Combatting poverty through growing solutions
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end a Cow was set up by a group of Christian dairy farmers from the West Country in 1988. Outraged at EU milk quotas, which were forcing them to slaughter on what they know, success quickly multiplies, from family to family, community to community, generation healthy dairy cows, and in response to an appeal from to generation. We work across six African countries Uganda for milk, they met round the table in a Lapford – Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi and farmhouse kitchen and embarked on a project, which Zambia. We work with smallholder farmers of whom was set to become an innovative and practical charity. 65% are women, often widows caring for orphaned Uganda was just emerging from a long civil war. grandchildren. We also work with other marginalised Communities and their farmland had been destroyed groups like disabled people and those with HIV/AIDS. and much of the country’s livestock wiped out. Several Our focus on gender and social inclusion means that of the UK farmers flew to Africa to investigate how women are supported to raise their aspirations beyond they could help. After meeting Ugandan farmers and subsistence farming. We help husbands and wives work a livestock expert, they saw how smallholder dairy out how best to farming in Africa They pass on what they know, success quickly share the workload could work.They and decisionreturned to the UK multiplies, from family to family, community to making to achieve determined to help, community, generation to generation their vision. We and sent cows from teach them the organic agricultural principles and their own herds to Uganda. Send a Cow was born. skills they need to integrate these into a sustainable, Every day, families face poverty that is extreme, cruel, biodiverse farm – without expensive artificial fertilisers and worst of all – unnecessary. But rural Africa is rich with opportunity and where there is land, there is hope. or GM seeds. Techniques such as water harvesting, composting, vegetable growing, tree planting and Send a Cow doesn’t impose solutions, we help grow animal husbandry are easily adaptable to each farmer’s them from within. That’s why they work. Families get own land. As farmers start producing enough food to back the skills and confidence they need to get the feed their families and sell a surplus, their confidence most from their land. They can and self-esteem are boosted. By the time our projects grow enough food, earn a end, families are feeding their families and selling living and go after surplus crops. Their income increases sixfold enabling their dreams. them to pay for their basic needs: education, better And because housing and healthcare. They are no longer just they pass surviving, but thriving. Once families are eating well and earning enough to send their children to school, we encourage them to think bigger. They learn money management and enterprise skills so they can access savings and credit services. They discover how best to add value to their produce, start small businesses and may form cooperatives, Our low-input, high achieving approach means that our programmes cost as little as £30 a year. We focus on training; ensuring families have the skills they need to grow food and earn an income. Where necessary, we also provide locally bought seeds, tools
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