Making a difference today and tomorrow - Passing on the gift

A total of £6,000 has been donated by AMARA Aid to Heifer Project, Tanzania to purchase 14 heifers, 2 bulls and 24 goats for distribution to the rural community of Machame on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

The village of Machame held a day of celebration in July 2005 when 20 families received 20 female and 4 male goats.  AMARA Aid’s representative Paul Stewart had the privilege of taking part in the handing over of these animals and joined in the rejoicing of the whole community. We were thrilled by the generosity of so many of our friends and supporters towards this project.

A heifer cost £500 and a goat £120. These costs included a course to instruct a member of each family how to look after their animal and also provide after -care by local vets to ensure the welfare of the animals during the initial months. The animals introduced are genetically improved animals and will provide milk for home-consumption and income from milk sales.

Families use the profits from milk sales to fund their children’s education and invest in their farms.

Those who receive livestock enter into an agreement with the project partner to return the first and third female offspring to the project so that they may be provided to other needy families, allowing the expansion of the project to other areas. By July 2007, three female cows and 19 goats had been passed on to other needy families in the community.

On a field visit in July 2007, AMARA Aid volunteers met with project recipients who reported that the cows provided 8 litres of milk per day; 2 litres was consumed by the family and the remaining was sold and earned £15 per month, a substantial amount for a poor family of five who’s only other source of income is from two acres of coffee and bananas.