It is that time of year again. The holidays are coming! And with the onset of the biggest consumer spending of the year comes the reminder that many people around the world are not so fortunate when it comes to lavishing themselves with gifts. That is why for the next several weeks I will be highlighting unique ways to purchase gifts that give back and help someone else in need.
On October 24th, ONE partnered with Heifer International to launch an amazing, exciting campaign just in time for the holidays: #GiveaGoat to end extreme poverty.
The ONE Campaign works to end extreme poverty particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa while Heifer International specializes in bringing sustainable agriculture and commerce to areas with a long history of poverty, and have programs throughout the world. Both non-profit organizations are fabulous and by working together will be able to create even a greater impact on fighting extreme poverty around the world.
I have worked a bit with ONE already as a ONE Mom and Community Partner yet this is my first time learning more about Heifer’s work. While ONE is primarily an advocacy group with over 3 million supporters, Heifer provides the framework on the ground by working with smallholder farmers to promote economic self-sustainability and good health. Like ONE, Heifer believes strongly in empowering people especially women and girls who are the majority of the small farmer holders throughout Africa.
What makes Heifer’s work so amazing is that they don’t simply stop by helping one family. Heifer utilizes a program called “Passing on the Gift” which assures that each participant in the program—the person who receives the initial gift of an animal—becomes a donor by giving the animal’s offspring to another family in need. This concept helps build community and participation in each project. The families continually give to others, ensuring greater self-sufficiency and human dignity, one family at a time.
Although Heifer provides a variety of livestock ranging from chicks, rabbits, pigs, and sheep to goats, llamas, water buffalos, and heifers, for this campaign Heifer and ONE are focusing exclusively on the value of providing a goat.
So why a goat? Here are some facts you probably didn’t know about the benefits of having a goat.
- 1 goat can produce 1 ton of milk/ year. That’s enough to pull 1 family out of poverty
- A gift of livestock has up to 9x the impact, as families pass on the gift to others.
- One goat can produce 15 liters, or nearly 4 gallons, of milk a day!
- Goats were first herded by humans 10,000 years ago in what’s now Iran. Man’s most helpful friend for 10 millennia
Why goats are awesome?
Let’s meet Stella, ONE and Heifer’s mascot. Stella is quite popular and even has her own Twitter and Pinterest Account!
How #GiveAGoat works: Now through December 31, you can buy or give a goat for $120 or a share of a goat in various increments.
Each goat can provide up to 1 ton of milk a year, enough to provide 1 family with enough income for shelter, education, health care and more.
Get a goat here: http://bit.ly/1djanYh
- Follow Stella the Goat who is the mascot for the campaign and will be guest curating content on ONE’s Pinterest and Instagram accounts:
http://pinterest.com/onecampaign/
Related Posts:
Give A Goat to a FAmily in Extreme Poverty via ONE
More about the Limited Edition ONE Goat
Read how goats have changed people’s lives in Africa: ONE will be reposting success stories from farmers who have received a Heifer goat. Checkhttp://www.one.org/us/partner/heifer-international/ each week for a new story.
In the first 24 hours since the campaign was launched, more than 280 goats were sent to families in need in Africa. These goats can help pull families out of extreme poverty by giving them milk to sell at the markets, providing a much-needed source of income.
Excellent post and so important. Thank you for making me aware of these campaigns.
Glad you enjoyed! 🙂
What a wonderful campaign Nicole! Love those fun posters 🙂
Thanks Madhu! Yes it is really cool.
Before recommending a charity, I find it helpful to check their IRS tax reports. If you had checked the ONE Campaign, you might have found that very little if any donation that you make actually goes to help anybody but the promoters. Last year, the salaries they paid themselves ($12.7 million) was just about equal to all of the money they raised ($13 million), and that does not include all the millions they paid out in fundraising and lobbying activities (from money raised in previous years presumably). Only $100,000 ever left the US and I shudder to think where that went.
Thank you for the feedback. I did do my homework. I work with ONE as I mention in my post. Based on your comment, I am thinking that you only checked out IRS filings and didn’t actually check out ONE’s website to see what they actually do.
ONE.org is an advocacy group not a fundraising NGO. They do not accept any funds from its supporters and the website clearly states their mission and goals here:
ONE is a campaigning and advocacy organization of 3.5 million people taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa.
ONE is not a grant-making organization and does not solicit funding from the public or receive government funding. ONE is funded almost entirely by a handful of philanthropists and foundations. We achieve change through advocacy — our teams in Washington, D.C., London, Johannesburg, Brussels, Berlin, and Paris educate and lobby governments to shape policy solutions that save and improve millions of lives.
Cofounded by Bono and strictly nonpartisan, we raise public awareness and work with political leaders to combat AIDS and preventable diseases, increase investments in agriculture and nutrition, and demand greater transparency in poverty-fighting programs. ONE also works closely with African activists and policymakers as they fight corruption, promote poverty-fighting priorities, monitor the use of aid, and help build civil society and free enterprise.
In recent years, ONE’s members, together with other non-profit partners, have played an important role in persuading governments to support effective programs and policies that are making a measurable difference in fighting extreme poverty and disease. As a result of these advocacy efforts, more than 7.5 million people living in Africa today have access to lifesaving AIDS medication, up from only 50,000 in 2002. Malaria has been cut by 75% in eight African countries since 2000, and 51 million more children across sub-Saharan Africa are now going to primary school.
ALL SALES OF THE GOATS ARE 100% GIVEN TO HEIFER INTERNATIONAL.
Hope this clears up the misunderstanding above. I am a little offended that you said “if you had checked your the ONE Campaign, you might have found…”. Obviously you didn’t even bother to check out what they do. Sorry to be angry but I felt this comment was rather offensive. Please check out the site if you are interested.
Thank you.
Reblogged this on preduardo2012.
Happy upcoming birthday Nicole! What a great way to celebrate! ONE is an incredible organization that works tirelessly to end extreme poverty, as you do with your own work.
Can’t wait to help out and yes get a goat! 🙂
I’ve been a devotee to Heifer for years. I adore that a reasonable amount can change the course of someone life, families, and communities. I believe their mission to help others create a livelihood and business are admirable and worthy. In the process they are being educated and hopefully eating better.
Yes me too. They are amazing. I’m really glad that I will be giving a goat and how much impact this will have on not only a family but a community.
Wow — such a GREAT post, Nicole!! I love your enthusiasm for Heifer (I went to 15 countries around the world last year with Heifer and wrote about their projects @heifer12x12.com) — so I can personally attest to the POWER of a goat to change the future of a family. AND beyond the gift of a goat– Heifer teaches the participants (mostly women) how to raise its food, breed it, keep it healthy, use its milk, use its manure to raise good organic crops, and set up distribution to sell the milk. Goats are AMAZING animals — very resilient, disease resistant and prolific. So YAY you for telling us about Stella — I am SO in!!!
Thanks Betty and yes I was so inspired by your blog posts!!! I can’t wait to purchase my goat. Would love to also someday see Heifer’s work on the ground.
Gotta love a goat–and any woman who promotes them. Betty, above, is one of my blogging buddies, so I’m well aware of Heifer’s work. And I remember this holiday effort from last year, as well. Wonderful post, my friend!
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
Yes I love Betty’s blog! Wonderful isn’t it. Can’t wait to get the goat! 🙂
Reblogged this on The Daily Advocate By Painspeaks.