World Ark Magazine - March/April 2009 - (Page 44) heifer Bulletin News From the Field Since the 2002 completion of the milk-cooling facility , 6,000 households in kipkelion, kenya, have gained the opportunity to earn a steady monthly income and a fair market price for their milk. families rely on this income to pay school fees and medical expenses and to augment their subsistence diet of milk and maize. heifer international has a 40 percent stake in the dairy plant in kipkelion, while k ipkelion holdings limited owns the other 60 percent. farmers will be able to purchase heifer’s shares and ultimately own the entire operation. “we collect the milk for farmers, look for a better price and seek new He Hongyou, a Heifer project participant in China, will be featured in a new markets,” said wesley Too, member documentary. The story of He, his family and their cow inspired the Hong of the kipkelion holdings board of Kong-based film crew. directors. “There is nothing like this in the whole district. everyone believes this is something heifer has made a difference in their lives. he hongyou is in his 60s, but still supports himself and special. This plant is the lifeline of our people.” in addition to the security of monthly income for farmers, his wife, who has suffered from heart trouble for more than six years. Their son and daughter are migrant workers but the kipkelion dairy plant also provides farmers access to left the couple with debt. harvests were hardly adequate a veterinarian supply shop, for the couple, and more income was necessary to pay for training and artificial in- “There is nothing food and medical expenses. he hongyou’s cow has already semination services. goods like this in the given birth to two calves, which brought $300 at market. such as animal feed, minerwhole district. with this additional income, the family can more easily als and seed are provided Everyone believes to farmers on credit. keep up with medical expenses and buy food. this is something expansion plans for special. This plant kipkelion holdings limitReporting by Shi Yingying, communication and networking is the lifeline of ed include the construcmanager for Heifer China. our people.” tion of a factory to cool and process milk on an adjacent hillside. processors work directly with buyers, so these additions may yield an even better price to farmers. “we thank heifer for coming up with the idea and assistKenyan farmers soon to ing,” said Joel langat, another board member. “This own piece of dairy plant has changed our way of living. There was no other way to buy our medicines, and this has assisted us as farmers farmerS from a 12-mile radiUS navigate the rocky path that climbs to the kipkelion dairy plant to deliver milk by to be okay.” donkey, bicycle and on foot. almost 2,000 farmers bring more than 14,000 pounds of milk to the plant each day. Reporting provided by Heifer Kenya staff. 44 m a rch / ap r i l 2 00 9 | world ark www.he i f e r .o r g PHoto courtESy oF HEIFEr cHINa. market for milk http://www.heifer.org
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