Page 2 - The Daily Builder - Day 07

our fundraisEr photo

The photograph we’re using for this year’s fundraiser, you know the one:

Twenty-two percent of Peru’s population live in rural areas. The World Bank reports that 19 percent of its land
area is used for agricultural purposes and about 26 percent of its total population rely on agriculture. There’s a story about it. Not a real Evelyn a bit later in the fundraiser). throwing poses right out of classical
deep story, but we love this photo so As we walked around the corner of anime.
opEn for businEss in pEru much we wanted to talk about it, just the tearoom building, the crowd of We decided that one of the photos

in case you like it as much as we do.
children who had been following us was the perfect embodiment of
By Heifer International Project works in 22 indigenous, flourished in Peru over the last This past summer, Maria and to see what we were doing started why we support Heifer—not just to
small- farming communities to century, alpaca farmers turned Brett traveled to Malawi to join back (Brett is actually kind of tall). help people pull themselves out of
In the Andean highlands of Peru, reduce vulnerability to climate their focus away from the natural Heifer’s Director of Philanthropy We said hi (actually, we said poverty, or to give them that chance
13,000 feet above sea level, very change and food insecurity of variability of alpaca colors to Jackie Finch and a few members “how are you,” which in Chichewa to improve their lives, but to help
little can grow. The air is thin, 4,333 alpaca-raising families. produce only white stock, which of Heifer Malawi. Every country is “Muli bwanji”) and Brett went them get to the point where they, their
the water scarce, the earth rocky Alpacas are gentle not only to is easier to dye. However, this Heifer International has programs in for the high five. He was met with families, and most importantly their
and infertile. Against a backdrop their human caretakers but also on practice resulted in a gradual loss has a local office staffed by Heifer confused looks, so he told Maria children can take the opportunity to
of glacier-capped mountains, the land. They eat scrub vegetation of biodiversity and richness of the employees who grew up there, and to high-five him. Their faces lit up. simply be awesome.
however, indigenous families other livestock won’t eat, and their species. since the Heifer Malawi team was After that, it
survived since ancient Incan times padded feet don’t damage the A more recent shift in smaller, familiar with the area, the people, all was a flurry
by raising hearty alpacas. Climate fragile terrain. Their droppings local markets’ preference for the projects, and (importantly) the of smiles and
change, severe deterioration of help fertilize the topsoil, improving natural colors of wool has led to language, they were our guides. high fives,
water sources and pasture, low crops and reducing erosion. The a resurgence in breeding alpacas Our second day, we were in and and they
incomes, low market value of alpaca exceptionally soft wool is collected in a variety of hues, which are in around Ngwangwa, meeting Sarah were happy
varieties and little diversity of food without injuring the animal, turn genetically more resilient and and Evelyn, having a traditional to pose for
in more recent times have made providing Heifer families with resistant to climate change. Malawian lunch, and meeting the photos.
life here even more tenuous. Heifer fine material to make blankets, Thanks to Heifer International for amazing Chikondi Women’s Group. The boy
International’s Alpaca Biodiversity ponchos, hats and carpets. letting us share this story and video. We were in town to tour Evelyn’s in blue was
in High Andean Communities As the alpaca wool industry tearoom and bakery (you’ll meet a natural,

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