Send a Cow is a channel for change

Where poverty, hunger and malnutrition are common in parts of East Africa, you might think nothing will change. But it can. And it does.

In Africa producing the family's food is mainly the women's work. The addition of an animal to the small agricultural shamba (small-holding) plays a vital part in providing valuable protein from milk or meat. Any produce that is surplus to the needs of the family - milk, meat, vegetables, etc - is sold for cash. Even the animal waste has several uses: it may be converted to cooking fuel; it serves to enrich the soil so that better crops can be grown; and may be used in the production of pesticides.

In places like Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and many other countries in East Africa there are no state benefits or national health service and schooling is seldom free so if you have no income your poverty is absolute.

Livestock development leads to people development

Send a Cow responds to need by providing:

Livestock: an animal to a family and the breeding programmes that ensure that numbers multiply

Training: an enormous range from building a shelter for the animal right through to hygiene and nutrition for the family

Development of people's skills: in planning together, recording and reporting progress, organisation of 'passing on the gift', gaining leadership skills and becoming self reliant.

Passing on the gift

Fundamental to Send a Cow's aim to bring about change, is the understanding at the outset that each person who receives an animal will also give one of its offspring to a needy neighbour.

To be able to give help where once you could only receive it restores dignity, a sense of self worth, and a fundamental change in your perspective on life itself.

Education on Development

In what we call the 'developed world' we have so much choice set out before us in an ever-growing supermarket of goods ranging from food to computers, that we hardly imagine what it is like to have no choice.

If you are poor, you have no choice
If you are poor, your future looks bleak
If you are poor, you may lose hope

The practical help a Cow brings to the poor is the gift of an animal, the giving of which focuses on their needs, bringing choice, and, above all, hope.

• A channel for change
• An animal for life
• A gift that grows

How you can be part of the change

"What difference can I make? - I am just one person." That's how we can all feel, but it takes just one person to believe that something can be done to bring change to a suffering world.

You can 'pass on the gift' too sharing this information with others, giving the this leaflet and making a donation so that Send a Cow's work continues.

Please fill in the Send a Cow form (attached) and send it to us with your donation. Whether a large or small amount, our money will be put to good use.

We have education material for schools and churches, posters and other literature that we can send out on request.

We wait for your call - Tel: 01225 447041
Fax: 01255 317627

Please send your gift with the attached form to:

Lyn Hodges
SEND A COW
Unit 4, Priston Mill, Priston, Bath BA2 9EQ