Page 3 - The Daily Builder - Day 10

improve because milk has all the
things my body needs,” said Siti.
“I was always buying milk to make
breakfast, but now I have my own.”
Siti has much more confidence
and has become a better farmer
thanks to Heifer. “I was not aware
of animal husbandry, but now I
know general animal husbandry,”
she said. She owned just 8 animals
in 2015: 2 Zebu bulls (that she used
as draft power), 5 chickens, and 1
goat. Now she owns 34 animals: 11
Zebu, 7 goats, 15 chickens, and her
dairy cow.
“After receiving the knowledge
from Heifer, I have noticed a lot of
faults in the way we were farming
and raising animals,” said Siti.
“After having knowledge, we are
able to treat our local cattle. Before
Siti Mwampashe (26 yrs) holds her daughter Doreen Mashaka Mwashambwa (11 months) near the family’s cow in
Lungwa village, Tanzania on April 29, 2017. the project, my animals were dying
from diseases because I didn’t
Orphaned at 13 know how to treat or vaccinate

them,” she said. Three goats, four
Zebu, and more than 200 of her
By Heifer International number of small jobs that barely was given 3 kilograms of Rhodes chickens had died because she
gave them enough to scrape by. grass seeds for fodder, and 7 bags lacked the knowledge of how to
Siti Mwampashe was orphaned When Siti heard about an of cement, 12 roofing sheets, and care for them. Now, none of her
at age 13, leaving she and her older upcoming Heifer International 6 kilograms of nails to build a animals have died since Heifer Siti Mwampashe (26 yrs) holds her daughter Doreen Mashaka
brother responsible for their five project, she knew this was her cowshed. trained her. Mwashambwa (11 months).
younger siblings. “I was living in a chance to change their lives for the And finally in October 2015, In addition to her animals, Siti still a long way to go, Siti’s future village to pull themselves out of
hard condition,” said Siti. “We had better. after years of dreaming about farms 10 acres of maize, beans, has already grown brighter. poverty.
no source of help.” They continued Heifer began their trainings in owning a cow and all the ways it groundnuts, coffee, and pasture. Siti’s favorite aspect of the Heifer “The first Cornerstone is
to work the family farm even 2015, and Siti went to as many could improve her family’s lives, Much of this was used solely for program is Passing on the Gift. the foundation of all the other
without much knowledge of how as she could, learning about Siti received her heifer. home consumption, but Siti hopes When her dairy cow gives birth to Cornerstones,” said Siti. “I received
to farm, Siti often working after Heifer’s Cornerstones, animal “I was very very glad on the day that her crops can help bring even a female offspring, she will pass something through love and I must
school - and she managed to stay in husbandry, disease identification I received my cow,” she said. “I more income to her family in the this calf on to another family in pass-on the same way.” She believes
school for eleven years even while and control, feeding and storage, was happy because I could see that future. her community, so that they might that if this method of providing
helping to support her siblings. feed formulation, and leadership. my dream was coming true.” Siti is full of grand plans like get the same benfits Siti has found. animals, training, and passing on
Siti eventually dropped out of Siti was chosen to be one of the Her cow produces 6.5 liters of this: she wants to farm more, and She loves to pass on the gift of is multiplied, then many other poor
school to marry, and had her son first recipients of this program, milk every day. Siti sells 4 liters, raise even more animals. She hopes her knowledge as well: Siti was families will be successful.
Thobias, and daughter Doreen. and Heifer gave her the supplies to but keeps the other 2.5 liters for one day she can have as many as trained as a community facilitator,
They were still living hand-to- use all that she had learned during home consumption. “When I eight dairy cows. Though there is so that she could help others in her Thanks to Heifer International for
mouth, though, Siti working a the animal husbandry training: she drink milk, I know my health will letting us share Siti’s story.

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