Just a few years ago, Marie Therese couldn’t afford to send her kids to school. But then she received a cow and training in dairy farming. Her cow produces a gallon of milk a day which she sells to her local dairy. The extra money’s paying for her children to go to school. It’s the white stuff with the right stuff.
Despite living in a state of political and economic turmoil, Haiti is home to a thriving small domestic dairy industry – and nearly half a million dairy cows. A number of private sector initiatives have established a robust network of dairy farms and processing facilities, like the ‘Let Agogo’ network – Haitian Creole for “Milk Aplenty”, an initiative to help dairy farmers make big ‘moo’ves in the industry.
Oxfam paid for 40 cows to be distributed to women, through a scheme called “Mama Boeuf” – Haitian Creole for “Mother Cow”. The aim of this activity was to increase the economic capacity of women while increasing the production capacity of the dairies. These women received hands-on training on cow breeding techniques and can now look forward to better life.
A happy ending to a regular ‘dairy’ story…