Goats for children affected by HIV/AIDS

What an amazing year it has been for AFCA's children, thanks to YOU! Because of YOU, thousands of children are thriving and hopeful. Because of YOU, hundreds of children had good food to eat this year. Because of YOU, hundreds of children have livestock and seeds with which to start small businesses. We don't have enough words to thank you for what you've done because it is huge...it is life changing.

Let me introduce you to 22 year-old Moyo. He is one of the gardening beneficiaries, and is the head of his family. During a recent support visit, he already had a thriving cabbage vegetable plantation which he was harvesting a bit by bit for his young siblings for relish. The secret behind the young man’s success is simply following the basic gardening skills AFCA has taught him during our workshops. For instance, the young man transplanted his cabbage simultaneously with the other beneficiaries and he is already harvesting. These days the sun is so hot in this country, and Moyo's most reliable weapon is mulch. He does not need to water every day as the mulching will preserve the much needed moisture.

As this year comes to a close, we want to thank you for the donations you've made to support our work. If you are making your end of the year giving decisions, please keep us in mind so we can continue helping children in 2016 and beyond. Please share what we do with others, so they, too, can help our children. Together, we CAN make a difference.

We wish you the best year ever, full of every blessing and happiness imaginable, knowing you are a hope-giver. If you would like to learn more about AFCA and our programs, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org.

We love to share our success stories of transformation with the donors who make it all possible.  Last week we received this beautiful photo and words of appreciation.

Mrs. Ndlovu is a widow who had 10 biological children consisting of 5 boys and 5 girls who all died. In her words, her children died because of "umkhuhlane lo bantwabami" a local reference to HIV &AIDS. She buried her last child in 2010. Because of the trauma associated with the loss of all her children, she decided to relocate from one village to another within her area.

Mrs. Ndlovu had no assets (cattle or goats) but was taking care of 4 orphans. In 2012, she was identified as one of the beneficiaries for our livelihood project. She was then trained in small livestock management and was given 3 female goats.  She currently has 21 goats and she has passed on 3 goats to another needy family, per our agreement. The goats provide a source of milk and protein for the orphans while she uses goat manure for her nutritional garden. The livestock has boosted her self-worth within the community and she is able to sustain herself in an area affected by recurrent droughts.

Mrs. Ndlovu says that because she has her own livestock she is now "financially stable" as she knows that she can sell one goat and manage to get food supplies for two to three months. The local price of one goat is $85 and this is sufficient to pay school fees for three of her grandchildren for one school term.

When we visited her home, one of her female goats had given birth to triplets a day before the visit. In the photo, she holds the new members of the family with great pride and emotion. She says, “I do not know how to thank these people who have shown me such love. I truly believe angels are there and I thank God for his angels who have transformed our lives for the better.”

Do you ever ask yourself if you are actually making a difference?  Perhaps you feel so small in this great big world?  Do you wonder if the donation you made ever touches the life of a child affected by HIV/AIDS?

Take a moment to look at the attached photos and really enjoy the smiles on the faces of the families YOU have directly touched.  You donation made it possible for the American Foundation for Children with AIDS to distribute goats to families in Metopos, Zimbabwe.  Families where widows and grandmothers are raising children affected by HIV/AIDS.

So today you can be sure that you DID made a difference in the life of a child.  Many children!  Now they can dream because they have goats.  Life has so many more possibilities now!  Thank you for making a difference.

Are you interested in hearing more about our livestock projects or other projects by the American Foundation for Children with AIDS?  Go to www.afcaids.org or contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@afcaids.org for more information. 

Picture this, you are 86 years old.  Now imagine that you are caring for two young HIV+ orphans all alone in the world.  Let's add little or no food to your vision.  How would you survive and ffight to care for the children in your care?  Meet Eliah who is living this life in Zimbabwe. 

Eliah's family received goats in 2012 donated by the American Foundation for Children with Aids.  She shares her story here ..

"We received three goats from this extended family of ours in distant lands.  Presently, we have six goats and one of the goats is pregnant.  We are getting 450 mls of milk daily from these goats.  We enjoy the milk and my three years old grandchild even drinks it fresh just after milking."

The American Foundation for Children with AIDS is so proud of Eliah and her family.  And we could not have done it without your generosity.  Eliah is determined to take what you have given her family and give back.  You have given her that ability and you have given her hope!

Please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@afcaids.org if you would like more information on how you can help.

Eliah is an 86 year old grandmother caring for 10 year old Thandweyinkosi and 3 year old Nkosilindile.  This small family has benefited from our goat program.  Eliah shares her words of appreciation ...

"I am comforted by this support I am getting form the people who are not my blood relatives.  Their acts are healing the wounds that I and my grandchildren have been nursing for so long.  They are now part of our family and their support has given us hope for the future.  We received three goats from this extended family of ours in distant lands.  Presently, we have six goats and one of them is pregnant.  We are getting milk daily from the goats.  We enjoy the milk and my three year old grandchild even drinks it fresh just after milking."

This story of hope and appreciation is made possible because of friends like you.  Your donation to our goat project makes you part of Eliah's "extended family in distand lands".  As you share the holidays with friends and family during this joyous season, take a moment to remember Eliah and her grandchildren.  No matter how far away they may seem, you have made a difference for the future.

If you would like to learn more about our programs, please contact tweaver@afcaids.org to get started!