by Halcyon Martin
The Cattle Project comes to an end.
Cattle have traditionally been highly valued in Rwanda and they are not just a symbol of wealth. Milk has very obvious health benefits when added to a predominantly vegetarian diet and the sale of surplus milk can readily fund a child’s schooling, giving them much better prospects.
During the genocide of 1994 many Rwandans not only lost loved ones and neighbours but also homes and cattle leaving them with very little to survive.
In 2002 Comfort International partnered with Solace Ministries to create a Cattle Breeding Project. The responsibility of this was subsequently transferred to Good News International. The aim was to breed and distribute cattle to try to restore some of what had been lost during the genocide. It has been a bumpy journey with a number of problems as well as a number of successes. Many genocide survivors have received cows during the years but also sickness in the herd has cause issues with the long term viability of the project.
We are very grateful to those who have sown into the project over the years and the benefits to individuals in Rwanda has been very tangible.
After 18 years it is now time to distribute what will be the final cattle on the project and Clement from Good News international has sent us some information of the final beneficiaries:
1. Kayitaba Alphonse is from Ruhango community. He is a survivor whose wife and 5 children were killed during the genocide. He remarried and he has three children now. The cow that he was given will help him provide milk for the children and also pay for their school fees.
2. Munyankindi Damien is the president of Ruyumba community. He was given a pregnant cow and the cow has given birth. He is now milking the cow. He had owned two cows in 2018 but in 2019 the rains destroyed the roof of his house and he had to sell these cows in order to repair the house. He was happy to be given a new cow.
3. Karinganire Augustin is from Ruyumba community. He has a family of five. He was given the youngest cow. He was happy because he said that he will raise the cow and get milk to feed his children.
4. Ngarambe Denis is from Ruhango community. He is 67 years old. He was remarried in 2010 because his wife was killed in the genocide. He has a lot of land but had no cow, he was very happy to receive the cow.
5. Ntagengerwa Longin is the vice president of Rugalika community. He has a family of 6 people. He used to have a good cow which he was keeping near to the Nyabarongo river. One day a crocodile killed his cow which was heartbreaking for the family. The cow that this family has received is giving milked and is now pregnant.
Each of these families are experiencing the truth of our strap line – a little can change a life.
a little can change a life