It is estimated that 1,3 billion people in the world live on less than 1 US dollar a day. Animals play an important role in meeting the nutritional, agricultural, economic and social needs of people. Animal products such as milk, eggs and meat provide vital protein which is lacking in the diets of many rural people.
Surplus production provides a valuable source of income.
One of the most important cornerstones is sharing and caring for one another and the environment. People receiving assistance from Heifer Project are required to pass on the training they received to another family, as well as the first female offspring of the animal they received. This ensures that assisted families are held accountable, and their self respect and dignity is preserved, whilst giving them the opportunity to reciprocate the kindness shown to them by helping another family in need. In this way, the circle of sharing widens and families become strong and independent of continued assistance. Individual families and groups are assisted in assessing their own circumstances, creating a vision for the future and planning how the transformation from the present to the future is to take place.