Heifer International South Africa (Heifer) is transforming communities, achieving sustainable community development, and improving the livelihoods of thousands of families and caring for the earth through extensive training, crop production and the provision of livestock. Passing on the Gift® is at the heart of Heifer’s sustainable community development philosophy. Every family that receives an animal signs the contract to pass on one or more of their animal’s offspring to another family in need, along with the training and skills that they have acquired.
“Heifer took me out of poverty and truly speaking I wasn’t sure about Thusanang project because I have been to many projects and they have failed but now I am happy because I can now do things on my own just like other people, thank you Heifer for ending hunger in my family” says Fumanekile Mnconyelwa (63), a member of Heifer’s Thusanang dairy project in the Eastern Cape province.
Mr Mnconyelwa received one jersey cow from Heifer and through Heifer trainings he now has a garden where he plants oats, cabbage, spinach, beetroot and onions. Ever since he joined the project his family members now enjoy being together at home because they now have a cow to milk and zero grazing structure to clean everyday. With the monthly income of R870 generated from selling milk he is now able to put food on the table for his family and buy other household necessities.
To find out more about this and other Heifer projects, please visit our website www.heifer.org.za or email us at heifersa@heifer.org.
John Allen heads up HPSA’s Resource Mobilisation department in Johannesburg, working with various funders and partners to ensure the success and sustainability of HPSA’s projects across South Africa. He enjoys running, reading and exploring the city of Johannesburg.