Imagine you were living in poverty and knew exactly what it would take to help you, but you couldn’t afford it. When a better life for you and your family is just out of reach, the psychological stress can be excruciating.
But what if someone else had the power to change that circumstance for you?
Recently, World Help provided several women in Rwanda a gift with the power to transform their lives for years to come. This gift came in the form of a goat.
Mary was one of the women blessed by this gift. She cares deeply about the welfare of her six children, but poverty often stands in the way of her providing them with their basic necessities. She knew she needed a sustainable solution to provide for her family, and a goat would provide milk for nutrition and fertilizer for her garden. However, she couldn’t afford to buy one. When our partner in Rwanda told her she would be receiving a goat, she was so overwhelmed that she danced for joy.
“This is the day God has made for us to rejoice! I’m dancing because I have seen God through this charity,” Mary said. “I will have manure to grow vegetables to feed well my family and sell some to gain money to buy other things. My children also are very happy to have the goat in our family.”
For Mary, and women like her, a goat represents the power to provide a better life for their families. Owning livestock also transforms their money-making opportunities and allows them to diversify their diet. Goat milk is full of nutrients, which is crucial for young children living in impoverished conditions to help prevent malnutrition. But the most powerful benefit of all is the hope and joy a gift like this brings.
For those living in poverty, temporary help is often not the only resource needed. Men and women in difficult situations yearn for a chance at a better future, which comes with a long-lasting gift such as livestock … a gift that can better their lives for more than just a few days or months … a gift that offers a sustainable solution.
Sustainable development is something that World Help is invested in, providing help for today and hope for tomorrow. Help like this can be a stepping stone that allows the recipients to overcome the cycle of poverty.
Without the help of generous supporters, these women would never have received such a life-changing gift. We hope you’ll continue to partner with us to show others, just like Mary, the love of Christ in a tangible, transformative, and sustainable way.