By Virginia Rendler
On Saturday, July 6, Surita Sandosham, CEO and President of Heifer International, spoke at the Global Mission Dinner at Annual Conference. The event was hosted by Jennifer Hosler, Global Food Initiative (GFI) manager.
Heifer International, much like the GFI, seeks to address hunger and encourage economic development in countries around the world. Attendees at the dinner reflected that international involvement, including Daniel Y.C. Mbaya, EYN President, and representatives from India, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Burundi, Nigeria, and South Sudan Churches of the Brethren, as well as many others.
Peggy Reiff Miller shared the history of Heifer, from its grassroots beginnings (many will know the story of Dan West’s inspiration after his experience in the Spanish Civil War in 1942, and his seagoing cowboys) to its continued passing of the gift over the past 80 years.
“Passing on the gift” has been one of Heifer’s mottos for decades, but that gift has changed with the needs of the world. When Dan West witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts of hunger and poverty in Europe, he said, “Not a cup, but a cow.” Now, Heifer is expanding beyond the gift of livestock to ensure the development they foster is sustainable, specific, and equitable. Heifer’s focus is on regenerative agriculture, women’s empowerment, climate-smart strategies, and community-centered impact that emphasizes the agency, ownership, and sustainability of the people they serve.
Sandosham shared stories of Heifer’s work as examples of the way they leverage the power of an existing collective to benefit the community–from connecting female farmers in Nepal through support groups and community banks that will serve them, to environmental conservation in Ecuador and the Galapagos.
Increasing income for impoverished communities is paramount, but now, so is caring for the earth. Climate change poses a major threat to progress that has been made towards food security. Heifer is thinking critically about how to modify their strategies to meet needs that are unprecedented.
I had the privilege of talking to Sandosham after the event and asked her what she would like me to emphasize to anyone who couldn’t hear her presentation. She wanted to be clear: it’s not that Heifer is no longer giving livestock. Now, the donation of livestock is one piece of a much larger strategy to combat poverty and financial insecurity. Heifer now looks at the whole ecosystem of agriculture, economics, earth care, and peacebuilding in a holistic way. That is what will increase productivity and support independent farmers. That is what is going to lead to systemic and sustainable change.
Over 8 decades, Heifer has served 86 million people. Their goal now is to add 10 million families to the sustainable living income level. Although it is still a core program, Heifer is now so much more than donating a cow or goat to an independent farmer. Passing on the gift means working with local partners to assess the needs of a community and addressing the root of the need. It means providing both literal seeds and the seeds that will start a value chain lasting generations.
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