It saves lives a lot of times. The income sometimes helps them go to a doctor where they couldn t go before. And the milk itself helps the malnourished, says John. The project is careful to make it sustainable agriculture, so areas don t run out of feed, and that its environmentally friendly. Some places an animal like a dairy cow wouldn t work because of the terrain or the feed, he says.
Many women receive animals, as well as orphanages.
We ve visited several orphanages that Heifer is involved placing dairy cattle in so they have milk, help establish the pasture and building fencing so they can take care of the cattle, says Louise. They ve also attended many pass-on ceremonies. Each pass-on is a celebration, the couple says, and they speak fondly of the people they ve met and their appreciation for Heifer. Those people are so grateful, it makes you feel guilty when you re there because you re not doing more, John relates. After you re there, you think of the people, not of the living conditions they re living in, and you realize they re just like you.