A couple of years ago, I stumbled across the worldwide non profit organization HEIFER INTERNATIONAL , and was moved by their approach of helping families in economically poor countries to become self-sustaining by providing animals to help with necessities of everyday life.
They have a variety of ways to donate if you are so inclined. Two years I donated money for a sheep….
last year a Llama…..
and this year I decided on this…..
yup, a Water Buffalo. Here is some insight from Heifer International on what a water buffalo can do :
Water Buffalo – Helping Hooves
“A water buffalo can lead a hungry family out of poverty and give them a chance for a bright future filled with hope and free from hunger. In poor Filipino villages, water buffalo from Heifer provide draft power for planting rice and potatoes, milk for protein and manure for fertilizer and fuel. A farmer can plant four times more rice with a buffalo than by hand.
Water buffalo haul heavy loads to the market, where the sale of extra produce brings in vital income for clothing, medicine, and school. by renting their buffalo to neighbors, Heifer partner families can earn money for home improvements. And one day, those same neighbors might receive a water buffalo of their own as recipients pass on the gifts of animals and training.
Protein-rich milk, strength to till soil, manure to enrich the land…so many benefits. And, in turn, water buffalo are happy just to graze on coarse grasses and other plants not suitable for harvesting.”
Pretty awesome, don’t you think? If you were looking to give back to someone less fortunate this holiday season, try Heifer International. And remember who you will be helping….
Just as an FYI wanted to flag you to three posts that resulted from our field visits with Heifer International in Rwanda. They are doing terrific work on the ground…
Here are the write-ups for the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet [http://blogs.worldwatch.org/nourishingtheplanet]:
Healing with livestock in Rwanda
http://blogs.worldwatch.org/nourishingtheplanet/healing-with-livestock-in-rwanda/
Teacher Turned Farmer…Turned Teacher
http://blogs.worldwatch.org/nourishingtheplanet/teacher-turned-farmer%e2%80%a6turned-teacher/
Got Biogas?
http://blogs.worldwatch.org/nourishingtheplanet/got-biogas/
We are travel blogging from Africa at a site called Border Jumpers which can be viewed at http://www.borderjumpers.org
Danielle Nierenberg and Bernard Pollack