HOLIDAY 2017 || HEIFER.ORG

PAGE 25 - THE MOST IMPORTANT GIFT CATALOG IN THE WORLD

HEIFER GHANA An Egg a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

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FARMING FORWARD FOR THE RECORD IN ARKANSAS Elephants and Camels 10 and Snails, Oh My! DOLLARS AND 36 SCENTS IN HAITI

IN GERMANY, FOOD 46 FOR BODY AND SOUL It ’s the most wonderful

timeJOIN US FORof ONE the OF OUR HOLIDAYyear! OPEN HOUSES AT OUR LEARNING CENTERS

HEIFER FARM HEIFER RANCH HEIFER INTERNATIONAL 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 5–8 p.m. Dec. 9 CAMPUS Dec. 2–3 and Dec. 9–10 3–6 p.m. Dec. 10 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Dec. 2 Rutland, Massachusetts Perryville, Arkansas Little Rock, Arkansas

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18-EDU-8SJB 2017 Holiday WA - Learning Centers Ad Holiday Open Houses.indd 1 9/6/17 8:56 AM A TIME TO GIVE Our FREE, hands-on resources can help you transform hearts in your church year-round while helping to end hunger and poverty worldwide.

ANIMAL CRACKERS A RESOURCE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH MINISTRIES

LIVING GIFT MARKET ANIMAL CRACKERS FILL THE ARK Host a giving event Connect to the global family This program is perfect at your church. through Sunday School lessons. for the Lenten season.

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MY FAVORITE Dear Fellow Activists, THINGS IN 2017 s the holidays approach and enterprises and truly end poverty for we all turn our attention to millions around the world. Athe promise of a new year, I would be remiss if I didn’t ground us Despite the year’s trials, in the reality that 2017 saw very real we are committed to threats to the entirety of the global continue empowering development sector and to the moral direction of our nation, which, for so communities to lead long, has stood up for people in need. lives of dignity The year began with news that and self-reliance. the foreign aid budget would be BOOK cut. Our work over 70 years has This issue of World Ark delivers Connectography is a must-read in shown that sources of confl ict stories perfect for anyone feeling today’s volatile global political and often include poverty and lack refl ective or looking toward the economic environment. of opportunity, and a cut to this future. Our historian, Peggy budget could harm national security Reiff Miller, recounts our early and the advances we’ve made in years providing cattle to families so many areas. Violence, racism devastated by World War II. You’ll and fear were also repeatedly learn how we worked with the seen throughout the world as German government to build peace the year progressed. Today, we and select recipients for the 4,000 remain uneasy about the direction heifers that were placed there from many nations are taking and the 1949 to 1961. eff ect it could have on the most Our work today in Haiti is also marginalized. Despite the year’s featured. We’re partnering with GIFT trials, we are committed to continue International Flavors & Fragrances Chickens make eggs, and empowering communities to lead on a project with vetiver-growing those eggs yield fast cash lives of dignity and self-reliance. communities to both improve the and great nutrition. Can a And we did have plenty to lives of the farmers and produce chicken save the world? celebrate, like the launch of a a better-quality vetiver oil. It’s just youth-centric project: The East one of many ways we’re leveraging Africa Youth Inclusion Program in partnerships to help farmers move Uganda and Tanzania. The program more of their product to market and will support youth as they develop diversify their incomes. business ideas, navigate pathways As always, none of our history for employment and pass on their or our work today would be possible knowledge, skills and resources to without your support. Thank you other youth in their communities. for allowing us to continue serving These new endeavors fi ll me families in need. with hope and determination, and PLACE I believe that Heifer is uniquely Yours for a better world, Tanzania … lovely, kind people, positioned to take an age-old and I understand a lot of Swahili. occupation — farming — and It is the language of my childhood apply cutting-edge technologies in the Congo. Asante sana! to increase yields, develop needed Pierre U. Ferrari

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 1 MATCHING ISN’T ALWAYS EMBARRASSING

MORE THAN 16,000 COMPANIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY MATCH EMPLOYEES’ DONATIONS TO HEIFER INTERNATIONAL, DOUBLING THE IMPACT OF YOUR GIFT.

To find out if your company matches Heifer gifts, all you have to do is go to www.heifer.org/WAmatching and type in your company’s name. If you find your employer, just follow the instructions, and your contribution to end hunger and poverty will have double the impact. Or, call 888.5HUNGER (888.548.6437).

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Cover Photo: Ben Djaba, 4, grins and holds one of his family’s laying hens. Their An Egg a Day Keeps the poultry business ensures regular income and good nutrition for the family of 11. 14 Doctor Away Top photo: Clement Djaba, 15, collects Just a small daily dose of protein is eggs from his family’s laying hens. making all the diff erence for young Photos by Olivier Asselin children in Ghana. Fortifi ed with good health and energy, these families are fi nally fi nding happiness and hope.

Dollars and Scents Few crops thrive in the denuded soils 36 of Haiti, but vetiver is diff erent. An ingredient in expensive perfumes, this root gives farming families a path into a thriving marketplace where their product commands high prices.

Food for Body and Soul Seagoing cowboys loaded ships with 46 livestock and crossed the ocean to bring relief after World War II. A new The Most museum exhibit and book delve Important into Heifer International’s legacy in 25 Germany, where hundreds of families Gift Catalog received cows to fuel their rebuilding in the World eff orts.

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 3 letters READERS RESPOND

TOO SWEET say Western countries, including their name or picture identifies them I am stunned that a recipe for the United States, are mired in as African-American to potential Autumn Apple Cake was featured in social stratification systems of their employers, generally needs to send your Fall issue. The ingredients are own. What do you think?” Here are out one and a half times as many sugar, butter, oil, etc. Wouldn’t it be a few of our favorite responses. resumes to get the same number more appropriate for your magazine of interviews. Black and Hispanic to feature recipes that provide good I think the only Americans who candidates identified as such are nutrition? would deny that we have the more likely to get no response at all, DOROTHY WHITESIDE same issues are those from the and they also sit more interviews Placentia, California upper classes. It is driven into before getting a solid offer and the American mind that rich = an employee badge than white MISTAKES DEPARTMENT hardworking and smart, and poor candidates. We do have a racially In the interest of accuracy: the = lazy and stupid. The actual truth based caste system, it’s just a little bit article on seed saving used the is few people will move far from more porous than the one in India. term “biannual.” That is incorrect. the socioeconomic status they are KEITH KAROLYI The term “biennial” refers to a plant born into, no matter how much From Facebook that needs two years to reproduce. effort they do or don’t put into life. “Biannual” means twice per year. You do see some movement from While I can respect traditions and To be sure that I remembered from generation to generation, but even cultures of other countries, the college, I looked it up. that is the exception, not the rule. lack of personal freedom is what LINDA GILL HEATHER FARNSLEY separates the two. In one system, Sylmar, California From Facebook people are pigeonholed into pre- determined futures and do not If you’re white and American, there’s have the freedom to escape that. far more mobility and opportunity In America, there are definitely open to you, no matter which socioeconomic and racial barriers socioeconomic stratum your parents to overcome, and people may came from. For people of color, feel restricted at times, but every the stratification and exclusion citizen has the freedom and equal is real and much harder, but not opportunity to pursue his or her own impossible, to breach. Friends who happiness. Some may be successful are employment advisors in the and some may not, but there exists government or private sectors have the freedom and the opportunity to told me that a black candidate, if try. It is possible (and often happens) that people work hard to make what they want out of life and achieve it We want to hear regardless of the obstacles in their from you! way. Everyone should be the master of his own destiny. Please send your comments to EVE RYAN [email protected]. Include From Facebook your name, city, and a telephone In our Fall issue we asked readers number or email address. Letters about India’s infamous caste may be edited for length and Q&A HOLIDAY clarity, and may be published system. “India’s caste system is Why do you read World Ark online as well as in print. Because criticized for confining people magazine? What kinds of stories of the volume of mail we receive, inside economic and social borders would you like to see more of? that are hard to breach. But some we cannot respond to all letters.

4 | HOLIDAY 2017 table of contents | Holiday 2017

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04 LETTERS 51 HEIFER BULLETIN Readers respond Buñuelos de Rodilla: Mexican Christmas Fritters 06 FOR THE RECORD Elephants and camels 52 MIXED MEDIA and snails, oh my! The Ministry of Utmost Happiness 08 THE GOOD LIFE One farmer’s winter refl ection 56 FIRST PERSON 10 ASKED AND ANSWERED Playing to win Farming forward in Arkansas

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MANAGING EDITOR World Ark is the educational, infor- organizations, and of Global Impact. Austin Bailey mational and outreach publication of Federal and state employees may Heifer International. Its purpose is to designate gifts to Heifer through pay- SENIOR EDITOR further Heifer’s goals to end poverty roll deduction by entering CFC #12079. Jason Woods and hunger while caring for the Earth and to raise awareness of the issues © 2017, Heifer International. Passing WRITER involved in this work throughout the on the Gift® is a registered trademark Molly Fincher world. Heifer International is qualifi ed of Heifer International. Opinions ex- as a charitable organization under pressed in World Ark are those of the SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Rev- authors and do not necessarily refl ect Pooi Yin Chong enue Code. Contributions to Heifer the views of either the magazine or PRESIDENT AND CEO John Houser International are tax-deductible to the Heifer International. Pierre Ferrari extent permitted by law. ASSOCIATE DESIGNER PUBLISHER Misti Hollenbaugh Since 1944, Heifer has helped 31 million Annie Bergman families, directly and indirectly, move ® CONTRIBUTORS toward greater self-reliance through The FSC Logo Bethany Ivie Peggy Reiff Miller the gift of livestock and training in envi- identifi es products Elizabeth Joseph R a g a n S u t t e r fi e l d ronmentally sound agriculture. which contain wood 1 WORLD AVENUE from well managed Heifer International is a member of forests certifi ed in LITTLE ROCK, AR 72202, USA To change or remove an address, InterAction, the largest alliance of accordance with the EMAIL: WORLDARK@LIST. email [email protected] U.S.-based international development rules of the Forest HEIFER.ORG or call toll-free 877.448.6437. and humanitarian non-governmental Stewardship Council®.

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 5 for the record FACTS & FIGURES

FURIOSO COCHINEAL BUGS ELEPHANTS NORTH STAR GUATEMALA THAILAND

HORSES These tiny Mesoamerican insects spend most of their time ROMANIA feeding on cactus. Though they seem unremarkable, ELEPHANTS cochineal bugs produce carmine, one of the most vibrant natural red dyes out there. Heifer recently launched a pilot program in Guatemala to help farmers raise these bugs and AND CAMELS sell them to textile manufacturers. OSTRICHES GRASSCUTTERS AND SNAILS, ZIMBABWE WEST AFRICA The phrase “locally sourced” Also known as cane rats, POLISH doesn’t just apply to your grasscutters are native to RED CATTLE fruits and veggies. It applies West Africa and are prized to Heifer projects, too. That’s for their lean, sweet meat. STINGLESS POLAND OH MY! why, when farmers in Gweru, Heifer Ghana partnered with BEES 1989 was a rough year for Poland’s only indigenous Zimbabwe, partnered with farmers to domesticate this MEXICO working elephants in Thailand. cattle, Polish Reds were on Heifer, they voted to raise wild rodent and raise it A government ban on teak YOU DIDN’T HEAR THIS FROM US, BUT… the brink of extinction after an animal they were already sustainably to meet the high, Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula has been home to this gentle cutting left hundreds out of GOATS AND CHICKENS? THEY’RE NOT THE farmers faced government familiar with – the ostrich. local demand. pollinator since the time of work. Heifer rescued some pressure to raise ill-suited THEY FOUGHT THE Not only do ostriches thrive ONLY SUPERHEROES OF THE ANIMAL COMMUNIST PARTY AND WON! the Mayans, but deforesta- of these unemployed and Holstein cattle in the 1960s. in environments that most LEAN and SWEET MEAT! uncared for pachyderms and WORLD. MEET SOME OF THE WEIRD (BUT After the break-up of the other fowl can’t handle, they tion and pesticides have made it rare. Heifer, rural rehomed them with rural Communist government, Like the Polish Reds, Furioso provide: MIGHTY) CREATURES THAT HAVE TEAMED farmers and local groups are tribes that have traditionally Heifer reintroduced Polish North Star horses fought UP WITH HEIFER OVER THE YEARS! VALUABLE EGGS working together to restore kept and cared for the gentle Reds in an effort to maintain the Communist Party and won. LEAN MEAT the art of stingless beekeep- giants. The elephants earned biological diversity and give When Romania’s former ing and to ensure that this their keep transporting unemployed farmers Communist government man- EXPENSIVE FEATHERS important part of Yucatan firewood and, in the summer, a much-needed boost. dated the move from private culture isn’t lost forever. tourists. to state-owned farms, more SNAILS than 600,000 of these native Furioso horses were slaugh- GHANA and CAMEROON CAMELS tered or sold until there were NORTHERN TANZANIA Snails are ideal for farmers who don’t own or have access only 600 remaining. Heifer to land – they require little space to thrive, reproduce quickly Romania reintroduced the They spit, they groan, they lumber … what’s not to love about and feed on vegetable scraps (and, as far as herds go, they’re breed to provide much- camels? In northern Tanzania, these hearty beasts made the among the most peaceful). Farmers in Ghana and Cameroon needed draft power to perfect partners for Maasai farmers struggling with drought. find a healthy demand for snail meat. farmers and to promote Not only can they eat leaves and grass that are inedible to other animals, these “ships of the desert” can also sail across LOW IN FAT and HIGH LEVELS OF IRON, CARBS, the use of local, culturally HEARTY BEASTS! CHOLESTEROL AMINO ACIDS, VITAMINS A and C appropriate breeds. sand dunes carrying heavy loads. 6 | FALL 2017 FURIOSO COCHINEAL BUGS ELEPHANTS NORTH STAR GUATEMALA THAILAND

HORSES These tiny Mesoamerican insects spend most of their time ROMANIA feeding on cactus. Though they seem unremarkable, ELEPHANTS cochineal bugs produce carmine, one of the most vibrant natural red dyes out there. Heifer recently launched a pilot program in Guatemala to help farmers raise these bugs and AND CAMELS sell them to textile manufacturers. OSTRICHES GRASSCUTTERS AND SNAILS, ZIMBABWE WEST AFRICA The phrase “locally sourced” Also known as cane rats, POLISH doesn’t just apply to your grasscutters are native to RED CATTLE fruits and veggies. It applies West Africa and are prized to Heifer projects, too. That’s for their lean, sweet meat. STINGLESS POLAND OH MY! why, when farmers in Gweru, Heifer Ghana partnered with BEES 1989 was a rough year for Poland’s only indigenous Zimbabwe, partnered with farmers to domesticate this MEXICO working elephants in Thailand. cattle, Polish Reds were on Heifer, they voted to raise wild rodent and raise it A government ban on teak YOU DIDN’T HEAR THIS FROM US, BUT… the brink of extinction after an animal they were already sustainably to meet the high, Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula has been home to this gentle cutting left hundreds out of GOATS AND CHICKENS? THEY’RE NOT THE farmers faced government familiar with – the ostrich. local demand. pollinator since the time of work. Heifer rescued some pressure to raise ill-suited THEY FOUGHT THE Not only do ostriches thrive ONLY SUPERHEROES OF THE ANIMAL COMMUNIST PARTY AND WON! the Mayans, but deforesta- of these unemployed and Holstein cattle in the 1960s. in environments that most LEAN and SWEET MEAT! uncared for pachyderms and WORLD. MEET SOME OF THE WEIRD (BUT After the break-up of the other fowl can’t handle, they tion and pesticides have made it rare. Heifer, rural rehomed them with rural Communist government, Like the Polish Reds, Furioso provide: MIGHTY) CREATURES THAT HAVE TEAMED farmers and local groups are tribes that have traditionally Heifer reintroduced Polish North Star horses fought UP WITH HEIFER OVER THE YEARS! VALUABLE EGGS working together to restore kept and cared for the gentle Reds in an effort to maintain the Communist Party and won. LEAN MEAT the art of stingless beekeep- giants. The elephants earned biological diversity and give When Romania’s former ing and to ensure that this their keep transporting unemployed farmers Communist government man- EXPENSIVE FEATHERS important part of Yucatan firewood and, in the summer, a much-needed boost. dated the move from private culture isn’t lost forever. tourists. to state-owned farms, more SNAILS than 600,000 of these native Furioso horses were slaugh- GHANA and CAMEROON CAMELS tered or sold until there were NORTHERN TANZANIA Snails are ideal for farmers who don’t own or have access only 600 remaining. Heifer to land – they require little space to thrive, reproduce quickly Romania reintroduced the They spit, they groan, they lumber … what’s not to love about and feed on vegetable scraps (and, as far as herds go, they’re breed to provide much- camels? In northern Tanzania, these hearty beasts made the among the most peaceful). Farmers in Ghana and Cameroon needed draft power to perfect partners for Maasai farmers struggling with drought. find a healthy demand for snail meat. farmers and to promote Not only can they eat leaves and grass that are inedible to other animals, these “ships of the desert” can also sail across LOW IN FAT and HIGH LEVELS OF IRON, CARBS, the use of local, culturally HEARTY BEASTS! CHOLESTEROL AMINO ACIDS, VITAMINS A and C appropriate breeds. sand dunes carrying heavy loads. WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 7 good life TIPS FOR BETTER LIVING One Farmer’s Winter Reflection By Elizabeth Joseph, garden and education coordinator at Heifer Farm

I have great faith in a seed. Convince me you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders. — Henry David Thoreau

s a new farmer, I was in the courage and faith. I learned to communication with a passionate habit of sprinkling triple trust myself, trust seeds and trust, team of volunteers, as well as with or quadruple the amount as Wendell Berry puts it, “the two the land. Success hinged upon our Aof seed needed into the inches of humus that will build under ability to work together not just earth at planting time. I would press the trees every thousand years.” effectively, but joyfully. I learned the and pat the seeds into the soil as This reciprocal cycle of importance of considering the entire though patting a friend on the back nurture happened time and spectrum—the whole and all its parts, in a gesture of reassurance. With all again, renewing our hopes and the big picture and the details, the those extra seeds, I was ensuring that confidence— and I began to wonder: beautiful vista of the field landscape in a week or two those first leaves who was really growing whom? and the critical microscopic would push through the soil, and I During my very first season when organisms underground. could then breathe a sigh of relief. it rained for what felt like the entire And most recently during this Overseeding meant that the months of May and June, I was past growing season, after five or plants were overcrowded, and taught just how much was out of my more years of no-till management, I that meant spending hours later control, but to be patient and persist discerned with great contemplation in the season hunched over in nevertheless. Or when two feet of that what the field needed most was, the delicate and laborious task snow fell across the field in October indeed, tillage. I learned that amongst of thinning crops to the correct another year, I was reminded that all the green of the field, there was spacing. That was fine by me. I was the best-laid plans are always subject a tremendous amount of gray, and taking no chances with the future. to change, but we have a choice in rarely any black and white. Both As the seasons went on, and the how we respond to the unexpected. on the farm and in life, conditions seeds consistently germinated, I And each season, as some crops change, and we must adjust. became more comfortable sowing thrived and others faltered, I saw So while planting seeds takes a an appropriate amount. Practically firsthand that sustainability is a measure of courage, I can attest after speaking, I learned to farm with process, and that pride and humility nine seasons at Heifer Farm that more efficiency and efficacy, but sit side by side at the table. doing so leads to great wonders. It really, I learned to farm with more On a daily basis, I practiced better leads to children pulling carrots from

8 | HOLIDAY 2017 PHOTOS PROVIDED ELIZABETH BY JOSEPH

vegetables, and part of that magic is you want to cultivate in your life. having your faith rewarded nearly So friends, be brave. Take no every time. Seeds will germinate. chances with the future. Plant the ground in wonder and delight. It It is what they are meant and gardens, sign up for CSAs, share leads to young people seeking farm designed to do. You have to provide seeds, smiles, snow blowers and apprenticeships to create a better the right conditions, be respectful bread with your neighbors. Go future for themselves and for future and attuned to their needs, but somewhere new, learn something generations. It leads to literal tons with some effort there is no telling new, meet someone new. Or stay and tons of nutritious, colorful and what beauty will abound. home and see it in a brand new way. delicious food harvested and cooked After all, seeds are tiny bundles of Most of all, plant seeds, often to nourish and sustain those who potential just waiting to burst forth. and everywhere, even if it means eat it. And it leads to this particular They are hope in a better tomorrow. planting more than necessary. farmer reflecting on a season’s And they don’t just come in packets They will grow, you will grow, and end, brimming with gratitude. from the hardware store—they are I assure you, it will lead to great, There is magic in growing any start, beginning or newness tremendous, breathtaking wonders.

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 9 asked & answered A FAMILY AFFAIR Farming Forward in Arkansas Interview by Ragan Sutterfield, World Ark contributor

The average age of America’s farmers is rising as fewer young people stay in rural areas to tend the land. Cody Hopkins, a founder of the Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative, is an exception. He and his family are part of a new generation of farmers who focus on providing healthy food in ways that are also healthy for the land. With 10 years of farming experience under his belt, Hopkins and other cooperative members are working with Heifer International to make a living income for small-scale farmers a possibility. Hopkins talks about his journey into agriculture, the work of the Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative and the future of the family farm. PHOTOS BY RUSSELL POWELL RUSSELL BY PHOTOS WORLD ARK: What was your At the same time Searcy County, journey into agriculture? where I was living, was named one of the poorest communities CODY HOPKINS: Sure, so I grew in Arkansas, which makes it very up in rural Arkansas. I was the first high on the list nationally, and it Cody Hopkins raises pigs person in my family to go to college. was just pretty obvious that very on his Arkansas farm. I got a degree in physics and moved little, economically, was going on away after college to the Northeast there. So this confluence of interest and taught at a private school up in food and entrepreneurship and I then met my now wife, Andrea. there for a couple of years. I wanted rural economic development was She grew up homesteading in to get away from rural Arkansas, but driving me to look at master’s degree Arkansas and knew a lot more as soon as I was away I just found programs. It was then that I stumbled about farming than I did. Together myself craving it and moved back. upon Joel Salatin, the father of we launched Falling Sky Farm in When I moved back to Arkansas I pastured poultry. I think I read about 2006 with the goal of creating an managed a small bakery in North him first inThe Omnivore’s Dilemma economically viable demonstration Central Arkansas in Leslie called by Michael Pollan. His model of farm. We wanted it to be a business Serenity Farm Bread. While I small-scale, sustainable farming that would not only make a living was there I got to play a big role seemed like a powerful tool for for ourselves, but also create some managing the business and started economic development, and it was a jobs in the community. We’ve to catch the entrepreneurial bug. perfect fit for what I was hoping to do. been at it for 10 years now.

10 | HOLIDAY 2017 Farming Forward in Arkansas

Andrea Todt and Cody Hopkins run Falling Sky Farm.

“We wanted it to be a business that would not only make a living for ourselves, but also create some jobs in the community.”

What has been most surprising to manage a vertically integrated professional help to do it better. to you in those 10 years? operation with so many different I was really green when I went into it enterprises. From the production side Tell us how the cooperative works. so I didn’t have a lot of assumptions, you have processing, distribution, We weren’t the only ones having but it has been very difficult to piece aggregation, market development, these problems. There were other together a profitable farm venture, accounting—all those things farmers we had good relationships more so than I thought. We’ve necessary for a financially viable with that were having the same never really had a big issue selling business were really challenging. issues, so we all started talking our product at decent prices and That was what led us to push for a about how we could help each production. That’s actually probably cooperative model to share parts of other. It started organically the easiest part of what we do now. that value chain in a way that would through sharing the costs of a What was really hard was trying be more efficient and to bring in bulk load of organic feed or taking

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 11 asked & answered A FAMILY AFFAIR

Andrea Todt does most of the farmwork.

“We are working to provide radical transparency for customers so they can really trust that they’re getting what they think they’re getting.” Fencing allows farmers to let animals range. Feeding hogs is a big job.

animals to the processor together helps the farmers focus on farming. of origin” and transparency from or sharing a restaurant customer They raise the animals and from pasture to plate. Right now, we’re we couldn’t supply by ourselves. that point Grass Roots takes over. launching a feature where every These informal relationships led us package of meat from Grass Roots eventually to reach out to Heifer, What factors make it so will have a QR code that customers which helped us initiate the Grass diffi cult for family farmers can scan, and it will take you back to Roots Farmers’ Cooperative. to earn a living income? the origin story of that chicken. You’ll Today our biggest challenge is be able to see which farm it came If you’re a member of Grass Roots, we diff erentiation in the marketplace, from and drill down to learn more provide you with technical assistance because all of these larger companies about the farm. You’ll be able to see on the production side to help are using the same language that where the chicken was processed, you make sure you have the right we’ve used to diff erentiate our and you can drill down to learn more infrastructure, that you’re using the products. Labels like “free-range,” about the processing company. right feed, that you’re using the right “pasture-raised,” “organic”—those We are working to provide radical production techniques, that if you things are meaning less and less. transparency for customers so they have a problem with your animals We’ve landed on really focusing on can really trust that they’re getting there is someone you can call. This trying to provide things like “farm what they think they’re getting.

12 | HOLIDAY 2017 You have a family now. What both of us were farming and we had of training courses around the is it like balancing raising several employees. With the co-op, production models that Grass animals with raising children? we’re able to let the farmers focus Roots and New South [another Before the cooperative it was a really on the farming side of things. It’s Heifer-partnered cooperative tough lifestyle for our family. We really simplifi ed life on the farm. in Arkansas] do, so take those were constantly on the go making courses or something similar. deliveries or taking animals to If someone’s reading this and has Then take some time to write the processor. I’ve really seen a thoughts of farming themselves, down your family’s fi nancial signifi cant diff erence on our farm. what would your advice be? and lifestyle goals because this My work is now mostly off the farm The very fi rst thing you do is visit is a lifestyle job. This is not a job and focused on the Grass Roots a farm that is like what you’d hope in which you check in at 8 and Farmers’ Cooperative, and my wife, to build yourself and try to spend check out at 5. It’s important that Andrea, is the primary farmer. We the day at least. It would be good to people understand that and make are now producing about twice as read books and to go to small farm sure this fi ts in with their goals, much with Andrea and two part- conferences. I know that Heifer both fi nancially and in the way time employees than we did when USA is starting to roll out a series you want to spend your time. ■

The entire family pitches in with the chickens. For more information about the cooperative, or to order farm-raised meats and poultry, go to grassrootscoop.com

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 13 An Egg a Day Keeps the Doctor Away Malnutrition, stunting and frequent illness are common among children in rural Ghana. The Djabas, along with hundreds of other families nearby, have discovered through a Heifer project that eggs and education might be the cure for what ails them.

By Molly Fincher, World Ark writer Photos by Olivier Asselin

AFRAMASE, GHANA — “BEN!” A chorus of affectionate voices ring out above the sounds of children playing, neighbors visiting, chickens clucking, goats bleating and the rest of the perpetual barnyard cacophony of the homestead where the Djaba family lives. Multiple family members are calling to the precocious Mathias Lawer, 4, enjoys 4-year-old Ben, who appears with an irrepressible grin and runs fresh eggs from his family’s into the circle of laughing admirers. This is a constant refrain hens every day as part throughout the day, a pattern played out again and again as family of a project focusing on childhood nutrition. members feign exasperation at the boy’s antics.

14 | HOLIDAY 2017 WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 15 GHANA BURKINA FASO CHILDHOOD BENIN

NUTRITION COTE TOGO PROJECT D’ILVOIRE GHANA At a Glance Aframase Accra

GULF OF GUINEA

“Ben, Ben, Ben … he is a ruffi an,” Rachael Djaba said proudly of her second-to-youngest. Djaba, 42, is the mother of nine children ranging in age from 2 to 23 years old. She and her husband, Joseph Tetteh Djaba, 46, are former subsistence farmers, but now they have a thriving poultry business. Four years ago, Ben happened to be just the right age to qualify the family for a project focused on nutrition for young children. The idea of the project and study — a partnership between Heifer, McGill University, World Vision and the University of Ghana — is to improve childhood nutrition by making sure kids get suffi cient protein in their diet—namely, Rachael Djaba packs at least an egg a day. eggs from her family’s Stunting and anemia are prevalent among hens. She sells 20-30 crates of eggs per week. children in the Upper Manya Krobo district, the region of Ghana home to the Djabas. It is a rural area, populated mostly by subsistence farmers learn how to cook with them and incorporate and fi shermen. For many of them, their income them regularly into their diets. By introducing rarely stretches to cover much more than banku eggs and leafy greens to the families’ diets and and fufu, traditional fare made of plantains, helping them set up businesses that produce cassava or corn. These foods off er plenty of a regular stream of income, Heifer and our carbohydrates, but little else. Those who partners hoped to curb malnutrition and give joined the project, however, received children a better start. chickens and training on how to Before joining the project, the Djabas grew One egg raise, care for and sell any excess maize for sale. When the money from the maize eggs and poultry that were left crop ran out, they cut trees to make charcoal to provides after providing children in the sell. The family took on debt to buy medicine 6 grams of family with at least one egg a day. when they needed it, but struggled to pay back high-quality Families also got seeds for home loans. The kids went to school only when the protein. gardens. Because vegetables had family could pull together money for fees and been considered a rare luxury supplies. The family didn’t have enough to eat, before, project participants had to and the children were consistently sick.

16 | HOLIDAY 2017 WHAT WHY HOW Improve childhood • High rates of childhood • Incorporate protein into nutrition and maternal malnutrition children’s diets by providing chickens and poultry WHERE • High rates of anemia business training (74 percent) and stunting Upper Manya (38 percent) among children • Providing seeds and training Krobo district of 6-59 months old for home gardens with local Eastern Ghana dark, leafy greens • 48 percent of women of WHO child-bearing age are anemic • Nutrition and health training, 230 households including how to cook with • Poor nutrition contributes and incorporate eggs and to ¹/³ of child mortality greens into daily diet

The Djaba family works together to care for their chickens.

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 17 Joseph Tetteh Daniel plants cocoyam in Djaba and his son the family garden. Cocoyam Daniel prepare is one of the local, leafy their vegetable greens the Djabas have garden for planting. incorporated into their diet. Eggs-ceptional! Eggs can be a powerful force against hunger. A single chicken can lay up to 200 eggs a year, plenty to sell for a regular income and feed the whole family. For many of the families with whom Heifer works, adding eggs to their diet is an affordable and accessible way to improve nutrition by leaps and bounds.

Rachael Djaba prepares fried Protein was hard to come by before, but eggs on bread for breakfast. now the Djabas can eat eggs anytime.

Eggs are packed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients. The Djaba children share a plentiful breakfast with neighborhood friends.

18 | HOLIDAY 2017 GHANA Fast Facts

Daniel uses manure from the family’s chickens for garden fertilizer. Ghana was the first As a European colony, sub-Saharan country Ghana was known as the in Africa to gain Gold Coast because of the independence from country’s abundant gold European colonization. resources and lively trade.

Adinkra symbols, ubiquitous The Akan people are the in Ghana, are Akan symbols largest ethnic group in Ghana of traditional wisdom. and Cote d’ Ivoire, and many These decorative symbols African-Americans can trace are used extensively in their roots to them. Clement, 15, collects eggs fabrics and pottery. from the family’s laying hens. They started out with 40 hens and have grown the fl ock to 170. Rachael Djaba and Daniel (below) sort and package the eggs for market.

Ghana’s coast is peppered with fortresses and castles that started out as trading posts for gold and other commodities, The iconic African kente but eventually turned into the style of woven cloth gateways of the trans-Atlantic originated in Ghana. slave trade as people became Traditionally worn only by Ghana’s primary export. The royalty, the bright and bold slave trade peaked in the patterns are now sported 18th century and ended with around the world by people the Slave Trade Act of 1807. from all walks of life.

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 19 The best time is when the baby is happy. When the baby is happy, I am happy. –Rachael Djaba, mother of 9

The first requirement to join the project staffers came to Aframase, looking for families was having a child under 1 year old. Ben was who qualified for the project. Djaba credits the the “lucky baby who brought the project to project with reviving Ben and helping him this household,” Rachael Djaba said. But they grow into the healthy, vital boy we see today. very well may not have qualified for the project, The Djabas started out with 40 chickens but despite Djaba’s eight other children, if they quickly had to make room for more. They’ve hadn’t adopted Ben almost seven months already sold 80 chickens and still have 170 on beforehand. their farm. Even after incorporating eggs into Ben’s biological mother was mentally ill their daily diets, the family collects enough to and abandoned baby Ben when he was sell 20 crates of eggs at a market every Friday. one week old. Despite already having Plus, they get big income bumps from selling Eggs seven children at the time, the Djabas groups of hens that have stopped laying. are a good took him in. Reflecting back on the Without these perks, it’s hard to imagine source of decision, Rachael Djaba said, “Even how the family would have kept afloat. “It has though we think we are poor, there not been easy raising nine children,” Rachael choline, are people more poor than us.” Djaba said. Her voice is deep, and tired. “The which helps Raising baby Ben was a most difficult thing about raising kids is feeding reduce birth struggle because he was so often them and figuring out what’s wrong if they defects. ill. “It was like a hell to keep that are sick. They cannot tell you. The best time baby alive,” she remembered. He is when the baby is happy. When the baby is was seven months old when project happy, I am happy.” SPIDER Stories hana has a rich folklore tradition. One of the most common characters is Kwaku Ananse (sometimes shortened to Ananse or Anansi), Gthe wise, trickster spider spirit. Ananse is so prevalent in these tales that his name is in the word for folklore as a whole: anansesem, or spider stories. Here is one spider story shared by Heifer project participants.

20 | HOLIDAY 2017 Rachael Djaba and Ben grin and show off a couple of the family’s hens.

Kwaku Anansi was the haul it to the top of a tree because he had thought wisest being ever in the so he could hide all the that he had all of the world. There are a lot of knowledge far out of reach. knowledge and wisdom in stories about the spider. But the pot was heavy, the whole world in the pot. He tried to gather all the and he struggled. Kwaku But if his son was still able wisdom in the whole Anansi’s son Ntekuma saw to teach him something, world and keep it in his his father struggling and it meant there was still stomach, and that’s why asked, “Look, you can’t wisdom out there that spiders have very big climb with the pot in front he didn’t have. So Kwaku stomachs. At one point of you. Why don’t you put Anansi dropped the pot, Kwaku Anansi filled a the pot behind so it will and that is how everybody pot with wisdom and be easy for you to climb?” has got some knowledge knowledge and tried to Kwaku Anansi grew angry and some wisdom.

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 21 Ben is learning to write in school.

Without the stress of hunger, illness and financial strain, the parents are less irritable, and everyone Ben attends class with his fellow students at the enjoys each other more. village primary school.

David frequently Ben and his sister helps his siblings Hannah work on Ben and Hannah their homework with their together. homework.

David makes sure his Rachael and Joseph Djaba’s young siblings wash their grandson Tetteh observes the hands before breakfast family’s activities from behind with the family’s tippy tap. a hanging cloth.

22 | HOLIDAY 2017 From left to right: Clement, 15, Rachael Djaba, 42, Mamle, 2, Joseph Tetteh Djaba, 46, David, 20, Daniel, 23, Yaa Kudji, 24, Tetteh, 2, and Vida, 23.

Daniel and Joseph Rachael Djaba Djaba work on repairs and Clement feed to the chicken coop. the chickens.

Rachael and Joseph want their children to have to borrow money any more. His goal is go to school, get good educations and secure to be the leading poultry farmer in the district. good jobs. They envision them driving up His vision is that if anyone wants to buy to visit their parents in their own cars. That chicken or eggs, his house will be their future is a defi nite possibility now. fi rst stop. Rachael Djaba credits her new poultry The possibility of an even more business with bringing in enough money prosperous future is nice, Rachael so that all of the children can go to school. Djaba said, but the most striking Eggs are She’s also enjoying the unexpected benefi t and important diff erence for her good for of improved relationships with her children. is that her children are no longer healthy Without the stress of hunger, illness and plagued by constant illness. No fi nancial strain, the parents are less irritable, one has had to go to the doctor brain and everyone enjoys each other more. in over two years, a record for the function. Joseph Djaba says he’s especially relieved family. As far as she is concerned, to have some savings put away so he won’t “If you are not sick, you are wealthy.” ■

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 23 THE IMPORTANCE of Play

n addition to training on health and nutrition, mothers involved in this project also received training in the cognitive development of young Ichildren. They learned simple games to play with their kids to help them develop their physical and mental abilities, as well as to cultivate the bond between parent and child by spending time having fun together.

For Florence Adjei (32), single mother of two sets of twin boys, the stress of trying to make ends meet meant spending time playing with Florence Adjei plays games with her sons wasn’t usually a priority. But the her twin sons Mathias Lawer combination of becoming more empowered (right) and Maxwell Ateh, 4. and secure through her new poultry business and learning the importance of play through the project trainings has changed her relationship with her sons for the better.

Before, there was a lot of stress. But through this education, I found space for the children and Brothers (from left to right) there is a bond between us. Maxwell Ateh, 4, Joseph Akwetey, 10, John Akwetey, 10, and Mathias — Florence Adjei Lawer, 4, enjoy fresh hardboiled eggs from their family’s laying hens.

Florence Adjei weeds the cocoyam plants in her vegetable Florence Adjei and her two sets of twin sons garden. Florence and many (from left to right) Mathias Lawer, Maxwell Florence Adjei others in the area didn’t know of Ateh, John Akwetey and Joseph Akwetey, collects eggs from the vegetable’s nutrional value with some of the family’s laying hens. her hens. before the project. ChristmasSpecial Edition 2017 Dear Friend and Partner, There’s a reason why people the life by creating an unbreakable world over call this The Most bond between you and a family Important Christmas Catalog half a world away, who will be in the World: These gifts change forever grateful for the trust you lives. are about to place in them.

They change the lives of families So this year, show your friends, in need who receive the livestock family or co-workers just how you help us provide. For the fi rst much you care by giving them time in their lives, they will know one of these great Christmas gifts the dignity of self-reliance. They from Heifer International—the will be able to put food on the table most important gifts in the world. and earn income for clean water, medicine, school and safer homes. With warm wishes and friendship,

Together, we can make a di erence in the world—and help a family transform their future. And they Pierre U. Ferrari are gifts that will change your President and CEO

THREE EASY FREE HONOR CARDS WAYS TO GIVE For each gift of $10 or more, you may request an Honor Card for anyone you Mail the enclosed choose. 1 order form with a check or credit card YOU HAVE THREE OPTIONS: information to: Option 1: Heifer will send Honor Cards Heifer International directly to you to distribute to anyone P.O. Box 8058 you choose. Little Rock AR 72203-8058 Option 2: Heifer will send Honor Cards directly to anyone you choose. Call Call toll-free: 855.8HUNGER (855.848.6437) or visit SHIPPING OPTIONS: 2 855.8HUNGER www.heifer.org/catalog for this option. Honor Card orders postmarked by (855.848.6437) December 11 will deliver by Option 3: You can print and give or email December 24. Missed the Order online: Honor Cards to anyone you choose at deadline? For a fee, expedited 3 www.heifer.org/ any time. Visit www.heifer.org/catalog shipping is available by calling us catalog for online options. at 855.8HUNGER (855.848.6437).

NEW! HEIFER GIFT CARDS Not sure what to choose? Surprise someone special in your life with a gift like no other: the power to choose a life-changing gift and the online experience of Heifer’s work and mission. By purchasing this gift card, you are making a donation to Heifer and giving your loved one an opportunity to change someone’s life by choosing an To order your gift card, animal as a gift. The Heifer gift card shows them that they made a real difference. visit heifer.org/card This engaging, educational gift will make a difference in your home and theirs. Order digital gift cards to email to your loved ones at www.heifer.org/card

26 TO ORDER YOUR GIFT CALL 855.848.6437 Celebrate the Holidays with Heifers

hange a family’s life forever by purchasing a heifer in honor of your loved ones! By giving a family a heifer and training in its care, you’re Cgiving them health and hope. A good dairy cow can produce up to four gallons of milk a day. That’s plenty for a family to drink and share with their neighbors—as well as sell at market! Protein-rich milk can improve the health of sick, malnourished children. And selling extra milk provides much-needed income for food, medicine, schooling and more. And since a healthy cow can produce a calf every year, families can Gift of a Heifer $500 In the Philippines, Jeff Mondayan Pass on the Gift to help their neighbors Share of a Heifer $50 now has nutritious milk from his lift themselves out of poverty. family’s cows.

Give the Gift of a Goat Milk Menagerie

ou can share your compassionate spirit with those you care for by $1,000 giving a goat in their honor—and in the process give a little girl or Share of a Yboy somewhere in the world a better future. Milk Menagerie The gift of a goat can supply several quarts of nutritious milk a day to $100 a hungry family. Surplus milk can be sold to other families for additional income and used to make healthy cheese or yogurt. Plus, goat manure can Help end hunger by giving fertilize gardens to increase the amount of food produced. a Milk Menagerie. It Heifer families can move from poverty to self-reliance by starting small includes four milk-producing dairies that earn money for food, health care animals: two goats, a water and education. That’s a gift worth giving! buffalo and a heifer—and training in their care.

You’ll give families a steady supply of nourishing milk. Extra milk can be sold so they can buy health care and education for their children.

And as families Pass on the Gift to others in need, your gift will be multiplied Gift of a Goat $120 Shopna Khatun holds one of her family’s to provide a better life Share of a Goat $10 goats in Bangladesh. The gift of a goat for entire communities. helped lift her family out of poverty.

WWW.HEIFER.ORG/CATALOG 27 Sharing and Shearing with Sheep

arm the heart of someone special this holiday season with the gift of a sheep and training in its care. You’ll provide a Wstruggling family with the help they need to lift themselves out of poverty. Warm in winter, cool in summer, and waterproof, wool helps parents clothe their children and keep them warm in cold months. It also gives them a product they can sell at market for valuable, extra income. Heifer International families raise sheep to improve their lives and futures. And since sheep often give birth Heifer ensured Marta Silvia Mendoza Valazco and her daughter, to twins or triplets, your gift today of a Gift of a Sheep $120 Isis, in Mexico have the skills they Heifer sheep will have a huge impact on Share of a Sheep $10 need to be successful. even more families for years to come.

Knitter’s Water Buffalo Gift Basket Brighten the Future $480 Share of Knitter’s ou can give a family on the other side of the world a more prosperous Basket $48 tomorrow with the gift of a water buffalo. Water buffalo are used for Yplowing and transportation by families in Asia. These gentle giants allow farmers to plant four times as many crops as by hand. Not only are water buffalo sturdy work animals, but they also provide rich milk to make cheese Our Knitter’s Gift Basket and nourish hungry children, while producing manure for fertilizer and fuel. provides a llama, an alpaca, a sheep and Your gift of a water buffalo an angora rabbit to and training in its care can help a a family, along with family desperate to escape poverty animal care training. and give them a brighter future.

Sweaters and scarves from the wool will keep families warm and milk will nourish them. Also, the sale of clothing and blankets will provide income.

Your gift will create a real opportunity for people in need to fashion a better future. Gift of Water Buffalo $250 A gift from Heifer helped Ganga Share of Water Buffalo $25 Thapa’s family have the resources to recover from an earthquake in Nepal.

28 TO ORDER YOUR GIFT CALL 855.848.6437 Show your Love with Llamas and Alpacas

ard-pressed to find that special gift for the person who has it all? HHow about something totally different? Give the gift of a llama or alpaca and training in their care. Llamas and alpacas provide families in need with wool, prized for making blankets, ponchos, carpets and rope. They Gift of a Llama also serve as pack animals and their extra or Alpaca $150 wool can be sold for income. Share of a Llama What’s more, pasture land high in the or Alpaca $20 Andes is scarce and vegetation fragile. But with their padded feet, llamas and alpacas Inés Cayambe’s alpaca is the leave little impact on the environment— foundation of her dignified and and their manure fertilizes the soil. self-reliant future in Ecuador.

Joy to the World Gift Basket Treat Them to Trees and $1,500 Share of a Joy to the Save the Environment World Gift Basket $150 his time of year, we should all take a minute to thank donors who have given trees and the environmental benefits they offer. Heifer recognizes As you bundle up this holiday Tthe essential part trees play in sustaining life on Earth. season, think about giving the That’s why, along with animals, you can help supply gift of Joy to the World to a families in need with many varieties of trees and family in need. This bountiful saplings that bring new life to communities. gift provides families with two This holiday sheep, four goats, one heifer season, remember and two llamas. The animals to give trees provide much-needed food to your loved and milk, wool for blankets ones who are and clothing, and rich dedicated to fertilizer for their crops. protecting the Your gift gives hungry environment. families nourishment and empowers them to become self-sufficient—all while Fredy Sanchez Gift of Tree promoting positive growth holds a few Seedlings $60 in their communities for of his family’s generations to come. coffee plants in Share of Tree Honduras. Seedlings $10

WWW.HEIFER.ORG/CATALOG 29 Chicks Bring Christmas Cheer

ondering what to buy your child’s favorite teacher this year? A flock of chicks Wis a unique, meaningful way of saying “thank you” for inspiring your own “chickadee” during the school year. Your gift of chicks helps a hungry family turn their lives around by enriching their diet with nourishing eggs—a life-saving gift for a starving child. Chickens need very little space. So families with small plots of land can welcome them and plant bountiful crops. Chickens also help Flock of Chicks $20 farm production by eating insects, removing weeds and fertilizing soil. Lezman Mateo Mejia’s family’s A single hen can lay more than 200 eggs a year. And when families sell income and health improved after these eggs and poultry at market, they earn life-changing income that enables Heifer arrived with chickens and them to afford medicine and clothing so they can keep their children healthy training in their care. and warm.

Hope Basket Pigs Make Perfect Presents $50

ooking for that perfect gift for What could be better than a friend, family member or co- giving a gift that brings hope to struggling farmers Lworker? Here’s an idea that will who are desperate to find have them squealing with delight. It’s their way out of poverty? the gift of a pig and training in its care. Pigs need little space and can thrive Your gift of a Heifer Hope on food and garden scraps. Basket includes rabbits and And since an average sow a starter flock of chickens. This provides eggs and can produce up to protein for nourishment, and 16 piglets a year, boosts income through sales your kindness of extra eggs and offspring. will quickly benefit more These animals reproduce families as often, so families will they Pass quickly be able to Pass on the Gift. This multiplies on the Gift to their the impact you’ve made, Because pigs can have as many neighbors. and the hopes and dreams as 16 piglets in a litter, the It’s the gift of even more families can Gift of a Pig $120 impact of your gift will quickly become a reality. that keeps Share of a Pig $10 grow and help people like on giving. Rosilyn Flores in the Philippines.

30 TO ORDER YOUR GIFT CALL 855.848.6437 Bee Sweet: Give the Gift of Honeybees

ay we suggest surprising your friends, family and co-workers with the latest Christmas buzz? MIt’s the gift of honeybees to help a family in need! Your gift will help provide a family with bees, a box and hive, plus training in beekeeping. Because bees will pollinate the crops on a family’s farm, a healthy beehive can double fruit and vegetable yields. And income from the sale of honey, wax and pollen can be put toward food, clothing, medicine and education. That’s why the gift of honeybees from Heifer is the perfect Gaspar loves the opportunities Heifer has provided for way to sweeten up your his community. “It’s not just me that is receiving these holiday season. Gift of Honeybees $30 benefits, it is all of the members of the co-op, and they are as thankful as I am.”

Still Fishing for Flock of Hope that Final Gift? $60

our gift of fish fingerlings and training in The Gift of fish farming techniques will transform Heifer’s Flock of Ythe lives of families in the impoverished Hope provides communities where Heifer works. Families that nutritious receive schools of fingerlings see an increase eggs and new opportunities for in health, thanks to the protein, and income, a family in need. since fish are easy to sell. And when farmers Your gift will Pass on the Gift of provide chicks, fingerlings to ducklings and/or others in their goslings that will community, grow and multiply quickly. Soon, the impact of a lucky family your support will be able to goes even Pass on the Gift, Keny Yamileth Xol Sub has learned Three Schools further. and a struggling to fish in the family’s pond. Now of Fish $300 Now that’s community something to when she’s hungry she has fish to Share of Fish $30 will thrive. eat. celebrate!

WWW.HEIFER.ORG/CATALOG 31 Help Transform Biogas Stoves the World for a Village $1,000 Gift of a Biogas Stove $50

In most villages where Heifer works, a family must gather firewood stick by stick simply to cook a meal. This grueling effort can rob the environment of trees, keep kids out of school as they perform this task, and cause all sorts of health issues Gift of from breathing in the smoke. Transformation But, when a family gets a biogas stove, their lives change. The stove burns cleanly, reliably and efficiently, Aysha Begum and her daughter, $10,000 because it runs off methane gas Sumaiya Khatun, in Bangladesh has Share of a steady source of nutrition thanks Transformation $100 captured from animal waste. It’s to the support of Heifer donors. better for the environment, more sustainable, and much healthier.

our Gift of Transformation helps farmers flourish around Your Gift of a Biogas Stove can help the world. Thanks to generous donors like you, one gift one family. Or show how much you Ymultiplies into many for an entire community. Your donation care by transforming an entire village gives farmers resources to get started and stay successful by: by giving 20 stoves! • Teaching them to farm more efficiently • Helping farmers find markets for a steady source of income • Connecting them to other farmers for support You can help give hard-working, small-scale farmers the network of support they need, which will provide them with the skills to thrive and grow. In turn, they will Pass on the Gift to their Gift of neighbors and together they will lift themselves out of poverty. You Clean Water will give an entire community the chance to rise up and thrive! This will change lives and help end hunger throughout the world. $300

Millions of people don’t have access to clean drinking water “... Heifer International has provided needy around the world. It can be scarce, families around the world with livestock or extremely polluted and unsafe.

ranging from water buffalo to bees as a Your gift will help families install stepping stone to self-sufficiency … the treadle pumps for access to simplicity of its approach and its track record clean water. This will dramatically appeal to many …” improve their health with proper sanitation, as well as teach them — The New York Times about water conservation.

32 TO ORDER YOUR GIFT CALL 855.848.6437 8 Great Stocking Stuffers

anta visits children Goats help families in some of Duck eggs help build a healthy diet all around the world the world’s poorest places. for families all around the world. Sand knows that many children are in desperate need of more than just toys and games. That’s why these stocking stuffers provide less fortunate children with lifesaving nutrition and offer unique opportunities to teach your little ones Share of Flock of about the true meaning Vishnu Pariyar, a Goat Vo Minh Tri, Ducks of Christmas. Nepal $10 Vietnam $20

These fluffy chicks will Heifer shares are popular. The gift of tree seedlings soon grow to provide They give a family milk will soon grow into a the daily gift of eggs. for years to come. source of income.

Flock of Share of Tree Carla Grisel Rivera Chicks Elmer Rebita III, Heifer Marcelina Bautista, Seedlings Rodriquez, Honduras $20 Philippines $50 Honduras $60

When families sell goose Sweeten Christmas morning Rabbits multiply quickly, eggs and offspring, they can with a gift of bees that will so a family can soon pay for clothes and school. provide delicious honey. Pass on the Gift!

Flock of Honey Trio of Thuy Dang, Geese Sergio and Matias Bees Aaron Menugbor, Rabbits Vietnam $20 Lemos, Honduras $30 Ghana $60

WWW.HEIFER.ORG/CATALOG 33 Empower Women Gift of Women’s Around the World Empowerment $25,000 quicklinah Njivah described herself as the “poorest woman in the world.” She, her husband and three Achildren lived in an 8-foot-wide hut in Zimbabwe. “I felt like a prisoner,” she says. “I had no work.” She admits to feeling discouraged and embarrassed because she had nothing. “We didn’t have blankets for the winter, so my children got the flu,” Aquicklinah adds. Then, thanks to friends like you, Aquicklinah received two heifers. Today she has five cattle, three pigs, and 35 chickens, and cattle manure fertilizer has improved her crop yield. Before, Aquicklinah could barely feed her family. Now she is a civic leader who gives back to her community. Since Passing on the Gift, she’s helped feed orphans and given children the chance to go to school. Aquicklinah shows that with the right support, women can help entire communities thrive. Your Gift Aquicklinah Njivah holds her daughter, of Women’s Empowerment will provide women with Makananaka. The manure from the cows she resources, training and opportunity. Because when received from Heifer helped her crops and now she women encourage one another, we all benefit. sells vegetables to the local school for income.

Send a Girl to School

our gift of livestock and the training to care for it makes it possible for families to Ysend their girls to school instead of keeping them home to work. The income the animals provide helps pay for school fees and supplies. If they had the same access to resources as men, women could reduce the number of hungry people in the world by up to 17 percent. Through Heifer International, women and girls learn self-reliance. They have shown that they can provide for their families, Hasina Begum helps her earn income, and start their own business. daughter, Shopna Khatun, do Send a Girl Women are supporting their families and each her homework in Bangladesh. to School other, and earning a new level of respect. Friends like you give girls the With your help, girls can reach their full opportunity to go to school $275 potential. Change a woman’s life, and she will instead of staying home to work. transform her entire community.

34 TO ORDER YOUR GIFT CALL 855.848.6437 Changing the World Heifer International’s mission is to end hunger Two-by-Two and poverty while Gift Ark caring for the Earth. For more than 70 years, $5,000 Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training our generous Gift Ark donation to improve the lives of will go right to work, helping lift those who struggle daily Yfamilies out of poverty around for reliable sources of the world. Your gift will provide an ark food and income. Heifer full of animals. Families will use them is currently working in for work, to provide food and to sell. more than 25 countries, Goats will provide milk in Zimbabwe, including the United oxen will pull plows in Uganda, pigs will help farmers in Cambodia grow States, to help families their income, llamas will provide wool and communities become in Ecuador, rabbits will provide food in self-reliant. Haiti. And your gift will also improve the lives of families for generations by To help the greatest multiplying and Passing on the Gift. number of families move toward self-reliance, Heifer does not use its limited resources to track individual animals from donation to distribution to specific families. Instead, your gift supports the entire Heifer mission. We use your gift where Irrigation it can do the most good by combining it with Pumps the gifts of others to help transform entire $150 communities. Heifer’s unique community development model has Poor families around the world struggle to obtain running assisted directly and water—a basic necessity we can indirectly more than 31 take for granted. With your gift, million families since irrigation pumps will give farmers 1944. In fiscal year the water they need and expand 2016, more than 3.6 the crops they can grow. An million families were irrigation pump from Heifer helps assisted within the four families save money, and women program areas in which Vieng Veng uses an irrigation system to and children can go to school water his family’s vegetable garden in instead of fetching water by hand. Heifer operates. Cambodia.

WWW.HEIFER.ORG/CATALOG 35 Vetiver is essential to perfume and cosmetic industries, but farming the roots of this sought-after grass is by no means glamorous. Heifer Haiti is supporting vetiver farmers through both the challenges of depending on a crop harvested only once a year and the difficulties of living in a disaster-prone part of the world.

By Jason Woods, World Ark senior editor Photos by Lacey West Bernard Thelemaque shows freshly harvested vetiver roots.

A field of ready-to-harvest vetiver grass in Favette, Haiti.

36 | HOLIDAY 2017 Thelemaque uses a pickaxe to pull Vetiver roots set out the vetiver roots out of the ground. to dry in Favette.

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 37 Surrounded by damage from Hurricane Matthew, farmers walk along the road in Favette.

t the top of the removes them with a machete and from around 30,000 small-scale denuded hills tosses them onto a pile. Later, they farming families in southwestern that mark the will be grouped into large bales and Haiti. Two centuries of cutting community of stored to dry. The grass is replanted, down mountainside forests for Favette, Bernard and the roots will slowly regrow. fuel without replanting trees Thelemaque toils The bales will be sold to a local has degraded Haitian soil so Ain a fi eld of wispy grass that grazes distillery and then turned into much that most agriculture his knees. He’s barefoot, and both an oil that is highly sought after is unusually challenging. his feet and hands are lightly in the global fragrance industry. Vetiver, however, grows well in stained from the white rocks that Vetiver, which smells both earthy stressful conditions; in fact, it dot the coarse soil. Using a pickaxe, and sweet, is especially popular needs such an environment Thelemaque pries up a clump in scents made for men. It’s a key to produce its coveted oils. of the grass, known as vetiver, ingredient in scented products Because vetiver thrives where careful to preserve the roots. that range from deodorants found other crops typically do not, Once unearthed, the roots in most drug stores to the most farmers like Thelemaque and their disperse a distinct smell—one expensive perfume in the world, families depend mostly or solely so chemically complex that Clive Christian No. 1, which sells on the income they receive from scientists have not yet recreated for more than $2,100 an ounce. harvesting the roots of the grass. it synthetically. Thelemaque Well more than half of all Thelemaque’s neighbor, shakes the dirt off the vetiver roots, commercial vetiver comes Beauvais Lemorin, started vetiver

38 | HOLIDAY 2017 Gulf of Mexico HAITI Vetiver is a key ingredient in scented products that range from deodorants found in most drug stores to the most expensive

Port-au-Prince perfume in the world, Clive Christian No. 1, Favette which sells for more than $2,100 an ounce. Caribbean Sea

farming 10 years ago to help But if the farmers harvest too soon, support his wife and six children. both the quantity and quality of “I make more money with vetiver the vetiver will suff er, hurting the than other crops,” he said. One price of the crop signifi cantly. vetiver harvest earns him 15,000 gourdes ($237), while a year of JOINING FORCES corn harvests only gets him 2,500 There’s a popular phrase in Haitian gourdes ($40). “Sometimes with the creole, “tèt kolé,” which roughly corn, I might not have anything, translates to “heads together.” It’s if there’s no rain,” Lemorin said. an expression of unity, of working Although vetiver is a more communally to get things done. reliable crop and nets signifi cantly In the same spirit, International more money, the problem is that, Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) once harvested, the grass needs approached Heifer International a year to 18 months to properly with an idea. One of IFF’s business regrow its roots. That leaves endeavors is buying vetiver oil families in a particularly diffi cult from distilleries in Haiti, then situation. If they wait at least a year either selling it directly or using to harvest, a diffi cult economic it to help develop scents for the situation becomes even tougher. fragrance industry. IFF wanted

Beauvais Lemorin stands in front of his home.

GETTING TO THE ROOTS OF THE FRAGRANT GRASS

Vetiver is a tropical Vetiver was originally In Haiti, the grass According to grass originally from grown in Haiti in the of the vetiver the publication India. It forms in clumps 1940s for its deep roots, plant is sometimes Cosmetics, of about a foot in which serve as an used for roofs “Perfumers refer to diameter and can grow anchor in the dry soil of of houses, to fi ll the scent as sweet, as high as 5 feet. Vetiver erosion-prone hillsides mattresses or to be very heavy, root- roots can grow nearly in the southwest. woven into hats. like and balsamic, 10 feet into the soil. reminiscent of dark Half an ounce of vetiver It takes about 200 roots or wet soil Vetiver is used in essential oil bought pounds of vetiver with undertones around 20 percent commercially generally roots to distill one of violet, orris and of men’s fragrances. costs $8 to $10. pound of oil. woody accords.”

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 39 Judeline Lemorin, 19, washes clothes outside her home.

Livenie Lemorin, 14, The majority of homes were cuts fallen trees to severely damaged or destroyed after use for fi rewood. Hurricane Matthew in October 2016.

Livenie Lemorin Lemorin, his family, a couple of neighbors makes a fi re to cook and two goats spent more than a day riding food for her family. out Hurricane Matthew on this porch.

to address the issues facing the and reforestation. The project is empowerment are a hallmark vetiver farmers they work with. partially funded by the Enhancing of strong communities,” So they asked Heifer to carry out Livelihoods Fund, which is a said Alexandra Kraus, IFF’s a project with a vetiver-growing consortium of Unilever, which responsible sourcing manager. community in southwest buys its vetiver from IFF, as well “Vetiver Together is working to Haiti to both improve the lives as Oxfam Great Britain and the accomplish all of these things, of the farmers and produce Ford Foundation. The project and in the process is touching a better-quality vetiver oil. provides farming families with the lives of each farmer and their Offi cially launched on July alternate sources of income so families in this community.” 25, 2016, Vetiver Together is they aren’t entirely dependent In late September 2016, goats, a two-year pilot program that on money from vetiver. chickens, turkeys and seeds addresses three main areas: food “Income diversifi cation, were given to 75 vetiver farming security, women’s empowerment food security and women’s families. The farmers also received

40 | HOLIDAY 2017 his house had been so badly coconut and plantain trees. Like damaged by the winds that he most people in the community, he and his wife and six children hasn’t started to rebuild his home had to go outside. They huddled yet because he doesn’t have the on the front porch, which was money, although he did help reroof no longer protected by a sheet his mother’s house. Thelemaque metal roof. Lemorin gathered the estimates it would cost about family’s two goats to keep them 125,000 gourdes (almost $2,000) safe, and a couple of neighbors to rebuild his own home. joined them as well, making 11 “Only God knows when I’ll people and two animals squeezed be able to rebuild,” he said. “But into a tight but uncovered space Paris wasn’t built in one day.” as the rain poured down. Although losses caused by the “We stayed there until hurricane were significant, 62 Wednesday,” he said, “but then percent of the livestock donated we couldn’t stay there anymore through the project survived. That because there was too much rate is higher than communities rain, and the roof was gone. So where Heifer Haiti is not working. important training in crop and we stayed under a fallen tree, The difference is likely due to livestock production (for food which gave better protection.” improved animal shelters and and sale), soil conservation Two Heifer project participants trainings on animal management and improved nutrition. died during Hurricane Matthew. and disaster preparedness. But only three weeks after the Throughout the community In the aftermath of the animal placement, Hurricane of Favette, the vast majority of hurricane, Heifer Haiti distributed Matthew, a Category 4 storm, hit homes were badly damaged or aid in the form of ready-to- Haiti’s southwest, leaving the destroyed. “After the hurricane, eat food kits, sanitary kits, hot communities there in disarray. we had nothing,” Lemorin said. meals for people in shelters Thelemaque’s house was also and veterinary care. The A DEVASTATING SETBACK badly damaged. Additionally, he kits were donated by several “It started on Monday at about 10 lost seven goats, his chickens, organizations, including IFF. p.m.,” Lemorin said. By midnight, a turkey, his garden, and his For the long term, Heifer

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 41 Beauvais Lemorin holds a turkey donated by Heifer Haiti.

Ed Lemorin (8, left), Kitia Lemorin (11, right) and their family received chickens from Heifer Haiti.

Haiti and its partners are community will be stronger than continuing to help farmers it was before the hurricane. In like Lemorin and Thelemaque addition to rebuilding homes, fi nd sustainable ways to earn a Heifer Haiti and the farmers living through agriculture and are turning Favette’s damaged livestock, in addition to farming vetiver depot into a multi- vetiver. The project is growing, functional community center. and in April 2017, an additional In March 2014, representatives 75 vetiver farming families from a local vetiver distillery, at received animals and seeds. the request of IFF, helped form COPVEVA, or the Cooperative REBUILDING STRONGER of Vetiver Producers of Port Diamendy Elise, 8, stands by one of The eff ect of Hurricane Matthew Salut and Arniquet (the two his family’s goats. is still visibly evident in Favette, communes Favette straddles). but there is hope that the Co-op members get low-interest

42 | HOLIDAY 2017 Storage facility for COPVEVA, the vetiver cooperative in Favette. Heifer Haiti and its partners have plans to turn the facility into a more robust center.

Joseph Renel Dennis Bernard Raymond carries uses a motorbike dried vetiver roots to transport vetiver to the cooperative’s roots to co-op storage facility. storage.

loans and technical support from until UNIKODE comes to pick place. It will be earthquake- and the distillery, UNIKODE, and in them up. The wood and chicken fl ood-resistant, so members of return, UNIKODE benefi ts from wire structure suff ered damage the community can take shelter buying vetiver that is consistent during the hurricane, including there. Compostable toilets will in quality and quantity. losing the roof completely. also be installed for public use. “We started with 10 people,” In July, Heifer Haiti, IFF and Vetiver farmers in Favette said Kettly Joseph, who is a part its partners, and cosmetics will soon be able to start selling of COPVEVA’s survey committee, company Aveda started to animals to further supplement the main governing body of transform the depot into their income and fund rebuilding the organization. “Now we something even more benefi cial homes. And a Passing on the have more than 100 people.” for vetiver farmers in Favette. Gift ceremony is scheduled for The co-op’s nexus and The center will have several early 2018 so that more families meeting space has always been rooms so it can house offi ces nearby can benefi t from livestock. its storage facility, where bales and host trainings, functioning “Step by step, Heifer can of vetiver roots are piled to dry as a community gathering change our life,” Lemorin said. ■

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 43 A Celebratio i Cabare n our Spring 2016 issue, Workers who weren’t local were On the same day, the Farmers we shared the story of the housed and fed by the community. Association also inaugurated a community of Cabaret in In March 2017, nearly everyone in grist mill donated by Heifer Haiti. northwestern Haiti. There, Cabaret celebrated the inauguration Before the mill was built, farmers Lake Verger, once a 25-acre of the new Lake Verger with a parade would hand-grind their grain for lake, dried up completely complete with a brass band. The lake hours to get a sack of cornmeal Iin 2013, leaving the locals with no was also stocked with 5,000 fi sh. or other fl our. The mill does source of water close by. Members “I’m very happy because now I the same job in fi ve minutes. of the Farmers Association of can take my animals to the lake,” “The mill is very important Cabaret requested Heifer Haiti help said Nocles Jean Baptiste, who for the community for many with reviving the lake. farms land near the replenished reasons,” said Paul Elise, president The Heifer Haiti team water source. “I was going pretty of the Farmers Association of commissioned a study to examine if far away. I would wake up at 4:00 in Cabaret. “It makes it easier for the project would be possible. Once the morning and not get back until families to get food, because it was deemed feasible, hired workers 9:00 in the morning.” She plans to most of them produce cereals. It and community members went to irrigate crops with water from the allows people to transform the work with tractors and a bulldozer. lake in the future. grain quickly to have revenue.” ■

Members of the Farmers Association listen to A brass band speeches from local leaders provided music for before visiting the lake. the inauguration.

44 | HOLIDAY 2017 Before: In 2013, Lake Verger dried up completely. Farmers in the area requested support from Heifer in reviving the lake.

The community of Cabaret celebrates the inauguration of Lake Verger.

After: By March 2017, Lake Verger was renewed and fi lled with fi sh.

Heifer Haiti Director Hervil Cherubin examines a bag of fi sh before releasing them into Lake Verger. The mill grinds a sack of grain in fi ve minutes.

A new grist mill will A Cabaret farmer Corn, before support eight communities demonstrates how and after using around Cabaret. to use the mill. the grist mill.

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 45 FOOD FOR BODY AND SOUL Two Heifer Project Stories By Peggy Reiff Miller, Heifer International historian

46 | HOLIDAY 2017 Heifer’s seagoing cowboys delivered boatloads of livestock to Germany in the aftermath of World War II. The animals were a source of nutrition in a country literally starving among the ruins of battle. They were also seeds for reconciliation and rebuilding. Now, a museum exhibition and a new book are celebrating Heifer’s contribution toward Germany’s resilience.

ussell Hartzler, a Michigan farmer and donor to what was then called The Heifer Project, received a letter from Germany in ctober 14. A cow the Hartzler Rfamily donated had weathered an ocean journey and was in its new home, and the new owners wanted to off er thanks.

Dear Mr. Hartzler, First I want to give my hearty thanks for the joy you gave us with your gift. I would like to introduce myself briefl y. I’m a refugee from Yugoslavia, and my background is from the farm. We had at home a farm with 40 hectares of very good soil, which we had through fi ve generations as our own. Then came the war, and the terrible time after the war. . . . What it means to leave house, farm and animals to which you felt so very close, is hard to say. . . . I brought one horse along from my old home in Yugoslavia and so I started on a very small farm again with just 2 hectares of very sandy bad soil. I sowed and worked a lot on the soil but the harvest was very small, so that I had to work besides the farm work in a furniture factory. . . . My dear Mr. Hartzler, it surely takes lots of love to give a cow away, but you hardly know and I can’t express what a great joy you gave to my whole family. It’s hard to say what it means, after 5 years, to have a cow in the barn again. . . . There came many packages from the U.S., and always my daughter asked: “Daddy, don’t we have any relatives there, so that they could send us a package also?” I just could comfort her with the words: “Don’t worry. God will carry us through the need.” And now look — an unknown human being gave us through God’s blessing not a little package, no, he gave us a life to help us out of the deep need. It isn’t only the material value alone; it meant so much more to us. We received more courage for living.

With many hearty greetings, Keeping stalls clean was a never-ending job for the seagoing cowboys. Photo courtesy of Timothy Thut Your family, Jakob Renner

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 47 Animals arrive for distribution at Bruck Ahr. Photo courtesy of the Gale Grumrine family.

Cattle just o the ship awaits Heifers wait on the docks in Newport transport to their new homes. News, Virginia, before their trip to Photo courtesy of the Gale Germany. Photo courtesy of Lyle Grumrine family. Chambers.

“It surely takes lots of love to give a cow away, but you hardly know and I can’t express what a great joy you gave to my whole family.” German farmer Jakob Renner

Renner’s letter is just one of many sent were drained, abandoned military bases. The by grateful families struggling to regain poor soil of these areas heightened the despair their livelihoods after the war. Heifer Project of settlers who had been forced to abandon representatives worked closely with German prosperous farms. It was to the plight of these government offi ces to deliver gifts of more than farmers that the Heifer Project responded. 4,000 heifers and bulls from 14 to 161. Heifer was one of many organizations Traveling through Germany today, one would approved by the German government to lend have little clue as to the hardships faced by this assistance. Recipients signed an agreement form leading economic power following World War pledging to pass on the fi rst female off spring II. The war, however, left many of the country’s of their heifer to another family in need. cities in rubble with food in short supply, as it was Heifer representatives made follow-up all over Europe. In Germany, this shortage was visits to recipients and encouraged them compounded by the fact that the country had to to write thank you letters to their donors, absorb some 12 million people of German heritage resulting in some long-term friendships. expelled from Eastern European countries, like the It seems fair to say that Heifer International Upper Silesians who came to North Rhine-Westfalia. played a signifi cant role in helping Germany For more than a decade, refugees poured into get on her feet again after the war and, along Germany with little more than the clothes on with programs like the Marshall Plan, in their backs. The government created settlement helping build the good will that has existed areas in forests damaged by the war, moors that between our two nations for decades.

48 | HOLIDAY 2017 German children learn about the seagoing cowboys. Photo courtesy of Oberschlesisches Landesmuseum.

The seagoing cowboy crew of the S. S. Charles W. Wooster brought The Overschlesisches Landesmuseum in 325 heifers to Czechoslovakia in Ratingen, Germany, displayed an exhibit January 1946. Photo courtesy of featuring Heifer’s work after World War II. Christian D. Kennel. Photo by Peggy Rei Miller.

Some of Heifer’s contributions toward from their homes following World War II, it rebuilding went on display last year as part was to North Rhine-Westafl ia that many of of “For Body and Soul,” a 14-month exhibit them fl ed, and where many of them were able in Ratingen, Germany. The museum is to rebuild their livelihoods with Heifer’s help. the berschlesisches andesmuseum In recent decades, many of the Upper Upper Silesian State Museum, off the Silesians began to pool together documents beaten tourist path in the northwestern and artifacts of their history, and many of German state of North Rhine-Westafl ia. those pieces were included in the Upper Gathered therein is the history of the Upper Silesian State Museum exhibit. Walking Silesian people, a people from miles away through the museum, one discovers a with a strong tie to this industrial region. people with strong family ties and a culture Today, the area of Upper Silesia overlays and creativity all their own a people a small piece of northern zech Republic from a land where iron ore is crafted into and a larger piece of southern Poland. fi ligree jewelry and coal is carved into jet When King Frederick the Great took black works of art where the honeycomb control of Silesia for Prussia in the 1700s, frame for beehives was invented, as was he invited coal miners from North Rhine- the process for making sugar out of beets Westafl ia to come and help develop the where the cultivation, preservation and rich mineral resources of Silesia. So when preparation of food has been and continues Silesians of German heritage were forced to be a central part of the culture.

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 49 As curators pieced together people to feed themselves. the exhibit, they reached Into that void stepped UNRRA The Pages of out to get more information with shipments of draft about Heifer’s contribution horses and cattle, as well as History to rebuilding Upper Silesia. staple relief items. Seven of “ne of the topics will those shipments included A new book will soon fi ll be strategies of providing Heifer Project animals. The readers in on Heifer Project nourishment in times of exhibit highlighted these assistance to Germany in the shortage and crisis throughout shipments to zechoslovakia 10s, a little-known and long- the history,” museum and Poland and the seagoing forgotten history on both sides educator Eliska Hegenscheidt- cowboys who delivered them. of the ocean. Author Michael Nozdrovicka explained. “In “The rich selection of Ullrich of Bremen, Germany, set out with a list of recipients this context, we would like photographs and documents provided to him from the Heifer to introduce the issue of from Ms. Miller’s and Heifer International archives, and he’s the seagoing cowboys and International’s archive been interviewing as many collections enabled us not the Heifer Project in Silesia recipients as he can fi nd. and Poland in 14-147.” only to show the transport “German privacy laws make “When we received the procedure of the donated this task a challenge,” Ullrich said. information from Ms. Miller heifers and horses to Poland “I’ve spent long hours searching we were quite fascinated with and zechoslovakia. They phone books and cold-calling the unique concept of this stand for much more. These names that match addresses.” hunger relief project. Donating photographs witness ruined Through his persistence, he livestock and thus helping postwar Europe with bombed found several dozen members of people help themselves as well cities and hungry children families who fondly remember as the adventurous logistics and they show optimism, their “Ami” cows and are happy of transportation were some faith, and goodwill of men and to share their stories. The of the factors why we chose women in far-away America compilation of this history will be it as an example of a postwar helping people they had in ebook form and also available private hunger relief initiative never met,” Hegenscheidt- in print and English translation. in Silesia,” Hegenscheidt- Nozdrovicka said. “We wanted Through these stories and Nozdrovicka said. to relay an attitude of hope and a German website, Heifer International will off er the The devastation of World new beginnings to prompt German people the opportunity War II had signifi cantly refl ection on our times of to pay forward the assistance diminished the ability of the plenty in comparison to once given them. Upper Silesian and Polish the hardships in the past.”

This thank-you letter included in the display refl ects the signifi cance of these Heifer Project gifts:

July 23, 1946

To our American friends, In March, a cow was assigned to me free of charge by the Provincial National Committee in Ostrava. I was told this was a gift from American citizens for those in the village who were a ected most by the war. I am one of those who lost all their cows, horses, and pigs during the German retreat from the war; all that remains of my burned house are bricks and chimneys calling goodhearted people for help. I myself was wounded and unable to do my share in rebuilding. My farming su ered, and the smallest help was most welcome. Today I have a roof over my head, but I am deep in debt. Dear friends from America, we thank you for all you have done and still want to do for us in our war-torn Silesia. Especially, my family and I thank you for the rich gift of my only heifer, which brings us great joy. You have done a good deed that not only we, but also our children, will long hold in our memory. From the Wojcich Gallus family of Trebovicem, Silesia

50 | HOLIDAY 2017 NEWS FROM THE FIELD heifer bulletin

Mexican Christmas Fritters

Buñuelosor esenia Reyes, a Heifer communicationd Rodi “This a: is the simplest way to make a treat that surely offi cer in axaca, Mexico, hristmastime makes many Mexicans living outside of Mexico means indulging in these traditional fritters remember their grandmothers or moms preparing them Fseasoned with anise and guava. The fritters during this time of the year,” Reyes said. “If you have never are soaked with a syrup made from piloncillo, a prepared them, I invite you to try it. The dough is very minimally processed form of sugar that’s made by easy to prepare and very manageable, and you can make allowing boiled cane juice to harden. ou can fi nd it a day before and put it in the refrigerator. I sometimes piloncillo, sold in cone shapes and sometimes called freeze the dough days in advance and then let it thaw at panela, in atin American markets. room temperature the day I’m going to fry the fritters.”

INGREDIENTS FOR 12 FRITTERS DIRECTIONS FOR FRITTERS 2 cups all-purpose our In a large bowl mix the our, baking powder, 1 1 teaspoon baking powder tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. 1 tablespoon of sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon salt Form a hole in the center and add the egg, melted butter 1 egg and vanilla. Stir until the mixture gives the appearance 1 tablespoon butter (melted and cooled to room temperature) 2 of bits of oats. Add water little by little (one tablespoon 3/4 cup warm water or anise tea* at a time) and knead (usually less than 5 minutes) until 1 teaspoon vanilla or orange extract smooth. Cover the dough with a cloth and let stand for Approximately 2 cups vegetable oil to fry fritters 30 minutes. powdered sugar * To make anise tea, place 1 1/2 cups of water in a small Divide the dough into 12 balls and cover with a kitchen saucepan; Bring the water to boil, then add a few anise napkin. Flour a work surface and rolling pin. seeds. Remove from heat, let cool and strain. 3 Place one of the dough balls on the oured work surface INGREDIENTS FOR SYRUP and spread with the roller. Flatten the dough balls into 4 thin circles. It’s okay to shape the dough for all 12 fritters 3 1/2 cups of water before frying. Just space them out on a clean tablecloth. 1 large cone of piloncillo (about 12 ounces) 1 cinnamon stick Fry the fritters in very hot oil until golden and crisp. This 6 small Mexican guavas, quartered 5 step will only take a few seconds. Place the fritters on 1/3 teaspoon anise seeds paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve warm or at room Peel from a quarter of an orange temperature, sprinkled with sugar or piloncillo syrup.

DIRECTIONS FOR SYRUP

Place one cup of the water and the piloncillo in a medium pot over medium-high heat and stir constantly until the 1 piloncillo dissolves.

Add the rest of the water, cinnamon, guava, anise and 2 orange peel and bring to a boil. Simmer until you achieve the desired consistency, then strain. The syrup will keep refrigerated for up to a week.

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 51 mixed media FOOD FOR THOUGHT Finding Truth in Fiction

Reviewed by Austin Bailey, World Ark managing editor

he moment the plane took off last December, I realized my 10 days in northern India wouldn’t be nearly Tenough. No matter the train rides and relentless schedule that shuttled me from smog-choked Delhi to the jungles of Odisha to the Rajasthani desert. I flew out exhausted and exhilarated, sure, but still with only a glancing familiarity of the subcontinent. This is not the first time a country visit left me flummoxed, but there’s a trick for this. Books. A bookshop kiosk in the Indira Gandhi International Airport spilled over with titles for the confused traveler attempting to make sense of what just happened to her. I’d loaded my carry-on with a few titles on Indian culture and history. This first stab at reading my way to understanding didn’t work, though. The clinical distance of these academic books wouldn’t gel with the India I’d just visited, a country bursting with color and culture, seemingly a thousand nations all jammed into one. Mughal emperors and the British East India Company and a thousand other echoes of history surely underpin what’s happening in India today, but what does that mean for the man serving hot milk tea from a dusty roadside counter? How do thousands of years of history manifest for the veiled, illiterate goatherd women of Rajasthan or the opulent wedding parties celebrating with The Ministry of Utmost Happiness fireworks outside Delhi’s glitzy high-rise hotels? By Arundhati Roy It was time for a novel approach, and the Hardcover, $28.95 timing was good. Arundhati Roy, an Indian 444 pages writer who won the Man Booker Prize in 1997 for her first novel,The God of Small Things,

52 | HOLIDAY 2017 Finding Truth in Fiction

released her second novel in June 2017. The Ministry country as she sees it. In the 20 years between of Utmost Happiness came out to a panoply of her first novel and her second, Roy kept writing, mixed reviews, including one from The Atlantic that but stuck to non-fiction works about social issues deemed it “a fascinating mess.” This may not sound like the caste system, Hindu-Muslim tensions like a selling point, but it was a siren song for me. “A and the challenges of capitalism. The characters fascinating mess” seemed an apt description of the in The Ministry of Utmost Happiness personify a gorgeous, crowded, diverse country full menu of India’s woes to such I was still trying to figure out. Sometimes a novel a degree that this novel could be And it worked. Sometimes a captures the feel of a a companion piece to Roy’s two decades of progressive journalism. novel captures the feel of a place far place far more clearly more clearly than nonfiction can. In fact, anyone not fully up-to-date The Ministry of Utmost Happiness than nonfiction can. on Hindu nationalism and the mirrors India’s clashing confusion The Ministry of Utmost push for Kashmiri independence of tradition and progress, Hindu Happiness mirrors would do well to brush up before and Muslim, wealth and poverty. India’s clashing cracking this novel, or to at least Like those collages made up of tiny confusion of tradition keep Wikipedia at the ready. The book’s most colorful stand-alone images that, when you and progress, Hindu step back, show you a whole other, character is Anjum, a transgender larger picture, Roy’s new book pastes and Muslim, wealth woman who eschews the modern characters and vignettes together and poverty. “transgender” label in favor of into a cohesive (enough) whole. hijra, the traditional term for a Readers overwhelmed by the multiple characters person labeled as a male at birth but who lives as and myriad storylines can’t say they weren’t warned. a female. Like so many of the characters in The A quote that takes up the entire back of the dustjacket Ministry of Utmost Happiness, Anjum embodies hints at the circus to be found inside: “How to tell a the tension between opposing forces inside shattered story? By slowly becoming everybody. No. India: man and woman, old and new, Hindu and By slowly becoming everything.” Roy’s book seems Muslim. The political tensions Roy spent decades purposefully mish-mashed to capture as big a picture focused on in her journalism are personified in as possible of the tensions in modern India. Some Anjum, and in other characters in the book. will say Roy’s ambitions were too high here, and Reading Roy’s new book didn’t clear my the work suffered for it. Maybe so, but it’s still grand head about India so much as it helped me to enough to have landed her on the Man Booker Prize feel better about being overwhelmed by it. The longlist for 2017, along with other top-notch authors book also helped me pin down some of the including Zadie Smith and Colson Whitehead. dominant modern trends and divisions that Roy makes a valiant and mostly successful shape lives in India today, even as centuries-old attempt to give her readers a broad view of her home traditions and culture keep a strong hold. n

WWW.HEIFER.ORG | 53 mixed media FOOD FOR THOUGHT

THREE FAVORITES ON: READ ASIAN CULTURE TO Novels can make foreign countries and unfamiliar lifestyles accessible and FEED understandable to us in ways nonfiction can’t. If a plane ticket is out of your price Students at range, take a trip to the library instead. Atlanta’s Lovett School flipped pages to feed families, and first- grader Jacob Ying loved it! The Story of the Stone (China) What is a book you What did you like most By Cao Xueqin enjoy reading? about participating Why do you like it? in Read to Feed? Harry Potter. I got to meet John I like it because it Claude Bemis, the has magic. Magic is author of Flora and cool because you the Runaway Rooster. can do anything. He talked to us about Africa and I liked What did you learn learning about the about how Heifer people and seeing helps the families all of his pictures. Evening is the in their projects? Whole Day It gives them What would you tell (Malaysia) food and helps other kids about why By Preeta them do work. they should get involved Samarasan with Read to Feed? How do you feel I would tell them that knowing that you it helps the world. helped change You can raise a lot of the world? money by reading, Happy! and I like reading.

JACOB YING Midnight’s Children 1st grade,Lovett School (India and Pakistan) Atlanta, Georgia By Salman Rushdie

LEARN MORE AT READTOFEED.ORG

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EAT WITH CONFIDENCE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. Pasture-raised, GMO-free Thanksgiving turkeys shipped from our small-scale, sustainable farms right to your front door. We also offer gift boxes of grass-fed beef, forested pork and pastured chicken for your loved ones. This year, give the gift of better eating.

USE COUPON CODE GOBBLE10 TO SAVE 10 PERCENT ON YOUR THANKSGIVING TURKEY. Visit grassrootscoop.com to place an order. fi rst person PLAYING TO WIN PHOTO BY OLIVIER ASSELIN BY OLIVIER PHOTO

From left to right: Stephen Ayertey Amiteye, Clementine Ayertey and Patience Gamah pose with one of their chickens.

“I did not see the importance at fi rst. I thought playing with babies like that was time wasting. After I started, I noticed Clementine is becoming more active. So I became more involved.” Now, she said, “We love it!”

— Patience Gamah, 23

As part of the childhood nutrition project in Ghana, Stephen Ayertey Amiteye and Patience Gamah got childhood development training right alongside the business classes that have helped them build a successful poultry operation. They learned games to play with their daughter, Clementine, to teach her numbers, colors and motor skills. Making play a priority is new to the family, but after some initial skepticism they found it deeply rewarding.

56 | HOLIDAY 2017 A GIFT GUARANTEED TO BE WARMLY RECEIVED

The final weeks of the year offer a last opportunity to balance our income and determine our giving for the tax year. When you give a gift to a qualified nonprofit, you receive an income tax deduction. Even if your income is less this year than last, you may still consider offsetting it with a tax-deductible contribution.

This holiday season, your donation to Heifer will provide those in need around the world with training and gifts to lift their families out of poverty and into self-reliance.

Contact Heifer Foundation to learn more about ways to help families with a gift of dignity so they can celebrate better lives for years to come.

HEIFER FOUNDATION | 1 WORLD AVENUE, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72202 888.422.1161 | [email protected] | HEIFERFOUNDATION.ORG

18-HIF-8L31 2017 Holiday WA-Heifer Foundation Ad.indd 1 8/23/17 6:38 AM Nonprofit Organization 1 World Avenue U.S. Postage Little Rock, AR 72202/USA AID Heifer International

lease scan here to donate livestoc to a struggling family.

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER 69.RPWAH2017 Make the Holidays More Meaningful!

his holiday season, give a life-changing gift to Heifer TInternational in honor of a friend or loved one. It’s a gift that brings promise to hungry families and the opportunity for better lives. Giving a Heifer gift takes the stress out of holiday shopping while putting the meaning back into giving.

SEE THE CATALOG ON PAGE 25 OR VISIT WWW.HEIFER.ORG/WORLDARK/CATALOG