UPDATE FROM ETHIOPIA: A gift arrived!
So much has happened since the last update. The big news: Fikere Filate received a gift — and she’s already putting it to work.
After months of training in poultry management, animal care and farm management, Fikere and her fellow farmers are now ready to begin a new chapter. As we celebrate the International Year of the Woman Farmer, her story is a powerful reminder that when women farmers have access to the right tools and opportunities, they can build stronger futures for their families and communities.
Now, meet the woman whose life is beginning to change thanks to the generosity of someone like you.
Growing up in southern Ethiopia, Fikere Filate learned early what it means to live in survival mode. She was in fourth grade when drought swept across the country. Crops failed. Food disappeared. School became a luxury her family could no longer afford. At one point, an infection in her legs left her unable to walk — and with no money for treatment, hope felt out of reach.
“Everybody around me, including my family, friends and neighbors, gave up on me,” she said.
But Fikere never stopped pushing forward. She finished grade 10, attended college, married, and became a mother of two. But no jobs were available. Instead, she and her husband farmed corn and beans, earning just 14,500 birrs ($156 USD) a year.
“The money is not enough to teach my children, to sustain my family,” Fikere said.
Determined to find a way to provide for her family, Fikere joined a small chick-raising business with other women in her community. But when a supplier stole their money and never delivered the chicks, they lost everything. “Days were dark for us,” she said — and she began to lose hope.
A Gift In Action
That’s where a gift like yours enters her story. With support from Heifer, Fikere and her group rebuilt. They learned how to properly house and feed their chickens, along with practical tips to prevent disease. They also learned how to manage resources and strengthen their farms — gaining the skills and confidence to move forward. Once their training was complete, the group received 1,370 healthy chicks and starter feed.
“We were in a dark place, lacking the motivation to restart a business. But thanks to Heifer, it gave us the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Fikere Filate
Women Farmers Are Leading Change
As we celebrate the International Year of the Woman Farmer, Fikere’s story is a powerful reminder that when women farmers have access to the tools and support they need, they grow stronger futures for their families and communities.
Across Ethiopia and around the world, women farmers are feeding families, building businesses and creating lasting change — often with fewer resources than men.
of the global agrifood workforce is women,
yet many lack the resources to thrive
people could escape food insecurity
by closing gender gaps in agriculture
people’s incomes could rise
through targeted investment in rural women
This year, we are putting the voices of women like Fikere at the center.
Where Her Story is Unfolding
Fikere lives in southern Ethiopia, where many rural families rely on small-scale farming to survive. Drought and limited job opportunities make it difficult to earn stable incomes. Poultry raising is common, but most households only have a few chickens and limited access to veterinary care, reliable feed and markets.
Through Heifer’s Enhancing Livelihoods of Smallholders through Improved Poultry Business project, women farmers like Fikere are gaining the training, tools and connections needed to grow healthier flocks and build stronger businesses. By partnering with local suppliers and cooperatives, the project is helping families move beyond subsistence farming toward more stable incomes and brighter futures.
Your Gift, Her Journey
- A farmer joins a Heifer project and learns how to better care for her animals and land.
- She receives your gift — and she’s so excited to put it to use!
- She joins a cooperative of other farmers — mostly women — where she shares her voice.
- She grows her farm … and income! She earns extra income selling products like milk or eggs.
- She diversifies her farm and starts a business.
- She passes on her gifts — and knowledge — to others.
- SHE THRIVES!
Her Story Continues
Fikere’s story is still unfolding, and your generosity can help make the next chapter possible. Over the coming months, you’ll continue to see how support from generous people like you helps women like Fikere grow stronger businesses, healthier families and brighter futures.
Thank you for following Fikere’s journey — and for standing with women farmers around the world.
