Welcome to Photo Friday! Each Friday, we share photo collections of our favourite shots from our sponsor sites around the world.
Animals are gifts that are universally loved and requested by every one of our sponsor sites around the world. Raising animals like chickens, cows, and goats helps families supplement their income so that they can afford to send their children to school and purchase other essentials. Some families and communities even start entire businesses with the help of the animals they receive through our gift catalogue!
This week, we’re sharing our top 5 animal photos from our sponsor sites! These adorable animals have provided families with eggs, milk, wool, and best of all, financial security for the future.
#5: The gift of goats
This beautiful family from our Madurai site in India was thrilled to receive a pair of goats from kind donors through our gift catalogue! Goats multiply quickly, and milk and offspring can be sold for an income to support the family.
At our sites in India, it’s a tradition for families who receive goats through our gift catalogue to gift an offspring from their pair of goats to another family in need. This way, when families within a community receive the gift of goats, the benefit is felt for years to come!
#4: A moo-ving gift
In Ukraine, a cow is an incredible asset to rural farming families, who often can’t afford the up-front cost of purchasing one on their own. Olha’s family felt incredibly blessed to receive the gift of a cow. The cow’s milk is a nutritious, protein-packed addition to the family’s meals, and can be used to make yogurt, butter and cheese. Any extra can be sold to for a steady profit!
#3: Lightening the load
Just as the donkey carried a pregnant Mary to Bethlehem, Djivenson’s donkey helps ease the burden for him and his family. In Haiti, some families rely on their donkeys to fetch water, carry goods to market, and to help out on their small farms by carrying feed to other animals. Haitian families greatly appreciate their reliable donkeys!
#2: The power of poultry
In the Phillipines, the gift of chickens has helped an entire group of parents become self sufficient. With the gift of chickens through our gift catalogue and some small business set-up funds, parents at our Samar site established a chicken co-operative business. They all worked to set up chicken coops, and raise and care for the chickens together. They share expenses for feed, and split the profits from the sale of eggs and offspring. This incredible set-up provides parents with extra income to afford essentials, and provides the local community with fresh, affordable eggs. Now that’s a win-win!
#1: These little piggies
When Josué from our Luis Amigo site was sponsored, our site saw that it was also a good opportunity for his family to receive the gift of breeding pigs. Soon after, they were gifted a pair through our catalogue! The family built a pen, and took special care of them every day so they would grow and reproduce. They are able to sell the offspring to cover some of their basic needs.
This Christmas, the gift of an adorable animal will change the life of a family in need. Give a gift in honour of a loved one, and we’ll send them a beautiful card, telling them of the impactful gift that has been given.