helped 4,000 families affected by Typhoon Bopha.
Because both countries have high poverty, low food security, and high rates of malnutrition among women and children, Heifer recognized the need for long-term planning and training for families so they could build resiliency to disasters that could further devastate their circumstances.
The project seeks three outcomes:
Project work on phase two of RISE UP began this month and will continue through December of 2018.
ABOUT HEIFER INTERNATIONAL
Heifer’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. For more than 70 years, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. Heifer is currently working in more than 30 countries, including the United States, to help families and communities become more self-reliant. For information, visit www.heifer.org, read our blog, follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @Heifer or call 888.5HUNGER (888.548.6437).
