Page 3 - The Daily Builder - Day 14

knew how to take care of her
cows. This included not just how
to feed and care for them on a
daily basis, but also veterinary
skills in case they got sick. With
Agness’s training and hard work,
Tahokoza thrived, and gave birth.
“In 2013, it had its first calf, a
female,” she says. “And in 2014,
I passed on the gift to another
family. Now I have two adults and
two calves.”
When Agness was taking part
in the dairy program, she wanted
to learn more and do more than Agness and her husband couldn’t keep a straight face for our photo. They
just dairy farming. Any issues were both very happy we visited, and we where honored to meet them.
she encountered were just another passing the gift. It’s a lot of work, project,” she says, gesturing to
challenge to be overcome, and but she wants to make sure nobody her maize field, “I was a regular
once she overcame the obstacles, gets left behind. farmer, like most other people
she was eager to share her solutions She says, “As a project, we are around here. It was hard. I wasn’t
with others. She contributes to still continuing, and we are still able to harvest enough food, and it
Agness Kasambeni shared her journey through the dairy project she joined through Heifer International. She says other community projects, making passing on the gift. The only was very difficult for me and my
that once other people in her community saw that the Heifer program was so effective, demand increased for both
education and livestock. She plans to meet that demand. sure everyone has access to the challenge now is that demand is family. Before I participated in this
same resources that helped her. too great. More people have seen program, I was very vulnerable,
“We’ve been trying to establish what we can do, and they are very very poor. But now things have
Agness: the womAn with the vision more cooling centers,” she says, interested in learning. But we improved. I’m able to have tea
“since the nearest one is still very are still trying to make sure that with milk! My nutrition is better.”
By Worldbuilders international when I was visiting a USAid to help establish standards far. We want to establish more of whoever needs a calf gets a calf.” She pats her cheeks and laughs.
Video narration by friend of mine in a village very far and infrastructure for local dairy them, to have several so they are Passing On the Gift is part “I’ve actually gained weight!”
Mary Robinette Kowal from here,” she says. “My friend farmers. There were no cows quickly and easily accessible for of every Heifer project, and it’s Years ago, Agness decided that
was participating in a Heifer involved in that project—Agness’s farmers.” what causes the ripple effect that knowledge was the key. She hasn’t
Agness and her husband greet project, and I was impressed would come after her own project This is one thing Agness insists touches so many lives with such stopped learning, and she hasn’t
us outside her home. Agness is with what they were doing. I was with Heifer. on a few times while she tells her a simple concept: once a farmer stopped teaching. She is not the
bright and dynamic, and we get very keen to find out more, so I She details the steps of the story: she wants to help as many has established themselves in the same vulnerable woman she was
the feeling she’s spent more time joined that group. Because of the project for us. “In July 2012, I people as she can achieve the project, they pass on the education seven years ago.
working this morning than we’ve distance, it really was very far, received one cow from Heifer same success she has. So even they received as well as the Thank you so much for joining
been awake. Her husband is quiet, so they decided we should have International. Once we received though she is doing well, she original Gift—in Agness’s case, a us, and for helping Heifer give
happy to let her tell her story another group closer to here. I was the cow, I took part in further won’t stop working until everyone calf from her cow. people like Agness the knowledge
without interruption, beaming able to get most of the members training.” in her community has the chance Not only does Passing On and tools they need to prosper.
with pride as she does. of my community interested in Agness named her first cow to succeed. the Gift help other families, it Thanks to Heifer International
She is so excited to share her joining.” Tahokoza, which means “we are Her time is divided between strengthens the community, with for introducing us to Agness, and to
story that our translator has to That first group, the one Agness’s thankful.” She spent time learning her own dairy farming and traing farmers continuing to help and Mary Robinette Kowal for narrating
work pretty hard to keep up. friend was part of, was a joint effort animal husbandry as part of the others, building and maintaining support each other. our video.
“I first learned about Heifer between Heifer International and Heifer program to make sure she much-needed infrastructure, and “Before I joined the Heifer

2 Donate! 3