Heifer International

An Introduction

Through a chance meeting with a senior manager of Heifer International several years ago, Kathy and I became volunteers for the organization. It's a long story we've oft repeated (but won't on this particular page).

What's Heifer? Their web site can explain more eloquently than we ever could, but Heifer International is a philanthropic organization that does its magic through the loan of livestock (from bees to water buffalo) to impoverished rural families. The organizations we've supported in the past do indeed bring benefit to their "constituencies" - but what we love about Heifer is the tested, sustainable nature of their approach. Again, their web will do a better job than we can here, but Heifer takes a consistent, holistic approach. Let's take an example:

Through a carefully screening process, the organization decides to donate a pair of piglets to a rural family. The family must have agreed to a variety of conditions: replaying the value of the piglets, building a proper pen, ensuring the animals get needed shots Heifer provides basic medications for the animals They provide or arrange for basic Veterinary care The teach the villagers how to create their own food (grains and appropriate supplement) - whereas traditionally the villagers would buy feed at the market at at inflated prices Village Volunteer Livestock Workers monitor the animals and help out as needed

Once the livestock have grown and reproduced, the villagers are required to donate some of the offspring to another village. This is called "Passing on the Gift", and is on of the "Cornerstones" of the program.

The results are profound. Not to belittle other organization's significant gifts of a drinking water systems, or toilets - to poor villages, but Heifer's proven, sustainable approach "keeps on giving". We're proud to be Heifer volunteers and "boosters".

For more information on the organization:

The cornerstones model Frequently Asked Questions Success Stories

Local links:

Scott's web log -- Heifer Thailand Feb-April 2001 Kathy's report on "Morlong" village Kathy's report on "Vet Camp" Scott's experience in the MaeLao Leper Colony