Building Success – and a Home – in Senegal

Mamadou lives in rural Senegal, where he and his wife share a small two-room house with their four children. Mamadou once worked as a laborer, earning less than $5 a day, which wasn’t nearly enough to feed his family or pay for his children’s school fees and supplies.

He and his wife tried growing peanuts and eggplants to earn more income, but their crops wouldn’t grow effectively enough to meet the needs of their family. Although the land is rich in agricultural potential, many farmers in Senegal struggle with erratic weather patterns, inadequate climate information, limited access to financing and outdated farming methods.

No matter how hard they worked, it was never enough. All Mamadou wanted was to feed his family … but providing the basics was a constant struggle.

That’s when, thanks to you, Mamadou received sheep from Heifer and everything changed.

Sheep are particularly well-suited for places like Senegal because they can graze the hilliest, rockiest pastures where other animals may not survive. This means feeding them comes at practically no cost. Their manure is also excellent for fertilizing crops, like the peanuts and eggplants Mamadou tried to grow.

Plus, when sheep are healthy and strong, they can produce nutrient-rich milk to drink or turn into other dairy products plus wool for clothing and other knit products. What’s more — families often have more than enough milk and wool from their sheep, which they can sell for a steady and reliable income.

Now, Mamadou’s farm is flourishing, all thanks to your generosity! 

With the income he earns from his sheep and crops — which are now thriving thanks to you — Mamadou can afford to put food on the table and send his children to school with the books and supplies they need for a meaningful education.

Soon, you won’t just see children playing and sheep grazing on Mamadou’s farm: Because of the reliable income he now earns, Mamadou was able to buy bricks and cement to begin construction on a sturdy, five-room house with room for his entire family.

And your impact goes even further thanks to Heifer’s tradition of Passing on the Gift®.

Through this tradition, your generosity creates a ripple effect of change throughout entire communities. Once Mamadou’s sheep had offspring, he gave the first female lamb to another family in need, along with the training on how to care for them so they too can lift their family out of hunger and poverty. This cycle of giving continues for generations, amplifying your impact as a Friend of Heifer® even more.

Mamadou is extremely thankful for the help he’s received all thanks to you.  “I have no words,” he says about the day he received those two wonderful sheep.  “They changed my life.” 

Your impact on families like Mamadou’s will last a lifetime, and you should feel proud of all that you help accomplish for families and communities around the world as a Friend of Heifer.