Giving pigs to widows and their destitute families will provide a much-needed income boost to help pay for vital basics like food, medicines, and shelter. More importantly, the boost will prevent young children from having to drop out of school to help earn money for their families.
Thanks to our generous donors, this project is fully funded!
The Challenge
Since the signing of the peace agreement in 2005, Omilling village has seen an influx of returning refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Most of them are women and children, and most “families” are single mothers caring for three or more children—their own off-spring, the children of relatives, war orphans, or children separated from their families. Many of these children never step foot in a school, practically guaranteeing a life-long cycle of poverty. Instead, they stay home to help run the household and contribute to it financially.
Our Response
Hope Ofiriha’s Pigs for Education Project (phase one) will buy 30 pigs for Omilling village’s six most destitute families who are eager to send their children to school. Raising pigs is an ideal business venture for a single mom or vulnerable family. Pigs are easy for families to raise and are rugged foragers who also love to eat household and agricultural waste. Each female pig gives birth to five to eight piglets a year, which families can sell for extra income. To multiply the project over time, families will also give two piglets from their pigs’ first litter to another family in need.
Potential Long-Term Impact
Supplementing family income to keep children in school will give the children a ticket out of poverty. Educated girls will eventually be able to give their own families a good start in life. Educated boys will be able to escape a family cycle of hard labor. This will ripple to their families and community.
