100% Cow

The Congo is still recovering from the bloodiest conflict since the Second World War. Over five million children in the country have never attended school.

Thanks to the our donors, People in Need has been able to support a child center in the village of Katana. Last year we provided children with 5 cows and 41 goats. Apart from the provision of domestic animals, we also supported the construction of a new building for the orphanage. Children no longer have to sleep on the floor in a small crowded house and they now have their own beds.

Last year there were 93 children living in the orphanage. This year the number increased to 130, of whom 60 live in the village of Katana. Ms Mama Sifa, the director of the orphanage, looks after them. She started by adopting two children orphaned after their mother died in hospital where Ms Sifa worked. Since then she has taken into her care more orphans and gradually built her orphanage.

Ms Sifa and the children were delighted with the provision of the domestic animals by People in Need. They either use the cow’s milk for their own consumption or they make cheese out of it. The children normally have beans or 'fufu' (staple food in Central Africa made from manioc flour) and so cheese and milk is not only a welcome change in their diet but it’s also good for their health.

In the spring People in Need bought another hectare of land for the orphanage. The land is intended for growing beans, corn, manioc and sweet potatoes. During the summer they cultivate the land, which is currently a part of a forest, and in September, when the season arrives, they plant seeds and crop plants.

„I often struggle having to juggle insufficient funds and looking after the children, who can be a challenge sometimes, but your help always gives me the strength and the courage to continue. I’m looking forward to seeing our land turned into an arable field and then in about three month’s time we can hopefully expect our first crop. Please send our thanks to the people of your country for their help,“ says Mama Sifa and off she goes to make dinner for the children.

Back to the shopping cart

People in Need in the Congo

Thanks to the contributions made by Czech people, People in Need was able to set up a permanent mission in South Kivu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the beginning of 2009. There are 3 foreign and around 20 local people employed and working in the mission. The Congo is the third largest African country. Although the so called „African World War“ finished officially more than seven years ago, the east of the Congo and its natural resources is still plundered by armed groups.

The unsafe and unstable environment, poor infrastructure, dysfunctional government administration and limited work opportunities have turned the Congo into a country with one of the largest populations in the world living below the poverty line. In addition, women and girls live in a fear of being raped by rebels operating in the regions of North and South Kivu.

Mr Vyramuththu had to work very hard to support his family before the war. During the war he lost all his cattle, fishing equipment and he suffers from back pain because he was shot. Having been provided a cow and a calf by the donors from the Czech Republic he will be able to strike out on his own again.

Mr Vyramuththu describes the situation: „In 2006 we all left our village Eachchilampathu running away from the war to the north to the region of Wani. Unfortunately three years later the battlefront caught up with us in the north and we had to run again. While we were leaving our temporary house in Wani, two of my three children, my wife and I were seriously injured during the shootings and fights. We ended up in a refugee camp.“

He continues: „Before the war I grew rice and often went on fishing trips. It was hard work but I managed to make enough money to support the whole family. My wife Sridevi looked after our cattle and the household. Now, I can’t move properly as I have a piece of bullet in my spine. We lost all the cattle to the war, rice fields are covered with weeds and the irrigation system fell apart. Given this circumstances it’s hard to support my family. My three children go to school now which is not free in Sri Lanka. But education is important and I can’t deny it to them. What would become of them without it?!“

„After the war I only managed to repair my house by borrowing building material from my neighbors which I need to return. Having been provided with a cow and a calf from People in Need I’m not worried any more that I won’t manage to do it. I know a lot about cattle. I’m going to sell milk and try to grow herd. The animals are a good breed and the cow produces a lot of full fat milk,“ says Mr Vyramuththu with satisfaction while patting the cow on its back.

Back to the shopping cart

Rebuilding destroyed Sri Lanka

People in Need have been helping in the south of Sri Lanka where local inhabitants have been affected by the tsunami as well as a long-drawn-out civil war. Our purpose is to help people to become independent again as fast as possible. The main challenges we face in our endeavor to help people to start new livelihoods are a lack of equipment and tools and poor education.

We help local people either to maintain their traditional ways of livelihood or to look for new ones. Part of our work is providing material and technical support as well as running educational programs and consultations on how to support oneself in these difficult circumstances.