65 heifers travel from Ireland to Rwanda
Bóthar, the international aid agency that provides poverty stricken families with the means to lift themselves out of poverty, sent its first airlift of 2008 of 65 in-calf heifers to Kigali in Rwanda at 9.00pm Tuesday the 22nd of January. After months of preparation in the tiny central African country of Rwanda, sixty five families are today receiving one dairy heifer each which has been promised to them by Bóthar.
CEO of Bóthar Peter Ireton at the January 08 Airlift to Rwanda |
Bóthar assists needy families overcome hunger, malnutrition and poverty in a simple, sustainable manner. The living gift of a farm animal gives a poor family an opportunity to improve their circumstances and, by working with their animal, in time, raise themselves up to a position of relative comfort.
One such farmer is Edmond Nkuliza, “Before receiving an in-calf heifer, I used to have misunderstandings in my home with my wife. This was because I was unable to provide the basic necessities for my family. School attendance for my children was on and off because of non-payment of school fees. It’s not that I did not want them to study but I couldn’t afford the school materials and other contributions such as their lunch at school, let alone meeting their medical requirements. The garden yields were always poor and the food never enough for us”
Edmond heard of the work that Bóthar was doing in the villages in his district. Edmond applied to receive a dairy heifer from Bóthar. After months of preparation and training Edmond received his heifer in December 2006.
“Only a month later our heifer delivered a female calf. The cow has not only cemented our marriage, she has also provided milk to supplement the family’s diet, urine and manure which we use to rejuvenate the soil which had lost fertility. Maximum milk production is 15 litres per day of which the family consumes 2 litres, 3 litres for the calf and sells 10 litres. The calf is being taken good care of as we will be passing it on to another family in need. Through the sale of surplus milk and farm products the family can now meet the household basic needs and school requirements for the school going children. We hope to also improve on our residential house and continue supporting our children in school”.
Established in 1991, Bóthar is working in over forty countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and South America, using over sixteen different species of livestock ranging from dairy cows, dairy goats and pigs, to dairy camels, yak and bees.
Bóthar could not do this much needed work without all the people who donated money and heifers towards this airlift to Rwanda. Dozens of Rwandan families can look forward to a brighter future thanks to the efforts and kindness of people from all over Ireland.
If you would like to donate an animal to go on one of the up coming airlifts or if you would like any further information please contact:
Maria McCormack,
Airlift Co-ordinator
on 061-414142
or email: maria@bothar.ie
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