So Much More Than an Animal

The path from poverty to prosperity is rarely straight. That’s why, over the years,
Heifer has developed a multi-faceted formula for success that supports our families on their journey out of poverty.

This formula takes the animals, participants’ hope for a brighter future, and then adds in:

• Education so farmers can properly care for their livestock and grow their herds
• Seeds so families can plant crops — to sell, for kitchen gardens, and for long-lasting forage to feed animals during inclement weather
• Sustainable agricultural practices are shared so these budding farms are gentle on the earth and produce higher yields

All of that added together equals small-scale farming entrepreneurs whose dreams of supporting all their family’s needs can finally come true! Your gifts plus Heifer’s approach transform family farms into thriving economic enterprises that make families and communities stronger and more resilient.

Juvy Hesita and her family, who live on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines, have seen for themselves the difference Heifer’s approach makes. Let’s explore their family farm and the impact of your gift.

The family’s first gift was two heifers. They also received a milking can, veterinary medicines, fodder trees and a whole lot of training — in dairy processing, pasteurization and sanitation, forage and pasture management, Heifer’s 12 Cornerstones, and much more.

The milk the cows produced had an immediate impact on the family, producing as much as 12 liters of milk a day. They sell most of it, keeping about 2 liters for the family to drink at home.

With the sale of the milk, they are now earning additional income and can afford to
buy new animals, like chickens and quail. The chickens lay protein-rich eggs for the family to eat, and they are great for keeping the garden free of bugs and pests. Having the chickens means Juvy doesn’t need harsh pesticides, as the chickens eat the bugs in her garden.

All these animals provide Juvy with a steady supply of manure — and, thanks to Heifer, she knows how to turn it into organic, nutrient-rich fertilizer. This fertilizer is kinder to the earth and saves Juvy money. Her bountiful vegetable garden includes okra, two varieties of gourd, tomatoes, spring onions, horseradish and alugbati, a type of spinach that grows on a vine. 

Thanks to Heifer’s training on livestock management, as well as business training on how to successfully sell the products from the animals, Juvy has been able to grow their current livestock holdings to include four cows (named Apple, Marsh, Dimple, and May-May), three carabao, 50 chickens and 250 Japanese quail, which produce 84 eggs a day for Juvy to sell. Eighty-four quail eggs are equivalent to about 21 to 28 chicken eggs.

The extra income from Juvy’s successful business selling milk and eggs helps to pay for school fees for Juvy’s daughter and grandsons. It also goes toward buying more varied, nutritious food for the family. Juvy noticed that her grandson was thin, but is now healthier and has gained weight.

Juvy’s favorite Cornerstones are Passing on the Gift and Genuine Need and Justice. She relishes the opportunity to share her bounty with another family in need. As president
of the San Vincente Barangay Women’s Association, she also has a platform for sharing her
wisdom with other women in her village. Your initial gift is now being passed on by Juvy and will live on to help numerous other families, in turn helping the entire community!

Juvy and her family are living proof of the old proverb, “Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.”

Thank You

Thanks to your support, Heifer can do so much more than make sure families have enough to eat. The animals, training, seeds, medicines and business skills your gifts supply are the tools families need to become self-reliant and hopeful about the future.