Stories of Hope: Christine
Animals are Key to Empowering Orphans
There are many elements to ZOE’s Orphan Empowerment Program, but one of its key pillars is providing animals, such as goats or cows, to orphans. ZOE’s Christmas Animals alternative giving is a wonderful way for you to support this important part of ZOE’s program. Animals help ZOE’s orphans become self-sufficient in three important ways:
1. Animals provide fertilizer for crops. When children join ZOE’s program, they are often malnourished. ZOE immediately teaches them how to grow food on whatever land they have access to, and provides the necessary seeds and tools. For the land to yield, it must be fertilized. The waste from animals, such as goats, makes excellent fertilizer, allowing these children to begin to grow their own food, often with additional crops to sell for income.
2. Animals reproduce and offspring can be sold for income. Animal husbandry is a profitable business for many of ZOE’s orphans. These children often share offspring with one another until everyone in the Working Group has animals of their own. Animals are one of the many supports that continue to multiply long after orphans graduate from ZOE’s program.
3. Animals provide an excellent source of nutrition. For an orphan who has suffered from malnutrition and watched brothers and sisters go hungry, to have a constant source of rich food, such as eggs and milk, can seem like a dream.
Christine Makena lost her father when she was just 14 years old, and later her mother became very ill from HIV/AIDS. Christine is now 20 years old and is the primary caregiver for her sister Joy, 17, brother Josphat, 12, and sister Lucia, 10. Christine dropped out of school to find work, but despite her efforts, her low pay forced her to watch her family go without food, adequate clothing and medical care.
When Christine and joined ZOE’s Orphan Empowerment Program, she and her siblings started two businesses: selling bananas and raising rabbits. Raising rabbits is a popular activity because even the young children in the family can help since rabbits are gentle and easy to care for. With her training from ZOE the rabbits multiplied like, well, rabbits, reproducing three times each year with litters of six rabbits each. With the proceeds from these two businesses alone, Christine is able to provide, food, clothing and medical care for her family. These rabbits are a dream come true for Christine and her siblings.
Re-Think Christmas with ZOE Christmas Animals
A great alternative to traditional gifts, you can buy Christmas Animals (including rabbits) for your family and friends. For each purchase, you receive an ornament-style gift card about that animal to give as a gift. Promotional kits are available for alternative gift markets and giving trees. Learn more at http://www.zoeministry.org/church-resource/christmas-animals/