Non Governmental Organizations

Non-Governmental Organizations that are worth it!

Heifer International: Ending Hunger Caring for the Earth.

An organization dedicated to finding global solutions through just and sustainable development

In order to have an understanding of the global effects Heifer International has we’re first going to look at the organization itself. A typical Heifer Project consists of tree essential components: Livestock plus other material goods, training, and Organizational development (which includes planning, management, record keeping, passing on the gift, reporting and evaluation.) So what Heifer does is find families all around the world who are in need of some assistance and these families receive help in the form of all the above listed components of a Heifer International project. With a name like Heifer International you might assume the go around distributing cattle to everyone, but this isn’t exactly how it works. Cows are one of the things Heifer gives, but they also give chickens to honey Bee’s and crops as well. In fact there are over 100 different gifts you can view on their website and then donate the money to have any on of those gifts sent to a family in need.

To me the most exciting part of what Heifer International does is what they do that makes them such a sustainable form of aid. What happens is that once a Heifer recipient’s animal has offspring that person must pass the offspring, training, and skills on to another family in need. This is a unique concept that I think is the main characteristic that sets this organization apart from others. By ‘passing on the gift’ Heifer has created a project that creates hope and goodwill in communities around the world as well as allows these communities to be helped without creating a dependence on outside assistance in later years. Heifer International is a non-governmental organization that truly does teach people how to fish instead of giving fish to them. Just by going to their website you can see that Heifer makes it exciting and accessible to help. No matter a persons means it’s easy for anyone to make a difference globally whether they give $10 towards a cow or contribute $120 to buy and donate a whole llama. Over 9 million families have been helped by the work that Heifer International is doing.

Now that you have a good understanding of what the organization is about I’d like to beat you over the head with how it relates to our Public Affairs Mission. First we have Ethical Leadership which is a big part of what heifer International strives to accomplish. The animals that are disturbed by Heifer are given to families but it is these families’ jobs to teach their children and eventually other families how to care for the animals they give them which makes them leaders in their own community. As leaders they are a position that gives them the power to act with self interest or to act for the community. This ethical decision is crucial because if they are selfish unethical leaders the distribution of offspring and knowledge won’t continue. The next portion of our Public Affairs Mission is Cultural Competence. Heifer International offers a unique opportunity for anyone who’s interested to get involved in a variety of different ways. Fundraising has become a large part of what communities can do to contribute to Heifer. This fundraising takes many shapes and forms but one similar factor between them all is education about the people and cultures that Heifer is dedicated to assisting. Unlike most organizations that try to fundraise by showing pictures of sad, unhappy, and sick people, Heifer focuses on how strong, hopeful, and hardworking the families are but that they just need a little help to assist them. Heifer shows us their communities, way of life, and culture which gives those who want to donate a solid understanding of the people and not some false image of deprived people. Thanks to the positive and more accurate light Heifer displays their recipients in the public can see these other cultures as they really are thus increasing the publics Cultural Competence. The final aspect of our Public Affairs Mission here at MSU is Community Engagement. This is hands down the concept that is most exemplified by Heifer International. It’s important for the public to interact and to give back to the world. There are many ways in which they can do this but Heifer is an excellent way of giving back.  The last thought I want to leave you with is not that you must go out right now and give every spare dollar you have to Heifer International. No, but I will say go and look for yourself. Be educated and involved. Even if you like the program but aren’t in a position to be able to give any money you can still help by spreading the word. Tell your friends and tell them to talk about Heifer International with people they know and you might just end up creating a ripple of support for the organization that is even greater than any amount of money you might have given by yourself.