ending hunger • saving the earth fall 2003 troubled waters

Ending Hunger • Saving the Earth Fall 2003

Troubled WatersLack ofFreshwaterThreatensGlobeby Sandra Postel

Lack ofFreshwaterThreatensGlobeby Sandra Postel

Volunteersof the Year

‘Plan B’by Lester Brown

F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T

Dear Friends,

In my childhood, Betty Smith’s “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” was one of my favorite novels.The book is a portrait of Francie Nolan, her family and their life on the tough streets of

Williamsburg, a section of Brooklyn. Funny, sad, sentimental, realistic, harsh and tender, the storyof Francie’s childhood is full of fascinating people and human drama.

Although the streets of Brooklyn were a long way from the Midwest and South I knew as achild, I was thrilled by the beauty and fullness of these urban lives, and I was deeply touched bythe characters’ tenacious hold on life. Little came easy, but they never gave up.

A recent trip to visit Heifer International projects in Brooklyn brought back fond memories ofthe book and its characters. The skyscrapers of nearby Manhattan testify to humanity’s greatness,wealth and promise. But it would be a mistake to ignore the more modest monuments across theriver in South Brooklyn—lush green gardens, lovingly watered and tended by a new generationof urban farmers.

With Heifer’s help, youths, aged 14 to 19,are reclaiming vacant land in theunderserved community of Red Hook tobuild organic gardens. The plants theseyoung men and women carefully nurture arean important source of fresh produce in thiscommunity of 11,000, which has limitedpublic transportation and only one grocerystore.

Not only do the gardens provide healthyfood, they also offer a means of buildingsocial capital and human capacity whilepreserving the environment.

The urban gardens help broaden horizonsas young men and women learn about thenatural world, economics and the dynamicsof leadership. They also create safe gathering places and opportunities for participants to becomeleaders in their communities.

Meeting these young people reminded me of others who work with Heifer in other cities aspart of the “greening” of American urban centers.

At Heifer we reflect frequently on the Southeast Asian concept of nam jai—the generosity ofspirit and soul that nurtures any community-building activity.

The teens I met in Brooklyn are a world away from Southeast Asia. But they show through theirwork that they understand that the “living waters of the heart” are just as important as the liquidthat brings life to their crops. No tree and no garden can thrive without it. No community cansurvive without it.

A tree grows not only in Brooklyn, but also in Philadelphia, Birmingham, Little Rock, Chicago,Milwaukee and everywhere people nurture hope for the future and pride in their communities.

Sincerely,

Jo LuckPresident and CEO

www.heifer.org

Cover:

“Divisione delle terre e delle

acque” (“Separation of Land

from Water”) by Stefano

Morassutti Vitale.

Reprinted by permission of the artist

Heifer International publishes World

Ark quarterly for donors and friends.

Heifer has helped more than

4.5 million impoverished families

worldwide become more self-reliant

through the gift of livestock and

training in their care. A nonprofit

organization rooted in the Christian

tradition, Heifer works for the dignity

and well-being of all people. Heifer is

a member of InterAction. Federal em-

ployees may designate gifts to the

Combined Federal Campaign by

writing in #0315. Heifer International

is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization

and gifts to Heifer are tax deductible

and are used as designated until

current needs of those projects are

met. Further gifts are applied to similar

projects so that gifts begin helping

people immediately.

HEIFER INT’L.

PRESIDENT/CEO

Jo Luck

PUBLISHER

Tom Peterson

EDITOR

Jan Cottingham

ASSOCIATEEDITOR

Scott Morris

GRAPHICDESIGNER

Grace Domagala-Zobkov

PRODUCTIONMANAGER

Marleen New

FEATURES4 TROUBLED WATERS

An increasing shortage of freshwater, the basis of life on land, looms, and the problems are outpacing the solutions.By Sandra Postel

10 ALPACAS TO THE RESCUE

In the shadow of the Chimborazo volcano in Ecuador an unlikely hero—the alpaca—has stepped in to save a vital water source for farms, villages, towns and cities below.By Michael Haddigan

14 WATER WATCHERS

Farmers become scientists as they learn to monitor the river system that feeds their district in the Philippines.By Darcy Kiefel

18 HEIFER HEADQUARTERS GOES ‘GREEN’Heifer International is building a new headquarters of environmentally sound design.By Ray White

20 VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR

Since Virgil Mock volunteered a heifer for Dan West’s project, volunteers have been at the heart of Heifer’s work to end hunger and poverty and save the earth. Heifer International is recognizing just a few of them.By Leslie Withers

DEPARTMENTS2 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

24 HEIFER HAPPENINGS

28 HEIFER AROUND THE WORLD

30 GLOBAL EDUCATION CALENDAR

31 TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE

32 HEIFER INTERNATIONAL GIFT SHOP

36 BOOK REVIEWS

“PLAN B: RESCUING A PLANET UNDER STRESS AND

A CIVILIZATION IN TROUBLE,” by Lester R. Brown“THE EMPTY OCEAN,” by Richard Ellis“ORYX AND CRAKE,” by Margaret Atwood

41 HEIFER INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

44 REFLECTION

RootedBy Debra Landwehr Engle

World Ark Fall 2003 1

C O N T E N T S

10

14

18

28

2 World Ark Fall 2003 www.heifer.org

Dear Editor,Enjoyed your article in the Summer

2003 World Ark titled “Spirit andNature.” I’d like to use it in a class atthe University of San Francisco nextyear and would like to be able todownload it for the course. I woulduse it as an exemplary story ofinterfaith cooperation aboutimportant matters. Thanks!Paul ChaffeeInterfaith Center at the PresidioSan Franciscoe-mail

Dear Editor,I believe all religions agree that in

some way mankind was given amandate by God to care for Hiscreation—people, animals, plants,land—as you also believe by thereferences [in the story “Spirit andNature”] to the Pope, OrthodoxPatriarch, Jews, Protestants, Muslims,Hindus, etc.

But I also believe very few, if any,Christians would concur that the Bibletells us to overuse the ecology andthereby damage or destroy God’screation, as the author of “Spirit andNature” tries to make one believewhen quoting Lynn White’s essay,which “argues that biblical referencesto humanity’s mandate to subdue theearth formed the basis for Westernindustrial exploitation of naturalresources and resulting environmentaldamage.”

The author appears to be trying tojustify “find(ing) a new religion”based on a distortion of what theBible really says over and over aboutGod giving man responsibility forstewardship of his creation.John GishpertDenver

Dear Editor,I wish to extend my compliments to

the World Ark editorial staff and HIwriter Michael Haddigan for thebeautiful article “Spirit and Nature.” I’velong referred to Lynn White’s article inteaching and writing, and found Mr.Haddigan’s interpretation of issuesvoiced by White and others to beparticularly meaningful in this time ofincreasing consumerism, environmentaldegradation and personal excess.

Regarding Genesis, people may believethat God commanded them to be“fruitful and multiply” and “to subdueand have dominion,” but more and moreof them realize that God also placed manin the Garden of Eden to “tend and keepit.” Mr. Haddigan helps point us in theright direction.Frances S. VandervoortChicago e-mail

Dear Editor,Jan West Schrock’s article (World Ark,

Spring 2003) titled “Darlin’, do you reallyneed them?” quotes her father as saying,“If a person has more than three pairs ofshoes in their closet, someone is doingwithout.”

I agree with Ms. Schrock’s statementthat our culture tends to be moreconcerned with accumulating things thanwith enjoying our families and moreimportant pursuits, but I’m not sure Iagree with her economic philosophy.

We live in the wealthiest nation onearth; so much so, there exists a surplusof wealth to fund projects such as Heiferand other not-for-profit organizations.The very reason for this is thatAmericans purchase goods and servicesthat they do not need.

If Americans limited their spendingonly to goods and services that wereabsolute necessities, our economy wouldcome to a screeching halt. Our nation’swealth is the envy of the world becauseof the vast industries that employ

millions of people who provide goodsand services that are life enhancing,rather than merely life sustaining.

By the way, as I was consideringplacing an order from the World ArkGift Shop, I asked myself, “Do I reallyneed a Heifer golf shirt?” Michael BallardLittle Rock, Ark.e-mail

P.S. I ordered the shirt. I didn’t needit. I wanted it!

Dear Editor,I am a 15-year-old student. I am

taking a Family/Health class in myUpward Bound program. I amlearning about the problems womenhave around the world. I have heardabout your organization because inmy class we saw some videos from the“Oprah” show about how guys treatwomen and how women are killedevery day around the world. I feelreally sad because I never thoughthumans would treat women like theydo. I am happy there is anorganization that is helping familiesthat need help. I want to say thankyou to Heifer because you guys havesaved a lot of lives. You have givensmiles to lots of families.Kelvin GomezSan Diegoe-mail

World Ark welcomes comment fromreaders. Heifer International reserves theright to edit letters to the editor for clarity,grammatical errors, spelling and space.Letter writers should include a telephonenumber or e-mail address so that we canconfirm the identity of the writer. Write to:World Ark Editor, 1015 S. Louisiana St.,Little Rock, AR 72202. E-mail:[email protected].

LETTERS

World Ark Fall 2003 3www.heifer.org

Children Changing the World

LEADER’S GUIDE

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Call (800) 422-0474 or visit www.heifer.org

To learn more aboutHeifer’s Read to Feed®

program, visitwww.readtofeed.org

Congregation Resource CatalogDescribes Heifer Internationalresources available to congregations and other groups#RP5000

Living Gift Market GuideStep-by-step guide to a successful alternative gift market#RLX000

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moderating floods and droughts,purifying water and sustainingfisheries.

Freshwater has no substitutes formost of its uses. It’s essential forgrowing crops, for manufacturingand for drinking, cooking and otherhousehold functions.

The world’s water problems havesurged during the last 10 years, andawareness of them has grown, butthe problems are far outpacing theimplementation of solutions.

The world is entering anunprecedented period of risks tofood security, the environment, theworld economy and social andpolitical stability as water growsscarcer in all parts of the planet. Thewild card of global climate changeexacerbates these dangers.

Some concerns:1. Population growth is fastest insome of the world’s driest regions:

sub-Saharan Africa,North Africa, theMiddle East andareas of western Asiaand South Asia.2. Per capita waterdemands are rising,particularly in

We see it everywhere. It’s therain and the rivers and thelakes. In rich nations, we

turn the tap and out it pours. Some ofus spend thousands of dollarsinstalling automatic systems in ourlawns so that it will keep the grassgreen all summer long.

It’s in everything we eat and it’sused to make almost everything webuy. Yet we think about it hardly morethan the air we breathe.

It’s water. It’s the basis of life. Itcomprises more than 70 percent of thehuman body.

And it, like so much of the planet, istaken for granted and endangered.

How can this be when Earth’ssurface is covered with it? The oceansare vast, but salty. Less than 3 percentof Earth’s water is fresh, and two-thirds of that is locked up in glaciersand ice caps. Only a tiny share—lessthan one-hundredth of 1 percent ofthe planet’s water—isboth fresh andrenewed each year bythe sun-poweredhydrologic cycle.That finite supplyhasn’t increased overthe millennia, but our

demands on it have. In many places,water use now exceeds thesustainable supply, causing rivers torun dry and underground watertables to drop. And uncheckedpollution makes the available supplyless usable.

The United Nations hasdesignated 2003 as the InternationalYear of Freshwater in an attempt tofocus attention on what is clearlyone of society’s biggest challenges:how to meet human needs for waterwithout destroying the ecosystemsthat support life itself.

Water is not a commodity likecopper or oil. It’s a fundamental lifesupport. Rivers, lakes, wetlands andother freshwater ecosystems are notjust sources of water; they arehabitats for a wide variety of plantand animal species.

These ecosystems provide essentialservices for human societies—


Rising demand for freshwater confronts limited supply.By Sandra PostelDirector of the Global Water Policy Project, Amherst, Mass.

Water is not a commodity like copper oroil. It’s a fundamental life support.

Troubled Waters Troubled Waters

Illustrations by Stefano Morassutti Vitale

www.heifer.org

developingcountries wheregreater incomeresults ingreaterconsumption ofhouseholdwater itself andof materialgoods thatrequire waterfor production.3. As suppliestighten, farmersin particularwill feel thesqueeze aswater shifts outof agriculture tosatisfy growingurban andindustrialdemands. 4. Many poorfarmers lackaccess to irrigation water, which isneeded to raise their landproductivity and incomes. The vastmajority of the world’s poorest andhungriest people live in rural areas ofSouth Asia and sub-Saharan Africa,where they eke out a living on farmsof less than 5 acres.5. More than 1 billion people lackeven the most rudimentary deliverysystems for clean water. Thetechnologies exist to provide theseservices, but the financial and othercommitments to do so have lagged.

This deficiency continues to be theleading cause of disease and death inthe developing world. Lack of accessto safe drinking water alone results inthe deaths of about 3 million people ayear, most of them children. More


living in thesesalty and toxicsurroundingssuffer from avariety ofillnesses.

Water tablesare falling fromthe overpumpingof groundwaterin parts of China,India, Iran,Mexico, theMiddle East,North Africa andthe United States.

Many majorrivers—includingthe Colorado, the Ganges, theIndus, theMurray, the RioGrande and theYellow—now run dry during

parts of the year.7. Competition for freshwaterincreasingly is leading to socialinstability. In the last few years,farmers in China and Pakistan,lacking enough water to irrigate theircrops, have engaged in violentprotests.

Encompassing all these difficultiesis the necessity of protecting Earth’soverloaded ecosystem. People haveviewed water supplies as resourcessolely for a narrow range of humanpurposes, not as part of a livingsystem, a system that serves toprotect all life.

It’s a mindset that sees water as asimple commodity, one ruled by thelaws of supply and demand. In thisequation, estimates of water use by

people have died from diarrhea inthe last 10 years than have been lostto armed conflict since World WarII, some experts estimate.6. Freshwater is being used up. TheAral Sea once was the world’sfourth largest lake. But increasedirrigation for the production ofcotton and other crops in theCentral Asian deserts resulted insuch extensive withdrawals fromthe two rivers flowing into the AralSea that by 1990 those inflows hadfallen to about 13 percent of naturalflow levels. The river deltas and thelake can no longer sustain theirecological functions.

The Aral Sea has lost two-thirdsof its volume, about 60,000 fishing-related jobs are gone, and people

• Natural rivers and waterscapes aresources of inspiration and deepcultural and spiritual values; theirbeauty enhances the quality of human life.• Swimming, fishing, hunting,boating, wildlife viewing and water-side hiking and picnicking givepleasure to millions of people.• A great variety of species perform the work of nature on which lifedepends, and conserving geneticdiversity preserves options for thefuture.

These services, however,traditionally haven’t been valuedmonetarily. Decisions about buildingdams or draining wetlands haven’ttaken into account the damage theseactivities do to the ecosystem as awhole, so the ecosystems have beendeclining in a cascading fashionaround the world.

The harm takes many forms: poorerwater quality, increased flooddamage, the disruption of food webs,the decline of fisheries and the loss ofjobs and livelihoods, among them.

From the Colorado River delta innorthern Mexico to the rich GangesRiver delta in Bangladesh, forexample, fisheries and the livelihoodsthat depend on them are declining.The reason? The depletion ofwaterflows by upstream dams anddiversions.

Worldwide, at least 20 percent ofthe 10,000 freshwater fish species arenow endangered, threatened withextinction or are already extinct.

In North America, where at least123 species of freshwater fish,mollusks, crayfish and amphibianshave been extinguished since 1900,projected rates of near-term

extinctions of freshwater animalspecies rival those for species intropical rain forests.

Much of this damage and loss isbecause of the extensivefragmentation of rivers by dams,dikes and other diversions, which hasdestroyed a great deal of theimportant work that healthy riversystems do.

The draining and filling ofwetlands for agricultural and urbanexpansion have also taken a heavytoll. Worldwide, wetlands, whichprovide goods and services estimatedto be worth as much as $20,000 perhectare (2.5 acres) in some areas, nowcover only half the area they did acentury ago.

Just because our economic formulasdon’t count these losses doesn’t meanthey aren’t real; it simply means thatsociety is unaware of how muchhuman and social welfare is decliningbecause of our approach to using andmanaging water.

What to do?The situation is not hopeless.

Solutions do exist to the problemsposed by the depletion of freshwatersupplies.1. It is important that people grow to understand and value the work that rivers, floodplains, wetlands and other ecosystems do. Freshwater ecosystem services are worth hundreds of billions of dollars yearly. They particularly benefit the poor, who often depend directly on nature’s services for their livelihoods. Some places are taking steps to preserve these services.

6 World Ark Fall 2003www.heifer.org

people are compared with theamount of water available. Or societysees water as something to be dividedamong agricultural, industrial andhousehold uses.

This mindset has dominatedfreshwater management anddistribution for the last 200 years.Unfortunately, it’s a grosslyincomplete view of the role offreshwater in sustaining life,including human life.

Examined holistically, water is a lifesupport or, in economics parlance,natural capital. A healthy freshwaterecosystem provides goods andservices essential to life. Someexamples: • More than 99 percent of irrigation,industrial and household watersupplies worldwide comes fromnatural freshwater systems.• Fish, waterfowl, mussels and clams, among other species, are important food sources for peopleand wildlife.• Wetlands filter and break down pollutants, protecting water quality.• Healthy watersheds andfloodplains absorb rainwater and river flows, reducing flood damage.• Healthy watersheds, floodplains and wetlands provide homes andbreeding sites for fish, birds and otherwildlife.• Healthy river-floodplain systems constantly renew the fertility of surrounding soils.• Rivers carry nutrient-rich sedimentto deltas and estuaries, helpingmaintain their productivity.• Freshwater flows maintain the saltlevels of deltas and coastal marineenvironments, a key to theirbiological richness and productivity.

people lacking adequate sanitationrose slightly between 1990 and 2000,to 2.4 billion—about 40 percent of theworld’s population.

The United Nations MillenniumDevelopment Goals include targets ofreducing by half the proportion ofpeople lacking access to safe drinking

www.heifer.org

Australia, SouthAfrica and partsof the UnitedStates areestablishing flowrequirements forrivers. Thesepolicies build ona growingscientificconsensus thatrestoring a river’snatural pattern offlow variability—its natural highsand lows duringthe year andacross years—is akey to restoringriver healthoverall as well asthe habitat thatmyriad speciesdepend on forsurvival.2. Achieving universal access to safedrinking water and sanitation wouldsave millions of lives yearly andprevent debilitating illness. Suchaction would have huge economicbenefits, as well, by reducing the highcosts resulting from that loss of lifeand the loss of productivitydue to poor health.

The World HealthOrganization estimated in 2000that an additional 816 millionpeople acquired access to safedrinking water between 1990and 2000. But the number ofpeople unserved remainsabout the same—1.1 billion—because the population grewby nearly as many people asgained access. The number of

water by 2015.The 2002 WorldSummit onSustainableDevelopmentheld inJohannesburgadded to thisgoal acommitment tohalve thenumber ofpeople lackingsanitation by2015.

Achievingsuch goals,though, willtake adedication ofpoliticalleadership andfunding thathas been rare to

date. South Africa, an exception, is ontrack to achieve universal access tosafe drinking water by the end of thisdecade.

Public sector support for supplyingsafe water and sanitation must beincreased, especially in rural areas,which are home to more than 80

percent of people who lacksafe drinking water.Governments andcommunities should takeprimary responsibility for providing water services. Privatizing water servicesonly works if strongregulations are in place toprotect the poor and thesupply itself.

Leakage from existingurban systems often


Only fundamental change willsolve the world’s

growing water problems. These changes require leadership

from many quarters.


services, aquatic species, fisheries andother natural and economic values.

Close to a doubling of waterproductivity worldwide—more insome regions, less in others—will benecessary to meet the food and waterneeds of the global population whileprotecting ecological integrity.

Increasing the efficiency ofirrigation would help. Drip irrigationhas been shown to double or triplecrop yield per unit of water, but itaccounts for only about 1 percent ofglobal irrigated area. Greaterrecycling of water is another way toincrease water productivity. 5. Achieve good governance overwater.

Adopting the public trust as theguiding principle for watermanagement puts a premium onequity and sharing—among people,between people and nature, andamong countries that share rivers andother bodies of water.

Implementing the measures abovewould take enormous political and

exceeds 30 percent, so makingexisting systems efficient is critical tocutting water waste.3. Provide access to irrigation waterto reduce rural poverty.Access to a minimum amount ofwater for the production of crops is essential to helping millions escapepoverty. About 2.8 billion people liveon less than $2 a day, and 800 millionof these face chronic hunger.

Providing poor farmers with themeans to irrigate their farms is one ofthe best ways to help them move outof poverty.

Most modern irrigationtechnologies, such as diesel pumps,are too expensive for poor farmers.Increasing the availability and use ofaffordable, small-plot irrigationcould greatly increase landproductivity, incomes and householdfood security of the world’s poorestfarm families. These affordabletechnologies include human-powered pumps to give access toshallow groundwater, drip irrigationpackages designed specifically forfarmers on small plots, andinexpensive micro-sprinklers.4. Double water productivity.Projected rates of population and economic growth during the next few decades, along with thedeterioration of many freshwaterecosystems, mean people will haveto do more with less water.

Humans now use more than halfof the accessible renewablefreshwater runoff. Even if per capitause remained constant, that figurecould rise to 70 percent by 2025. Andthis would lead to even greaterdamage to the world’s ecosystem

Lack of safe drinkingwater results in the

deaths of about 3 million people ayear, most of them

children.

social will. It would revolutionizewater use and management.

Refusing or neglecting to takesteps to protect the world’s supply offreshwater, however, poses fargreater risk than trying to reformwater policies.

Only fundamental change willsolve the world’s growing waterproblems. These changes require thatscientists, engineers,conservationists, policy-makers andcitizens work together. They requireleadership from many quarters.

And they require action now,because it may turn out that time toreverse the threatening trends underway is even more limited than wateritself.

Sandra Postel is director of theGlobal WaterPolicy Projectbased in Amherst,Mass. Postel is a seniorfellow of theWorldwatchInstitute and oneof the leadingauthorities on freshwater

issues. In November 2002, ScientificAmerican magazine named her one ofthe “Scientific American 50,” a newaward to recognize achievements inscience and technology. Postel wasnamed a Pew Fellow in Conservationand the Environment in 1995.Her latest book, “Rivers for Life,”which she co-wrote with Brian Richter,was recently published by Island Press.

Where Have All the RiversG O N E ?

Many rivers around the world, large and small, aredrying up before they reach their natural destinations.In addition to the Colorado River, five of the largestrivers in Asia—the Ganges, the Indus, the Yellow andthe Amu Dar’ya and Syr Dar’ya—no longer reach thesea for large portions of the year. Channelized rivers,such as the Rhine in Europe and a large stretch of theMissouri in the U.S. Midwest, no longer meander butrather flow artificially straight and deep to allow for theshipping and barging of goods. Levees havedisconnected the mighty Mississippi River from 90percent of its floodplain. ...

Societies have reaped substantial economic rewardsfrom these modifications to rivers—from the generationof hydroelectric power to the expansion of irrigatedagriculture to the growth of trade along shippingroutes. However, serious losses have mounted on theecological side of the register. In their natural state,healthy rivers perform myriad functions—such aspurifying water, moderating floods and droughts, andmaintaining habitat for fisheries, birds, and wildlife.They connect the continental interiors with the coasts,bringing sediment to deltas, delivering nutrients tocoastal fisheries, and maintaining salinity balances thatsustain productive estuaries. From source to sea andfrom channel to floodplain, river ecosystems gather,store, and move snowmelt and rainwater in synchronywith nature’s cycles. The diversity and abundance of lifein running waters reflect millions of years of evolutionand adaptation to these natural rhythms.

From a strictly human perspective, healthy riversperform numerous “ecosystem services”—the processescarried out by natural ecosystems that benefit human

www.heifer.org

societies and economies. Rivers, wetlands, and otherfreshwater ecosystems constitute part of the naturalinfrastructure that keeps our economies humming.Like workers in a factory, wetland plants and animalsare an organized and productive team—absorbingpollutants, decomposing wastes, and churning outfresh, clean water. ... Even if we knew how to replicateall the valuable functions that rivers perform, it wouldcost an enormous sum to replace them. The servicesprovided by wetlands alone can be worth on the orderof $20,000 per hectare per year.

In little more than a century—a geologic twinkling ofan eye—human societies have so altered rivers thatthey are no longer adequately performing many oftheir evolutionary roles or delivering many of theecological services that human economies have come todepend upon. A significant portion of freshwaterspecies worldwide—including at least 20 percent offreshwater fish species—are at risk of extinction or arealready extinct. Because floodwaters are no longergetting cleansed by floodplain wetlands, morepollution is reaching inland and coastal seas, causingdamage such as the low-oxygen “dead zone” in theGulf of Mexico and the deterioration of Europe’s BlackSea. In short, in many parts of the world, theharnessing of rivers for economic gain is now causingmore harm than good.

From “Rivers for Life” by Sandra Postel and Brian Richter.Copyright © 2003 Sandra Postel and Brian Richter.Reprinted by permission of Island Press, Washington, D.C.,and Covelo, Calif.

The following is an excerpt from “Rivers for Life: Managing Water for People and Nature” by

Sandra Postel and Brian Richter. The authors argue that humanity has done great damage to the

environment by altering the world’s rivers to suit exclusively human purposes. Ironically, many of

these changes have simultaneously weakened the rivers’ inherent capacity to perform tasks that

benefit humanity naturally.


10 World Ark Fall 2003

LATACUNGA, Ecuador—In the shadow of thesnow-crested Chimborazo volcano, anunlikely hero—the alpaca—has stepped in to

save a fragile high-altitude environmental zone, avital water source for farms, villages, towns andcities below.

Heifer International is working with Ecuadoranindigenous communities in the Andes to preservethe zone from destruction by farming and sheepgrazing.

With help from Heifer, communities are raisingalpacas in the zone, known as the paramo.

“Our intention in having a project with Heifer isto recover what we have lost in water resources,”said Domerio Tipan.

He is president of a grassroots organization ofrural Andean communities near Latacunga, about60 miles south of Quito.

The paramo’s delicate, spongy groundcover isvital to the intricate ecology that supplies water tothe ecosystems and human communities downhill.

These plants soak up snow melt and abundantrainwater, feeding underground springs that flowinto streams and rivers. The farms, towns and citiesat lower elevations rely on the paramo water as aprimary source.

Alpacas to theRescue

Ecuadorans,Heifer work topreservedelicateAndean zoneand watersupply.

Alpacas to theRescue

Ecuadorans,Heifer work topreservedelicateAndean zoneand watersupply.

By Michael HaddiganHeifer Staff Writer

www.heifer.org World Ark Fall 2003 11

But farming and grazingin the paramo disrupt thisnatural system.

Farmer’s plows and thesheep’s hard cloven hoofsdamage the groundcover.In addition, hungry sheepmunch the low-growingplants down to the bareground, destroying thesystem’s ability to collectwater and causing soilerosion.

Unlike sheep, alpacashave soft, padded feet.

The indigenous peoplehave been forced into thehigh-altitude paramobecause of populationpressures, poverty and thesparse availability of land.

They would normallyfarm and raise livestock inmiddle and lowerelevations that are moretolerant of human activity,said Fernando Larrea, Heifer’s Ecuador director.

Communities taking part in the Heifer initiative,which jointly own the Heifer-supplied alpacas,sell valuable yarn and knit sweaters, ponchos andother items through small businesses they haveset up.

This income helps relieve the poverty thatpushes indigenous people into the paramo in thefirst place, Larrea said.

“The benefit of the alpaca is that it produceswool and its hooves do not destroy the paramo,”Larrea said.

Manure from the alpacas is composted and usedas fertilizer to improve topsoil in the middle-elevation farms.

“What we are trying to do is have a better lifefor our brothers and sisters. Our goal is toimprove the community and household lifeconditions,” said Tipan.

Heifer’s Jim DeVries said water is becoming anincreasingly important part of livestock andagroecology projects around the world.

“Water is becoming a more precious resourcearound the world,” he said. “From the standpoint

of food security and health, water is a huge issue.”Heifer concentrates on providing livestock and

environmental protection to resource-poorcommunities around the world.

But, as in Ecuador, preservation of watersupplies and efficient irrigation methods are oftenimportant ingredients in Heifer’s work, DeVriessaid.

Small-scale farmers frequently have a keenawareness of water resources, he said.

“There is a motivation you can build on. Whenyou get people organized, they start to envision abetter situation for themselves and their families,and they start to act on it,” DeVries said.

Alpacas were once a common sight in theEcuador Andes. But over time they vanished, andno one is sure exactly why.

“In the past alpacas lived in Ecuador. But thealpacas disappeared from Ecuador in the colonialtimes, in the 17th and 18th centuries,” Larrea said.“There are different hypotheses about why theydisappeared.”

Some believe the alpacas died out from a diseasebrought in by the Spanish. Others say they

disappeared because the Spanish prohibited theuse of alpacas because they were associated withindigenous religions.

“Heifer is now helping to reintroduce them,”Larrea said.

In turn, the graceful, placid alpacas are helpingto save the paramo.

“The alpacas are also helping to beautify thecountryside because they are so beautiful,” jokedHeifer Ecuador’s Edwin Chancusig.

The alpaca’s look-alike cousin is the llama. Thellama also bears fiber but it is rarely used forclothing. The alpaca’s fiber is more valuable, Larreasaid. Llamas in the Ecuadoran Andes are usedmainly as pack animals.

The shortage of land for indigenous people hasits roots in the colonial system that allowed gentryto take over huge tracts of highly productive landfor haciendas.

This forced indigenous people onto marginallands higher up. Acres of greenhouses for theflower industry at lower elevations have added tothe land shortage.

In recent years, Ecuador’s indigenous groupshave pushed for redistribution of the haciendaland—and for a more equitable distribution of thewater from the paramo.

Economic conditions have forced indigenousfamilies to seek work outside their villages so theycan send money home.

Some work in the flowerindustry. Others toil inmenial jobs in the big citiesof Quito and Quayaquil.Still others head east toEcuador’s Amazon regionto work in the oil fields.

Still others go as far asSpain and Italy to work.

“We are trying to createless dependence on theseexternal sources ofincome,” Larrea said.

The availability of wateroften determines whether afamily can stay on its smallparcel of land, Tipan said.

“You can’t talk about thefamily economy withouttalking about water,” he

said. “We are now concentrating on preserving theparamo and its natural resources, especially water, sothat our families have something to eat and somethingto drink.”


Ecuadoran farmers rely on the water resources of the paramo.

Story and photographs by Darcy Kiefel

As a young boy growing up inthe Philippines, SerafinBillones understood the value

of the Manupali River near hisLantapan, Bukidnon, home in CentralMindanao. He recognized that hissurvival depended on the ebb andflow of its waters.

In those days, the rushing waters ofthe river could be heard for miles.Today, the water barely covers thesand on the shore.

Now a grandfather of seven,Billones, along with his neighbors,began to notice over the past decadethat their river no longer maintained aregular flow. Instead, it cycledthrough seasonal floods and droughts.Because of its irregular flow andstagnant waters, the river wasbecoming contaminated andproducing waterborne diseases—further complicating health problemsand malnutrition among villagechildren.

Alarmed residents alertedgovernment officials, but fewresponded. Departments on both thelocal and national levels lackedexperience collecting meaningfulwater data to affect environmentalpolicies or improve living conditionsfor the farming communities.

In 1994, a USAID-funded programdeveloped a model in the Philippinesfor designing and implementing acommunity-based water-monitoringproject. The program involvedfarmers in conducting watershedresearch to clarify links between landuse and the environmental qualityand overall sustainability of their

Wahig, Serafin Billones was one ofthe original 12 participants in the1994 training. “This water-monitoring project has been a life-changing experience for me and Iwill do this for the rest of my life,”Billones says. “It has been so helpfuland necessary for our community tounderstand what is happening toour water.”

The data from the study showsthat there is indeed cause forconcern.

“When we trace ourfirst monitoring from1994 there is such asignificantdifference and thevolume of ourwater is lower,”Billones explains.“If this continues,our rivers will begone and our peoplewill have morehardships. I havealready observedthis taking place.Through ourstudies we areseeing thedegradation of ourwater.”

But knowledge isthe first step toeffecting change, asBillones notes. “Wemust challenge ourpeople with the factswe can now provide.Through our training,we have learned to

ecological and social systems.Under the Sustainable Agriculture

and Natural Resource ManagementCollaborative Research SupportProgram, a water resourcemanagement and education projectwas established with HeiferInternational and Auburn University.Heifer and Auburn developed awater-monitoring group through aseries of workshops in the evaluationof water quality using portable testkits and analytical tools.Simultaneously, Heifer trained projectpartners and volunteers inagroforestry, contour farming,nutrient recycling and many otherregenerative practices.

Lantapan farmers and otherresidents became involved in theprogram by gathering data related towater quantity and quality on severalrivers and streams in the area. Out oftheir common and growing concernfor what they collected, communitymembers organized themselves into aprofessional group called TigbantayWahig, which means “watchers ofwater” in the Talaandig dialect.

Over the years, the members of theTigbantay Wahig group have learnedto gauge the quality of the water inthe Manupali River and its tributariesby collecting data throughout thewatershed in central Mindanao. Theiractivities are part of a concerted effortthat includes the participation ofpartners rarely found working sideby side, including academicians,practitioners, government officialsand local farmers.

A dedicated member of Tigbantay

Farmers becomescientists as they learn tomonitor the river systemthat feeds their district inthe Philippines.

Water WatchersWater Watchers


A

pass on our gift of knowledge. Wehave even provided our governmentwith data to take action. We are agroup of volunteer farmers who aredoing our part for a positivechange.”

The studies in Lantapan haveinfluenced the attitudes ofcommunity members.

Bella Alejan, one of the newestmembers of the group, says‚ “Ijoined the water-monitoring projectbecause I could see the changes inour water and it scared me. I wantedto understand it on a deeper level.Since becoming a member Iappreciate the importance of waterand why we need to preserve it for

our children and future generations. Ibegan to reflect on this and realizethat water is life. Without rivers andwithout water, life would beimpossible. There would be no food[and] no animals, and our hardshipswould increase. Today, I am alwaysthinking of this.”

Jim Orprecio, Heifer’s Philippinesdirector, says the project also hasproduced tangible results.

“I cannot say the water situationhas improved or changed but Ibelieve we have slowed [thedegradation] down,” Orprecio says.“By regularly collecting data we arewitnessing environmentaldegradation which community

volunteers can now present alongwith solutions to other villages,schools and officials. Otherorganizations approve and providefunding. Heifer International choosesto teach. Instead of telling peoplethey pollute the water, we explainhow they can improve it. Ourcommunities do not wish to destroytheir waters—it is a matter ofsurvival.”

In August 2001, after seven years ofcollecting data, Auburn University,Heifer International and TigbantayWahig presented watersheddegradation material to NarcisoRubio, mayor of Lantapan; interiorand local



“Without rivers and without water, life would be impossible.”

water monitoring activities. Theprojects will then collaborate withuniversities in their respectivecountries for initial data processing.

Ultimately, Auburn University’sInternational Center for Aquacultureand Aquatic Environments willestablish and maintain a GlobalWater Watch website using datacollected by Heifer Internationalproject partners in China andSoutheast Asia.

“This work has not only become amatter of self-interest but an issue forall people all over the world,” saysTeria Vivas, a Tigbantay Wahigmember. “We are working together toprotect and preserve our waters.Before, there was garbage throwneverywhere and now we arecontrolling that and have been givenauthority to take action against thosewho do not listen. We ask for time tospeak in front of people withawareness campaigns and today, theyare listening. We hope to provide notonly community members butchildren with a greaterunderstanding of water and theirenvironment.”

Serafin Billones has been doing justthat. All seven of his grandchildrenaccompany him when the groupcollects its monthly water-monitoringdata.

One of his grandchildren, 10-year-Jessie Billones, describes theknowledge he has gained fromfollowing his grandfather. “The workthat my Lolo [grandfather] is doing isfor everyone and us children. It is forour future so that the water we aredrinking is safe.

“Lolo also taught us how to catch

www.heifer.org

government members, andrepresentatives from the Departmentof Environment and NaturalResources and the Department ofSocial Welfare Development.Afterward, Mayor Rubio said hewould mobilize all resourcesavailable to him to address theproblem.

In addition, Ric Abejuela, presidentof Mount Kitanglad Agriventures, abanana plantation firm known asMKAVI, proposed an awareness-raising campaign targeting all upland

communities.In September 2001, Heifer

Philippines hosted the first-leveltraining for staff and project partnersof Heifer offices throughout SouthAsia. Heifer China also conducted awater quality/quantity workshop inSichuan Province for about 20 Heiferproject holder representatives and staff.

Heifer’s Indonesia and Thailandprograms, along with the MekongRiver Initiative, are integratingagroecological approaches into theirown projects through community-led

Serafin Billones says the water-monitoringproject”has been a life-changing experiencefor me.”


By Rey GambeHeifer International Philippines Communications Officer

The community-based water monitoring program in Lantapan,Bukidnon, in the Philippines is leading the way as HeiferInternational implements its Agroecology Initiative in the Asia andSouth Pacific region.

In place since 1994, the Lantapan project is a joint effort byHeifer Philippines and the International Center for Aquacultureand Aquatic Environments at Auburn University. It is part of theUSAID-funded Sustainable Agriculture and Natural ResourceManagement Collaborative Research Support Program (SANREM-CRSP) and serves as the model for Heifer International’s WaterMonitoring Project in Southeast Asia.

The project is being expanded to cover the three regional areasof Heifer Philippines as well as Heifer programs in Indonesia,Thailand, China, Cambodia and Vietnam. In addition, it will beimplemented in the Mekong Region Program that also coversMyanmar and Laos.

In Lantapan, the model program is expected to help manyfarming communities by improving the quantity and quality ofwater available for food production and household use.

Heifer International believes that to achieve the full potential ofsustainable development projects, local citizens must be activeparticipants in their formation. Sustainable management of food,energy, water, materials and wastes can only occur if citizens helpmake the fundamental decisions and understand theirconsequences. Thus, a key element of the Philippines water-monitoring project has been involving the community in efforts to

fish but said if we do not protect ourwaters the fish will soon be gone,”Jessie adds. “And we want goodwater to swim and play in! I hope itwill stay clean for the rest of ourlives.”

Darcy Kiefel is a Heifer Internationalphotojournalist living in Boulder, Colo.

conserve the watershed and the environment.Since the Lantapan project started almost 10 years ago,

volunteers have been collecting data from the four main tributariesof the Manupali River watershed. They have learned to determinewater quality by testing its chemistry, gauging the impact of soilerosion on their waterways, and analyzing the safety of river waterfor drinking and bathing through biological and bacterialassessments.

The massive amount of information they have collected hasformed the basis for development of laws and ordinances onwatershed conservation and restoration in Lantapan.

In addition, the community-led project has attracted the interestof decision-makers in other parts of the Philippines. These leadershave expressed their desire that the project be implemented intheir areas and, in part, with their resources. Already, the projecthas extended its reach to the provinces of Saranggani and Bohol.

Realizing the project is an important part of an agroecologicalapproach to Heifer International’s work, other Asia and SouthPacific country programs also have expressed interest. After keystaff from these country programs completed first-level training inLantapan in 2001, groundwork for the region-wide implementationof the project is moving ahead.

More than an expansion of coverage, however, the overall goal ofthe project is to foster development of community-basedenvironmental monitoring groups to collect credible water quantityand quality data that will further the implementation of Heifer’sagroecological projects. Heifer’s Agroecology Initiative encouragessubsistence farmers to be good stewards of the environment.

Philippines Water Monitoring Program Key to Heifer’sAgroecology Initiative

MINDANAO

By Ray WhiteHeifer Communications Director

Heifer International’s ideas abouthelping the hungry and impoverishedof the world have caught on with awide public, lifting Heifer from a $8million to a $56 million organizationin a decade of steady growth. But as ithas expanded, Heifer’s staff hasoutgrown its familiar two-story officein Little Rock and spilled out intorented space in several locations.

With a new site near the banks of theArkansas River, Heifer has embarkedupon an ambitious plan to develop anew Heifer International Center. Thenew building will enable Heifer toregroup its far-flung staff and savemoney while creating a focal point forhunger education in America.

It represents a unique opportunityin the history of Heifer to serve abusiness need, improve staff efficiencyand provide educationon hunger andsustainability to thepublic.

“One thing thatHeifer understands isthat if we are going tohave a lasting impacton world hunger,everything we domust be‘sustainable’—that is,the means forproduction of foodand income mustrenew theenvironment and notdeplete it,” said JoLuck, president andCEO. “Sustainabilityis a concept integral tothe culture of Heifer.

This applies not only to our workwith people trying to lift themselvesup to self-reliance around the world,but to our own work managing ourworldwide operations as well.

“In conceiving our new officebuilding, then, we are striving to liveup to the aspirations of Heifer’s ownmission. We intend that bothpreparation of the site andconstruction of the building are to bemodels of sustainable design anddevelopment in Arkansas, somethingothers will want to see and emulate.And we believe it will demonstrate

our commitment to using resourceswisely and responsibly.

“Our founder, Dan West, who washimself a role model of thrift andgood stewardship of the Earth, wouldexpect nothing less. It is the very basisof Heifer’s practice of ‘Passing on theGift,’ and informs every aspect of ourworldwide organization. Todaynurturing the environment whilecombating hunger go hand-in-hand atHeifer. Our building will be a tangibleembodiment of Heifer’s meaningfulstewardship of its mission and theEarth.”

Heifer will break groundOct. 29 for a new buildingof environmentally sounddesign—a model structurewith many featuresdemonstrating sensible,responsible constructionconsistent with Heifer’svalues.

The architectural firm ofPolk Stanley Yeary of Little Rock designed thebuilding, and has createdan airy, glass-walledstructure with a water-collection tower as acentral feature at theentrance. The design willbe submitted for aprestigious Leadership inEnergy and EnvironmentalDesign (LEED) certification

www.heifer.org18 World Ark Fall 2003

“In conceiving our new office building, then, we

are striving to live up to the aspirations of Heifer’s

own mission.” — Jo Luck

Illus

trat

ions

by

Rees

e Ro

wla

nd

Building for a Green Future

A combination of overhangs and reflectors will cast indirect light into thebuilding for optimum natural light for office workers, while a rooftop watercollection system will funnel water to a tower for use throughout the site.

commonly used as flooring. Beneaththose floors will run energy-savingductwork and modular electricalconduits and mechanical systems.

Together, “green” constructionmethods will reduce energy use toabout half that of a conventionalstructure.

Adjoining the building will be acutting-edge parking lot, for whichHeifer recently received a designinnovation grant from the federalEnvironmental Protection Agency,with a permeable surface to allowrainwater to be captured in avegetation-filled water feature called a“bioswale.” Water collected from theroof will be used throughout the sitefor applications not requiring potablewater. In an average year, thearchitects say, all the water that fallson the property as rain will be usedon-site, so that it won’t burden themunicipal drainage system.

Next door to the Heifer campus willbe the Clinton Presidential Libraryand Park, currently under

rating from the U.S. Green BuildingCouncil in recognition of its “green”design and construction.

Site preparation has begun.Abandoned warehouses on the sitehave been recycled—crunched intogravel for use during construction,along with other salvageable andrecycled materials. Anenvironmentally dirty “brownfield” atthe site—an old rail yard—will becleaned before construction starts. Andwhen the building is completed thestructure’s narrow 60-foot-widefootprint and glass skin will allowthose inside to work in natural light,with “light shelf” overhangsminimizing heat in summer andmaximizing it in the winter. Asdarkness falls, sensors will adjustinterior lighting to maximize energysavings.

Recycled steel will be usedextensively in construction, and use ofrecyclable bamboo flooring andrecycled carpeting will help preserveold-growth forests whose wood is


construction, which is expected tohost hundreds of thousands ofvisitors.

The Heifer Ranch in rural Perryville,Ark., will continue to offer overnightand weeklong immersion experiencesfor in-depth education ofcongregational, civic and schoolgroups, as well as continuing as a sitefor overnight conferences.

The goal of the new center is toincrease Heifer’s impact on hungerwhile raising awareness of thesolutions to hunger and poverty. Itwill be a model of sustainabledevelopment in a developed-worldoffice setting, and will attract attentionfrom builders and architects. Its greendesign has already been featured inthe prestigious Architectural Recordmagazine. As more and more peopleunderstand the many successful waysto combat world hunger they will beinspired to join the effort to end worldhunger and bring new hope, securityand dignity to millions around theworld.

Architect’s rendering shows the gentlycurved building that features manyenvironmentally friendly “green”construction features.


Since VirgilMockvolunteereda heifer forDan West’sproject,volunteershave been atthe heart ofHeifer’swork to endhunger andpoverty andsave theearth. TodayHeiferInternationalhas morethan 6,500committedvolunteers.We’d like torecognize afew of them.

Lifetime Volunteer Award

Twenty-five years of unconditional lovecharacterize Jim and Evie Hutton’s work forHeifer. Active volunteers in California untilJim’s retirement, they moved to the Seattle areaand continued speaking for Heifer. Peopleacross Washington and California know aboutHeifer because of Jim and Evie. As leadvolunteers in Seattle, they organize volunteersfor events and recruit new volunteers. And theyseek out opportunities for Heifer withuniversities, community groups and churches.Bill Beck, retired regional director, remembers,“I learned about ‘pot liquor’ from Evie. Shesaved the liquid from cooking vegetables and

then later made soup from the combined juices. It makes great soup and stew, aswell as saving money. These frugal folks have shared so much with the hungry ofthe world, in time, talent and treasure. It has been an honor to know and workwith them for Heifer and the hungry.”

Congregational Volunteers of the Year

John Ferguson and Kate Sheehan connect congregations with Heifer in NewEngland. Kate is Heifer’s liaison to Roman Catholics, and John handles all other

denominations. A retiredPresbyterian minister,John stays in touch withthe region’s Presbyteryoffices, always equippedwith up-to-date resourcesand information.

Kate, a former CatholicChristian Educator,introduces Catholicparishes to Heifer, whereshe often arrivesaccompanied by animals.She’s developed

educational activities that can be used in congregations and public schools. Sheinspires Gift Ark donations in many parishes she visits.

Workplace Volunteer of the Year

Sandra Karcher faithfully reports to workevery Wednesday in Heifer’s Donor Servicesdepartment in Little Rock. Many jobs thatnever before seemed to get done are nowkept current thanks to Sandra. She’s writtenhundreds of honor cards and volunteers atHeifer booths and exhibits in the Little Rockarea.

Heifer Volunteers

www.heifer.org

By Leslie WithersNational VolunteerCoordinator


Volunteer Family of the Year

Frank and Ellen Baber of Virginia andPennsylvania have supported Heifer for 22years. Since Frank’s retirement they’ve spentmonths as fulltime volunteers at Heifer Ranchand Overlook Farm. They have chaired theSoutheast Pennsylvania Volunteer Committee’sfundraising and education banquets. Andthey’ve passed on their values to their sixchildren and 13 grandchildren, several ofwhom are Heifer volunteers.

Young Volunteer of the Year

April Nabholz was a highschool senior in Lancaster, Pa., when she put on two Indian food banquets to helppeople learn about and support Heifer. The banquets, followed by concerts, raisedthousands of dollars. “People familiar with Heifer International talk about the ‘gift thatkeeps on giving,’” April explained. “Years ago a woman purchased a HeiferInternational goat in my honor. Besides supplying a community with a goat and itsfuture offspring, she gave me the gift of global awareness. She showed me that therewas a world beyond the United States of America, and that the ‘starving children inChina’ that I heard so much about at the dinner table were real people.”

Special Achievement Award

Fran Stark led CommunityUnited Methodist Church inJulian, Calif., in raising fiveGift Arks. But she hasn’tstopped with her ownchurch. The Julian Women’sClub reports that Fran spentabout 400 hours promotingHeifer in 2002. Once a yearshe and her husband inviteall the area’s Heifervolunteers to dinner. Severalyears back, Fran had an oldmink coat, and the ladies ather church made a teddy bearout of it to raffle for Heifer’sbenefit. No gambling wasallowed in the church, so theysat in front of Town Hall instead and raffled off the mink teddy bear.

In 2002, Tom Amos led his church, Glenview Community Church in Illinois, in raising$73,000 in nine months. For almost two years prior to the campaign, he and the Heifersubcommittee of the Missions Committee involved the congregation in Heifer-relatedactivities. They made presentations to the Missions Committee and other groups, touredHeifer projects in Chicago, and participated in the Chicago Quilt Auction. Tom asked thechurch’s organizations to donate their year’s proceeds to Heifer.

Make a Difference

www.heifer.org

Tom Amos

Fran Stark


Civic Club Volunteer of the Year

Ozzie Goering met Faith the Cow in 1946, when he encounteredthe first shipment of Heifer cows that had been sent to Puerto Ricoin 1944. He was teaching junior high as a volunteer with theMennonite Central Committee and later met Heifer founder DanWest at Manchester College. Over the 10 years after he becamedistrict governor for Rotary in southwest Kansas and the Oklahomapanhandle in 1991, Rotary clubs and other community groups heorganized raised more than $236,000 for Heifer projects in Poland,Uganda, the Ukraine, Romania, the Dominican Republic andVietnam. Ozzie led study tours to most of these places. “I will never

forget the lady, well into her eighties or beyond, at Kuzmivka as with tears in her eyesshe presented me with two beautiful icons that she had embroidered. She kept repeating‘spacebo,’ which is thank you in Russian.”

Residential Volunteer of the Year

Andy Olson began volunteering at Heifer Ranch in 1996. He continued to volunteerduring breaks from Iowa State University in Ames, where he studied horticulture. Hisexperience culminated with a three-year commitment to become the first garden SmallFarm Initiative (SFI) volunteer. In that role, he has managed and improved the certifiedorganic Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project. This project connects peopleto the land and to Heifer by allowing them to buy a share of the garden’s produce.

Lifetime Achievement

Rich and Susie Eyre, Illinois J.P. Perkins, Massachusetts Donald Myer, Indiana Clifford Gibble, Pennsylvania

Special Achievement

Homer and LaRue Cornish, Virginia Nancy Driggins, Minnesota Diana Daughtridge, North Carolina

Congregational Volunteer

Barbara Vestal, MissouriNorma Good, PennsylvaniaAnn and Alex Smythers, North

Carolina

Workplace Volunteer

Pat Troy, Pennsylvania

Volunteer Family

Drs. Janet and Steven Cathey and family, Arkansas

Paul and Barbara Wiley, New YorkSteve and Elizabeth Stith and family,

Missouri Roger and Carol Stuart and family,

Florida

Young Volunteer

Maddie Huzenis, IllinoisAmanda MacDougal, Florida

Civic Club Volunteers

Southeast Pennsylvania Volunteer Committee

Barbara Nichols, MassachusettsTriangle Volunteer Committee,

North Carolina

HonorableMention

Heifer is fortunateto have many

more wonderfulvolunteers than wehave space to tellyou about. Moreinformation about

the folks whodonate their time

to Heifer willappear early

in 2004 on ourwebsite,

www.heifer.org.

Heifer International has begun anew public serviceannouncement campaign to

raise awareness in the United States ofworld hunger.

“Heifer International’s ideas abouthelping the hungry and impoverished ofthe world have caught on with a widepublic, but for those who haven’t heard ofHeifer, we want to make our presenceknown,” President and CEO Jo Luck told anews conference where the campaign wasunveiled.

The campaign—which includes TV,print and outdoor advertising—willreach across the country with mediaoutlets providing free air time and adspace.

The branding campaign is designedaround a simple but striking question:“What if we ended world hunger?”The advertising uses Heifer projectimages, photos of animals, world-beatmusic and unique placement to catchpeople’s attention in a busy marketingenvironment.

Little Rock-based FORZA MarketingGroup volunteered its time andworked with Heifer’s marketing teamto design the public service campaign.

“Heifer is not simply an organization that wants your donation,” said Tim Martin, FORZA principaland strategic planner. “They’re offering you a chance to be a part of something much bigger, an end toworld hunger. No other group does that.”

Five still images and a TV commercial make up the campaign. Periodicals interested in publishing thestill images can download them for free at www.heifer.org in the electronic media kit. Television stationsand other outlets can get more information by sending an e-mail to [email protected].

Heifer Announces PSA Campaignto End Hunger


By Scott MorrisWorld Ark Associate Editor

The Washington, D.C.-based General Federation ofWomen’s Clubs has singled out Heifer International for itsvolunteering efforts. During its recent 112th annualinternational convention in Little Rock, 80 convention-goers spent a day volunteering at Heifer Ranch inPerryville, Ark.

The members weeded gardens,painted, pruned trees, shoveled compost,learned to test animals for parasites andmade soap at the ranch’s cottageindustry workshop.

“They loved it,” said Ann Jacobs,Heifer’s Arkansas representative, whoaccompanied the group. “Theydefinitely weren’t afraid to get theirhands dirty. They really enjoyed it.”

The GFWC, a volunteer serviceorganization, has thousands of clubs inthe U.S. and 20 foreign countries.During the convention, Judy Lutz,international president of GFWC,presented a donation to Jo Luck,president and CEO of Heifer, inrecognition of Heifer’s work combatinghunger around the world, and Jo Luckthanked the 800 convention-goers.

Heifer has offered to supply clubsaround the country with educationalmaterials about world hunger somembers can help raise awareness ofthe problem.

Said Jo Luck: “Heifer was thrilled tobe selected as a GFWC program resource at yourconvention in 2002, and we look forward to engaging asmany of your members and clubs as possible in our workto end hunger in the world through gifts of food- andincome-producing livestock and training toimpoverished families.”


H A P P E N I N G S

HE

IFE

RFederation of Women’s Clubs Pitches In for Heifer

Jeri Lyn Cancel of Georgia, chair of GFWC's Outreach for ChildrenProgram, turns compost at Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Ark.


This is a story about giving that starts at the grave of afamous American writer of short stories.

O. Henry, the nineteenth century writer whose tales arefamous for their surprise endings, is buried in RiversideCemetery in Asheville, N.C. Though he died in 1910, O.Henry apparently still has fans because workers at thecemetery routinely find coins on his grave.

Two local men who several times a year leave change onthe grave have made it their habit to bring the total to up to$1.87 when it falls below that amount, according to theAsheville Citizen-Times.

They chose that total because it constitutes the entiresavings of the young couple featured in O. Henry’s “The Giftof the Magi”: “One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That wasall.” The story is about the selfless love of the husband andwife who each sacrifice their greatest treasure in order to buya Christmas gift for the other.

David Olson, the cemetery manager, collects the money lefton O. Henry’s grave and periodically gives it to his wife, whoteaches a kindergarten through second grade class at IsaacDickson Elementary School in Asheville.

Olson’s wife, Susan Shillcock, said her students voted todonate the money—along with whatever else they could raiseover the course of a school year—to Heifer International. Thestudents made their decision after reading “Beatrice’s Goat,” abook by Page McBrier and Lori Lohstoeter that relates thetrue story of a Ugandan girl who dreamed of an education

About 2,000 people enjoyed a “world”of experiences at Overlook Farm’sInternational Fair in late June.

Located in the fern-carpeted woods ofcentral Massachusetts, Overlooksponsored a variety of events June 28-29, including an animal parade to kickoff both days, games and hands-onactivities throughout the Global Village,hayride tours of the farm, lots of music,an animal petting area for young (oryoung-at-heart) visitors and a Passingon the Gift ceremony.

Attractions included a piñata inGuatemala, Tibetan prayer-flags inChina and artistic paper-cutting at thefuture Eastern European site. Visitorsmade bricks to contribute to thePeruvian highlands home currentlyunder construction and sampled

mashed peanuts in Uganda and “hole”beans at the Maine homesteader farm.

Additionally, the food concessionoffered a variety of dishes beyondtypical “fair food,” including farm-raised lamb grinders, African peanutsoup, organic yogurt and salads andwonderful desserts.

The Animal Parade, a new event,started each day to the beat of anAfrican drum. Heifer animals marchedthrough the center of the farm,allowing guests an up-close look whilethe emcees described the positiveimpact each animal could have on afarm family in need.

Fair-goers also connected to theissues of global hunger and povertyand the ways Heifer works to alleviatethose problems. The Red Barn was

her family could not afford. After Heifer International gaveher family a goat, which produced milk that she could sell,Beatrice was able to attend school.

“They were really moved by the story, by the whole ideathat you could not go to school even if you wanted to,”Shillcock said of her students.

Her class put on puppet shows, asking parents and fellowstudents to donate at least a penny to their Heifer fund. Todo that, the students had to explain how Heifer works.

Eight-year-old Sophia Tager, now a third-grader, said shetold parents and fellow students that Heifer exists to helppoor people.

“We learned that some people don’t have a lot of food andsome people don’t have a lot of water, and we learned thatanimals can help people because they give eggs or milk orwhatever,” Sophia said.

Shillcock said her 24 students raised $100 for Heifer in2002, and she plans to make another contribution this fall.She called the students’ eagerness to give to Heifer “verymoving,” especially since about half the children at herschool qualify for free lunches.

It’s the same selfless spirit celebrated by O. Henry’sfamous story. And, clearly, it’s a spirit that Sophiaunderstands.

Asked to name the most important lesson she had learnedfrom the project, Sophia answered, “You should help otherpeople.”

home to an information and resourcecenter that offered literature,educational games about the world,and a video theatre. The barn wasdecorated with large presentationchecks received by the NortheastRegion over the past year, and alsofeatured a quilt sale sponsored by thecommunity of Walpole, Mass., to raisemoney for projects in Guatemala.Midway through both days, WendyPeskin, Northeast regional director,took the stage to receive donations andrecognize groups that had come to theevent to make their presentations.

Sunday’s highlight was a Passing onthe Gift ceremony where Mocha, aJersey heifer, went to a new home aspart of the Beginning FarmersNetwork Project in New Hampshire.

Next year’s International Fair isscheduled for June 26-27.

A Chain of Gifts Helps Heifer Help Those in Need

Overlook Celebrates International Fair


Each spring, adventurous womenflock to Heifer Ranch for a very specialexperience. They come from all cornersof the country and are of all ages,professions and backgrounds.

Their common goal? To experiencethe unique renewal that comes fromtaking part in the births of 60 to 70baby lambs at Heifer Ranch inPerryville, Ark.

This special week is called RanchHand Week and is part of a largerprogram called the Women’s LambingExperience.

Women need only bring theircuriosity and sense of fun to RanchHand Week. Heifer provides the rest,kicking off the week with a crashcourse in pre-natal care, delivery andpost-natal care of the lambs and ewesgiven by veterinarian ChristineWilliams, a longtime friend to Heiferand an internationally known sheepexpert.

Said one participant, “Most of usknew very little about sheep before wecame, but that didn’t matter. We startedcalling Christine’s classes ‘Tell andShow.’ She would give us detailedexplanations about ewe behavior and,as if on cue, the ewes would do exactlywhat she had just described. It wasfascinating.”

Between frequent trips to thepastures for lamb birthing checks,women may pitch in with dailylivestock and gardening chores atHeifer Ranch or hands-on activitiessuch as goat milking and cheesemaking. Ranch Hand Week alsoincludes extensive education aboutsustainable agriculture, environmental

conservation, gender equity andHeifer’s simple solution to hungerand poverty.

However, all agree that it is theactual birth of each precious lambthat helps tie all this informationtogether. Each newborn that wobblesto its feet can transform the life of aresource-poor family somewherearound the world.

Chris Reed, a managementconsultant from Woodside, Calif.,who attended Ranch Hand Week thispast spring, said, “The combinationbetween education and then real-world, hands-on experiences wasoutstanding. Coming from a high-powered, corporate workenvironment, I felt so good to be partof this very natural and importantprocess. I originally attended RanchHand Week with a friend just ‘to getaway.’ I knew nothing about Heifer. Ireturned home enthused and readyto share how simple gifts of animalsand training can transform lives. Theeducation I received was incredible.”

Reed adds, “All of us whoattended became close as we workedtogether to get ‘our babies’ delivered.Although we came from all parts ofthe country and walks of life, we

have stayed in touch. We sharedsomething important.”

Mary Hart of North Olmsted, Ohio,agrees. “I came away from the weekwith a new understanding about ourglobal interdependence. As I workedwith the other women with ‘ouranimals,’ I realized that we all havegifts to offer and to receive. It was agreat metaphor for the work we needto do to take care of one another onthis planet. We must widen ourcircles.”

Jo Flesner of Sioux Falls, S.D., adds,“Women’s Lambing Experience was aweek of great self-renewal for me.Everyone there was on a different legof her own life journey, but we all feltrenewed after this experience andpart of something bigger thanourselves.”

If you, too, are interested in gettinginvolved in something bigger thanyourself, reserve a spot for RanchHand Week 2004 (March 22-26) atHeifer Ranch by calling VictoriaJackson at Heifer Ranch (501-889-5124, ext. 3626).

Women Gatherto Give Lambs a Hand

Ranch Hand Week brings togetherwomen from all parts of the country tolearn about sheep and the work of Heifer.


Read to Feed is:

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❏ Yes, please send me a sample of the free worship bulletin inserts and other information aboutBread for the World Sunday.

NAME __________________________________________________________________P L E A S E P R I N T

ADDRESS _______________________________________________________________

CITY ________________________________________ STATE ________ ZIP_________

Bread for the WorldSeeking Justice. Ending Hunger.

50 F Street NW, Suite 500Washington, DC 20001 www.bread.org

AD03WA 3-60035-WA

Free worship resources— to help end hunger

Each fall, thousands of churches around the countryobserve Bread for the World Sunday — as an opportunity for congregations to renew their

commitment to ending hunger in God’s world.

Bread for the World invites all people of faith to reflect on how God’s overflowing love in Jesus Christ is a harvest of hope for all people.

Bulletin inserts … special prayers for the day … and preaching resources are available free of charge to helpobserve Bread for the World Sunday on October 26 — or another suitable Sunday in October or November.

To request FREE resources, phone

1-800-82-BREAD (1-800-822-7323) or visit www.bread.org


Heifer International staffers fromaround the world gathered in LittleRock on May 4 for a weeklongmeeting to discuss strategic directionsfor Heifer over the next seven yearsand to consider other issues that willshape the organization’s future.

Heifer’s course is now much clearerbecause of the Global Team Meeting,said Jim DeVries, head of InternationalPrograms.

“There has been a lot of work by alot of people. And there has been a lotof progress,” he said. “We have set oursail, so to speak, with this meeting.”

CEO Jo Luck, board members,country program and regionaldirectors and other headquarters stafftook part in intensive discussionsunder the theme “To Serve One WorldThrough One Mission.”

Some 120 team members met inplenary sessions and in small groupsto discuss Heifer’s Strategic Plan andways to integrate it with theInternational Programs and

Development strategic plans.The meeting was also an

opportunity for country directors andheadquarters staff to talk face-to-face.

“It is important that we know whowe are,” Jo Luck told staffers. “We’vegot the whole world in this room.”

Heifer International’s Global TeamMeeting in Little Rock ended May 9 onan upbeat note—and in Heifer style—as another 120 staffers fromheadquarters joined meetingparticipants in a packed conferenceroom to hear a summary of the week’sdiscussions.

Thailand director Pramote Eua-Amnuay sang and led the entire groupin his country’s traditional “LoiKrathong” dance as a reminder ofHeifer’s commitment to preserving theenvironment.

The group then met on the banks ofthe Arkansas River for a catfish dinner,

music and North American folkdancing.

The next morning, country directorsand others toured the sites of theClinton presidential library and HeiferInternational’s new headquarters inLittle Rock.

Jo Luck set the tone of the GlobalTeam Meeting earlier in the weekwhen she made note of the SoutheastAsian concept of nam jai or “the livingwaters of the heart.” Nam jai—compassion, understanding and agenerosity of the spirit—is vital to allof Heifer’s work, she said.

Jo Luck encouraged staffers tocontinue the work of founder DanWest and to remember the vitalcontributions of Heifer’s pioneers.

“It is our job and our responsibilityto carry on the vision andresponsibility of Dan West and thosewho have come before us,” she said.

HEIFERINTERNATIONAL

A R O U N D

Global TeamConsiders

Heifer ’sf u t u r e

Ilya Belkin, Heifer Russia country director; Robson Zimuto, Zimbabwe country director, andTererai Trent, deputy director of planning and evaluation, take part in Heifer's 2003 Global TeamMeeting in Little Rock.


By Ray WhiteHeifer Communications Director

How should Heifer work with youth,especially since the challenges they facetoday include not only hunger andpoverty, but also child labor, sextrafficking, war, abuse, AIDS and manyother ills that leave millions withouthope for the future?

To answer this question, Heiferconvened a weeklong workshop ofglobal staff and partners to seekstrategies for working with youth.

Participants at the June meeting in St.Petersburg, Russia, were confronted withsome sobering statistics:

• The United Nations estimates thatpoverty takes the life of a child everythree seconds.

• Action International estimates thatthere are 100 million street children in theworld today, and that by 2020 there maybe 800 million.

• There are 10.7 million AIDS orphansin Africa alone.

• The UN says 1 millionchildren were sold intoillegal sex trafficking thisyear.

Jim DeVries, Heifer’shead of InternationalPrograms, noted that evenseemingly hopelesssituations can beimproved, however, andhe told the story of afamily he had met inKenya during his PeaceCorps years. The couplehad three girls and a boyand lived in a denselypopulated area on a smallpiece of land. WhenDeVries met the family again 25 yearslater, he found that one child hadbecome one of Kenya’s first womenlawyers, another worked for theAmerican Embassy, and the son hadbecome an officer in the Kenyan navy.

“To see in one generation this family

working a small piece ofland—what happened totheir children gives me alot of hope,” DeVriessaid.

An emergingconsensus that resultedfrom the meeting wasthat Heifer can best helpyouth by becoming moredeliberate aboutincluding young peoplein its work—throughtraining and the use of

strategies springing from within itscommunity project partner organizations.Community projects could reach outdirectly to children in institutions toprovide them training and livestockrather than Heifer partnering with theinstitutions themselves.

T H E W O R L D

World Food Day to Focus Attention on Hunger More than 150 countries will celebrate the twenty-second annual World Food Day

on Oct. 16 to heighten public awareness of the plight of the world’s hungry andmalnourished peoples.

In the United States, 450 organizations, including Heifer International, will sponsorthe event, which will be observed at the local level. Local coalitions can share ideasfor combating hunger that involve schools, businesses, worship centers, governmentoffices, service groups, and the media.

Nearly 800 million people worldwide are chronically undernourished, unable toobtain enough food to meet even minimum energy needs. About 200 million childrenunder age five suffer from acute or chronic symptoms of malnutrition, increasingtheir vulnerability to preventable diseases and infections such as measles andpneumonia.

In the United States alone, 12 million children live in households where people skipmeals or eat less in order to make ends meet, according to the anti-hunger groupBread for the World.

World Food Day also commemorates the founding of the Food and AgricultureOrganization of the United Nations in 1945. The theme of this year’s internationalcelebration is “Collaboration or Calamity: Africa in Peril,” which calls on nations inthe developed world to work together to help the threatened continent.

For more information visit www.worldfooddayusa.org on the Internet.

Heifer to Reach Out to World’s At-Risk Youth

Asia and South Pacificget new director

Mahendra Lohani has beenappointed director of Asia and SouthPacific Programs.

Heifer’s country director for Nepalsince 1997, he has also served in recentmonths as the interim A/SP director.

Jim DeVries, head of InternationalPrograms, announced theappointment at the Global TeamMeeting in May.

“It is just wonderful to be part ofthis wonderful organization,”Mahendra said on his appointment. “Iwill give my best.”

He holds a master’s degree inagronomy and a Ph.D. in AnimalScience/Agricultural Economics fromthe University of the Philippines. Hewas a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow atthe University of California at Davis in1990-91, completing a post-doctoralstudy on animal nutrition anddevelopment.

Lalitha Iyer, a consultant fromIndia, speaks on youth at riskin St. Petersburg.

www.heifer.org30 World Ark Fall 2003

International in your community and region.Get the tools you need to promote Heifer.

October 5-10Service ElderhostelA wonderful service and learning opportunityexclusively for the 55-plus crowd.

October 182nd Annual Global Village DayA free day-long celebration. Live entertainment,hayrides, hands-on crafts, educational tours andmore.

October 19-24Outdoor Watercolor ElderhostelBeginner and intermediate painters aged 55and over hone their craft among the beautifulfall foliage of the Ouachita Mountains.

2004February-AprilAlternative Spring BreakBecome a part of the solution through theseweeklong Service Learning programs for youthgroups.Adult Work Groups

Global ExplorersSee Fall 2003 for description.

February 19-22Heifer University at the RanchSee October 2003 for description.

February 22-27 Cottage Industry ElderhostelExplore how a small-scale business and itsproducts would vary around the world andcreate your own samples of products.

March 18-21Women’s Lambing WeekendShare in the lambing experience, learn moreabout Heifer and the challenges women facerelating to hunger.

March 22-26Women’s Ranch Hand WeekIncludes both the lambing experience andmore hands-on activities and chores withRanch staff.

April 15-18Heifer University at the RanchSee October 2003 for description.

April 18-23Service ElderhostelWork in the Global Village, organic gardens or with the livestock.

Year-RoundGlobal VillageGet a taste of the real world with thisovernight experience.Challenge CourseLearn the ropes about teamwork andcommunity building.Cottage IndustryDiscover value-added products of plants andanimals.

CERES CENTER, CALIFORNIA2003September-NovemberService LearningFight hunger through service with two- tothree-day camps for youth and adults.

September 26-27Youth for HeiferAn ecumenical event for junior and seniorhigh youth to learn about alleviating hungerand poverty.

November 1Fall FeastFall outing for the whole family. Learn moreabout Heifer while dining on fall foods.

2004April 23-24Heifer Hunger HappeningUnited Methodist Church-sponsored event forjunior and senior high youth.

May 8Pancake Breakfast

Year-RoundGlobal VillageGet a taste of the real world with thisovernight experience.Meeting FacilityHave your meeting or gathering “down on thefarm” and learn about Heifer’s mission.

HEIFER RANCH, ARKANSAS2003September-NovemberGlobal ExplorersBecome a Global Citizen in this two-dayresidential program for middle school groups.

Adult Work GroupsFight hunger through service with theseopportunities for adult groups.

October 2-5Heifer University at the RanchThis unique experience helps you help Heifer

2 0 0 3 - 2 0 0 4 G L O B A L E D U C A T I O NC A L E N D A R O F E V E N T S

Conference and Retreat FacilitiesReflect on your place in the world in modernlodges and meeting facilities.

OVERLOOK FARM,MASSACHUSETTS 2003October 4-5Harvest FestivalHorse-drawn hayrides, pick-your-own pumpkins,food and more. Great family outing.

October 12-7“Harvest Years” Service LearningA program for ages 55 and older. Help withconstructing baskets of farm produce, farm choresand hunger educational sessions.

November 14-16Annual Volunteer Update and TrainingAn exciting weekend featuring a full day ofinformation and speaker training for peopleinterested in taking Heifer to their hometowns.

December 13-14Living NativityA live nativity presented hourly, internationalgift shop, sleigh rides, hot cider and more.

2004February 1-6Peace and Justice Home School CampA residential camp for home-schooled youth,ages 12-18.

February 27-29Winter Volunteer Update and TrainingFeatures a full day of information and speakertraining for people interested in introducing theirhometowns to Heifer.

March 6, 13, 20 and 27Pancakes at the FarmEnjoy hearty pancakes and our own pork sausageand see our maple sugaring operation. Please callfor reservations.

April 30-May 7Women’s Lambing ExperiencesTwo- or three-night programs to share in thelambing experience and learn more about Heiferand the challenges women face relating tohunger.

May 23-28Participatory Development Home School CampA residential camp for home-schooled youth,ages 12-18.

Year-RoundDay Education Programs at Overlook FarmFull- and half-day education programs for groups.May include a peasant meal in the GlobalVillage, a hunger education session, farm workand a horse-drawn hayride.

Multi-Day Service Learning ProgramTwo- to five-day stays where groups enjoy farmwork, hunger/sustainable agriculture educationsessions and an overnight stay in the GlobalVillage.

For more information contact:Ceres Center, Ceres, California

Sandy Groll 877-841-7182 or [email protected]

Heifer Ranch, Perryville, ArkansasVictoria Jackson 501-889-5124 or

[email protected]

Overlook Farm, Rutland, Massachusetts508-886-2221 or

[email protected]

All locations are open year-round fordrop-in visitors or schedule a field trip for

your group.

2003-2004 TOURS


Because of the uniqueness of our Study Tours, detailed day-by-day itineraries are not always available when tours are first announced. Our travel is determined by the projects we visit and is subject to change at any time.

If the contact is [email protected], information will be sent when it is available.Once a Study Tour leader has been posted, we urge you to get in touch as soon as possible as Study Tours fill up fast.

Latin America and Caribbean,10-14 days, $1,800 to $3,500Central and Eastern Europe, 10-14 days, $2,800 to $3,500

Africa, 17-24 days, $4,000 to $5,000Asia and the South Pacific, 14-21 days, $3,200 to $4,500

North America (air transportation not included), 5-10 days, $800 to $1,500

Approximate lengths of stay and costs for tours includinginternational airfare, accommodations, meals and local transportation:

Please check our website often for the most up-to-date information and a complete list of trips: www.heifer.org.

ARMENIAOctober 5 – 19

Leader: Dr. Rex [email protected]

501-889-5124

VIETNAMDecember 2 – 15 (In country)

Leaders: Carole [email protected]

Becke [email protected]

PHILIPPINESJanuary 24 – February 8

Leader: Dr. Rex [email protected]

501-889-5124

N. THAILAND/LAOSFebruary

Leader: Michael [email protected]

501-907-2954

This Study Tour will involve a higher degree of difficulty than most.

Participants should be adaptable and in good physical condition..

ROMANIAMay 17 – 24

Leaders: Pat [email protected]

508-886-2221Dale Perkins

[email protected]

GHANAFebruary

Leader: Elizabeth [email protected]

501-907-4935

CAMEROONApril

Leader: Alissa [email protected]

404-373-5112

TANZANIALate May/JuneLeader: Bill Beck

[email protected]

ECUADORSeptember or October

Focus on Women’s Issues in the Andes

Dates to be advised in 2004 for

Bolivia, Peru, Honduras, China,Uganda/Rwanda

[email protected]

Special Animal Management TRIPS:

These tours are suggested for veterinariansand other animal scientists who want to

learn more about Heifer’s program inImproved Animal Management.

Companions are welcome.

HONDURASJanuary

Leader: Dr. Roger [email protected]

518-642-9490

ROMANIAMid-September

Leaders: Drs. Jim and Barbara [email protected]

845-758-1783

Do you know that a five-gallon container ofwater weighs 41.5 pounds? How manytimes have you seen women in developingcountries carrying this load?

In most areas where Heifer works there areconflicts over shared water basins–in Eastand South Africa, Southeast Asia, CentralAmerica and Eastern Europe. On our StudyTours we see this struggle and the need.

As you travel with Heifer, we offer you newlandscapes, but, more importantly, we areinvited into the homes and lives of ourcountry staff and project partners. Notonly do we see the landscape of thecountry, we also “see” people with ourhearts and minds. They are making adifference! Our challenge is to come hometo educate and motivate our communitiesand ourselves to live in a more sustainable way.

The remainder of 2003 and 2004 will offerexciting new as well as familiardestinations. Although all times anddetails are not yet complete, we want toshare with you our plans. Please check thewebsite as trips are finalized. If you wouldlike to receive information on specific tripsand a tour leader is not listed, please sendyour request to [email protected]. Ifyou do not have access to e-mail, send anote or call 501-907-2957. Many of ourtour leaders are members of the Heiferstaff and often travel on business, so areply to your request could be delayed.

Travel with a PurposeTravel with a PurposeTravel with a Purpose

A BEATRICE’S GOAT BOOK by Page McBrierIllustrated by Lori Lohstoeter, The New York Times Bestselling children’s picture book (Simon & Schuster 2000). Read to your children the amazing story of how young Beatrice’s life was changed when her family received a goat from Heifer International.#NB0700H, Hardback, $16.00 #NB0700S, Softback, $10.00

B COW THAT SAVED THE EARTHShow your support for the mission of Heifer International by wearing this attractive shirt featuring an African batik cow proclaiming “The Cow That Saved the Earth”, along with the Heifer logo on the sleeve. Black, 100% cotton.Adult sizes: S-XXL #NS4800, $12.00

C BEATRICE’S GOAT TOTE BAGPerfect for carrying groceries or items for work. Beatrice’s Goat imprinted on canvas tote bag; designed to promote Heifer’s Read to Feed® program in conjunction with Simon & Schuster. Illustration by Lori Lohstoeter. #NO0401, $7.50

WORLD ARK MARKET

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NEW HOLIDAY CARDS

“PEACE DOVE”Message inside: ‘Joy and Peace to You ThisHoliday Season’. 20 cards in a package#NC0623, $10.00

POLISH TRADITION CARD WITH A WAFER TO SHAREMessage inside: ‘Share this Oplatek wafer with those you love. Breaking and sharing the Oplatek comes from a beautiful Polish custom where it is a symbol of peace, harmony, integrity, love, health and prosperity. As youshare this wafer say aloud your best wishes… no matter how small the piece you pass on, the wishes from your heart will reach out to another. Break a piece and receive a wish that you have a joyous holiday and peaceful new year’. 10 cards in a package#NC0603, $10.00

“MANGER ON A HILL” Message inside: ‘Peace on Earth’. 20 cards in a package#NC0613, $10.00

B


HEIFER GOLF SHIRTPerfect for that hard-to-shop-for man in your life. However, women also likethe classic look of this golf shirt.Available in white or natural colors.Adult sizes: S-XXXL#NS4300, $20.00

HEIFER MUGA coffee mug with Heifer’s logo on it makes a great gift for almost anyone, even yourself.#NM0411, $8.00 HEIFER 2004 WALL CALENDAR

Beautiful photographs taken around theworld show Heifer’s project partners intheir communities. 12-month calendaravailable November 1.#NV2004, $13.00

HEIFER CAPSSporting this ball cap will indicate yoursupport of Heifer International. 100%cotton with a relaxed front and is easilyadjustable. Available in stone or khaki.One size fits all.#NS4000, $10.00

ARK SWEATSHIRT AND T-SHIRT Warm up this winter with this colorfulsweatshirt that was designed by artist Roxanna Villa. This beautiful shirt shows Heifer animals on parade.Available in a t-shirt or a sweatshirt.White, 100% cotton.T-ShirtAdult: #NS4400; Sizes: S-XXXL, $12.00Child: #NS4400; Sizes: XS-L, $10.00SweatshirtAdult: #NS4500; Sizes: S-XXXL, $20.00Child: #NS4500; Sizes: XS-L, $15.00

FAITH THE COWby Susan Bame HooverIllustrated by Maggie Sykora. Read the story about how the idea forHeifer International came to life and howFaith the cow helped families in Puerto Rico.#NB0705, Hardback, $16.00

HEIFER DENIM SHIRTThis classic denim button down shirt is perfect for any casual occasion. Heifer’s embroidered logocan clearly be seen above the leftbreast pocket. Available in longsleeve or short sleeve.Adult sizes: S-XXXLLong sleeve: #NS4100, $30.00Short sleeve: #NS4200, $28.00

ARK T-SHIRTThis beautiful, vibrant shirt wasdesigned by artist Stephanie Carter andits message signifies animals bringinghappiness around the world. White,100% cotton.Adult: #NS4700; Sizes: S-XXXL, $12.00 Child: #NS4700; Sizes: XS-L, $10.00

HOLIDAY CARDS ON SALE

For the three cards on special, we havelimited quantities available; therefore, this offer is only good as long as supplieslast. We can only accept orders that arecalled in to our Call Center. Call today: 1-800-422-0474.

“CHILDREN WITH CHICKS”Message inside: ‘May all things brightand beautiful be yours this season’. 20 cards in a package#NCC699, $10.00 NOW $5.00

“CHILD DRINKING”Message inside: ‘To your family and our world family, Peace, Joy and Love’. 20 cards in a package#NCB600, $10.00 NOW $5.00

“THE WORLD’S CHILDREN”Message inside: ‘Peace on Earth Goodwillto All’. 20 cards in a package#NCR601, $10.00 NOW $5.00

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WORLD ARK VIDEOS

A “LEGACY FOR EFRAIN” This award winning video is the perfect introduction to Heifer’s work around the world. 17 minutes#NV0211, $10.00

B “A SIMPLE GIFT” Churches partnering with Heifer are helping transform the lives of impoverished people from Bosnia to Guatemala. 16 minutes#NV0215, $10.00

C “BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF HOPE”Learn about the work that Heifer is doing right here in the United States. 31 minutes#NV0216, $10.00

D “THE FLAME”An inspiring video features Heifer’s work with women’s project groups through its WiLD (Women in Livestock Development) program that empowers women around the world. 15 minutes#NV0214, $10.00

E “REMEDIES: HEALING THE EARTH”In countries all over the globe local people are involved in improving their environment. This award winning video showcases diverse projects in several countries including the United States. 19 minutes#NV0180, $10.00

F “GET CONNECTED! A GLOBAL VILLAGE EXPERIENCE”See firsthand the types of experiential learning activities that take place at Heifer’s learning centers. 17 minutes#NV0170, $10.00

G “THE PROMISE”How do children in India and Uganda live? Award-winning children’s video illustrates how the animals Heifer provides givehope and the promise of a brighter future. 10 minutes#NV0213, $10.00

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___________________________________________________________NAME

___________________________________________________________SHIPPING ADDRESS

___________________________________________________________CITY STATE ZIP

___________________________________________________________PHONE ❑ RESIDENCE ❑ BUSINESS

CHECK ENCLOSED $______________________________________________

CHARGE TO MY CREDIT CARD: $ ______________________________________❑ VISA ❑ MASTERCARD ❑ DISCOVER ❑ AMERICAN EXPRESS

___________________________________________________________CREDIT CARD NUMBER (ALL DIGITS, PLEASE)

___________________________________________________________EXPIRATION DATE

___________________________________________________________NAME AS IT APPEARS ON CARD

___________________________________________________________SIGNATURE

SHIPPING AND HANDLING (UNITED STATES AND CANADA)$00.01 — $20.00 _______________________________________________________________$4.50

$20.01 — $30.00 _______________________________________________________________$6.00

$30.01 — $50.00 _______________________________________________________________$7.00

$50.01 — $80.00 _______________________________________________________________$8.50

OVER $80.00 ___________________________________________________________________$12.00

Mail to Heifer InternationalP.O. Box 8058, Little Rock, AR 72203-8058

1-800-422-0474

ORDER FORM

✃

Subtotal ______

Shipping and Handling $ ______

Total ______

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WORLD ARK Fall ‘03Prices good through March ’04

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WI3490000www.heifer.org34 World Ark Fall 2003


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lity P

izza

Freschetta® pizza, a division of The Schwan Food Company, is proud to

begin a partnership with Heifer International to help fight world hunger.

The relationship was kicked off at the Freschetta® on the Rocks Festival and

concert August 8 and 9 headlined by nine-time Grammy award-winningartist Sheryl Crow. A portion of the proceeds of the Freschetta® on the

Rocks Festival benefit Heifer International.

This party with a purpose is a continuation of The Schwan Food

company’s long history of giving to those in need.

“We felt it was important to partner with Heifer International to fight

hunger at a global level,” said Tom Bierbaum, national brand group manager

of Freschetta® pizza. “A portion of the proceeds from the concert will

supply needy families world-wide with sustainable food sources.”

Prior to the concert, the festival included the Freschetta Village where

event ticket holders were treated to a relaxing, sensory experience amidst

the stunning landscape of Red Rocks. The award-winning Freschetta

Culinary Council, a team of nationally renowned chefs who develop new

recipes for the Freschetta brand, featured gourmet cooking demonstrations

and samples. Guests relaxed to the sounds of Denver’s favorite bands and

had the opportunity to learn more about Heifer International.

For more information about Freschetta® please visit www.freschetta.com

Freschetta® pizza and Heifer International –Partners Against Hunger

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Lester R. BrownW.W. Norton and Company,Cloth, $27.95, 222 pages

By Michael HaddiganHeifer Staff Writer

Humanity crossed a threshold in 1980. For the first time,our activities outpaced the planet’s ability toregenerate, writes Lester Brown, a leading thinker on

environmental and economic issues.Between 1950 and 2000, the world population ballooned

from 2.5 billion to 6.1 billion. World demand for grain tripled.Water demand tripled. Fossil fuel use quadrupled.

Over the last 50 years, new technology has allowed humansto pump more water from aquifers than ever before, so muchthat natural systems cannot recharge the undergroundreservoirs.

Species extinction is now 1,000 times the natural rate, Brownsays.

And the Earth is seeing the greatest mass extinction ofspecies since the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago,he says.

In “Plan B: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilizationin Trouble,” Brown paints a grim portrait of a planet introuble.

“As we consume the earth’s natural capital, the earth’scapacity to sustain us is decreasing,” Brown says. “We are aspecies out of control, setting in motion processes we do notunderstand with consequences we cannot foresee.”

The way we’ve been doing things for the last 50 years orso—Brown calls it Plan A—isn’t working.

Plan B is Brown’s proposal for saving the Earth andhumanity. The plan includes:

• Stabilizing the world population at about 7.4 billionthrough investments in education, health care and familyplanning.

• Moving from a carbon-based to a hydrogen-basedeconomy.

• Reducing dependence on automobiles.• Crafting market systems that “tell the ecological truth,”

through higher taxes on environmentally destructive activitiesand credits for ecologically sound practices.

• Dramatically increasing efficiency of irrigation.• Reducing consumption of livestock, particularly beef, in

industrial nations.

Brown, a former federal Agriculture Department analyst,is founder of the influential environmental researchorganization Worldwatch Institute and, more recently, theEarth Policy Institute.

In 1984 he began publishing the widely read annual“State of the World” reports that assess the planet’senvironmental health.

To those who’ve read Brown’s previous work, “Plan B”will have a familiar ring.

In “Eco-Economy: Building an Economy for the Earth,”published in 2001, Brown suggsted that many economistshave operated under incorrect assumptions. Theenvironment is not simply a part of the economy. Theeconomy is a part of the environment, Brown says, and weneed to structure the world economy to be compatible withenvironmental realities.

“Plan B,” in many ways, is a restatement of this earlierwork. But Brown’s critics may think “Plan B” sounds morelike Plan 9—the one from Outer Space.

Brown’s call for tax shifting, new directions in energypolicy and sweeping transformations of world systemsmay strike some as dreamy and radical. And any mentionof family planning in relation to public policy alwaysgenerates a reaction.

But the author argues that the realities of ourdeteriorating environment make such changesunavoidable.

He also cites with great effect successful internationalefforts in recent decades to tackle monumental threats tohumanity.

In 1980, deaths from diarrheal disease were 4.6 million. AUNICEF campaign to treat the diseases with oralrehydration therapy reduced deaths to 1.5 million.

Iran’s family planning efforts brought average family sizedown from seven in 1987 to three in 1994.

Anti-smoking campaigns have helped decrease cigarettesmoking 44 percent in the United States and 14 percentworldwide.

Brown also notes that entire economies can be redirectedand widespread social habits changed—if society is willing.

After the U.S. entered World War II, the Americaneconomy and way of life pivoted to support the war effort.In 1942, production and sale of cars and trucks for privateuse ended. Residential and highway construction halted.And driving for pleasure essentially came to a stop, hesays.

The current need for massive international cooperation tostabilize population, climate, water tables and soils is amatter of survival, Brown writes, equal in scale andurgency to the U.S. buildup in World War II.

“One thing that now seems certain,” he asserts, “is that itis time for a new approach—Plan B.”

‘Plan B: Rescuing a PlanetUnder Stress and aCivilization in Trouble’

BOOK REVIEW


Water scarcity, a consequence of thesevenfold growth in the world economyover the last half-century, will be adefining condition of life for many in thisnew century. The simultaneous emergenceof fast-growing water shortages in somany countries requires a wholly newapproach to water policy, a shift fromexpanding supply to managing demand.Managing water scarcity will affect whatwe eat, how we dispose of waste, andeven where we live.

Historically, the common response towater scarcity was to expand supply: tobuild more dams or drill more wells. Nowthis potential is either limited ornonexistent in most countries. Whererivers are drained dry and water tables arefalling, the only option is reducing thegrowth in demand by raising waterproductivity and stabilizing population.With most of the 3 billion people projectedto be added by 2050 due to be born incountries where wells are already goingdry, achieving an acceptable balancebetween people and water may dependmore on slowing population growth thanany other single action.

After World War II, as the world lookedahead to the end of the century, it saw aprojected doubling of world populationand frontiers of agricultural settlementthat had largely disappeared. Theresponse was to launch a major effort toraise land productivity, one that nearlytripled it between 1950 and 2000. Now it istime to see what we can do with water. ...

[W]e need a global full-court press, toborrow an expression from basketball, to

raise water productivity. This begins withimproved irrigation practices andtechnologies, as described in this chapter.It also includes boosting crop yields onboth irrigated and non-irrigated land.The former will raise the productivity ofirrigation water and the latter will getmore mileage out of existing rainfall.Shifting to more water-efficient crops alsohelps raise farm water productivity. Theshift from rice to wheat, already underway in some countries, can continuewherever it is practical. With feedgrain,shifting from corn to sorghum may makesense in countries where there is notenough water for irrigation.

At the dietary level, shifting to moregrain-efficient forms of animal proteincan raise the efficiency of water use. Thismeans moving from feedlot beef andpork to more poultry and herbivorousspecies of farmed fish, such as carp,tilapia, and catfish. For the world’saffluent, moving down the food chainalso saves water.

At the consumer level, switching tomore water-efficient householdappliances raises water productivity. Forcities and industry, recycling of waterbecomes the key to achieving large gainsin water productivity.

For more information, visitwww.earthpolicy.org.

From “Plan B: Rescuing a Planet UnderStress and a Civilization in Trouble” byLester R. Brown. © 2003 by the Earth PolicyInstitute. Published by W.W. Norton andCo., New York and London.

EXCERPT

From “Plan B: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble”By Lester R. Brown

Raising Water Productivity

Richard EllisIsland PressCloth, $26, 367 pages withillustrations

By Scott MorrisWorld Ark Associate Editor

Ever wonder where the orangeroughy went?

Not long ago it was a popularentrée in fashionable restaurants, butthese days it’s hard to find the tastyfish on menus. The orange roughydisappeared from our tables aftercommercial fishermen hunted italmost to extinction, Richard Ellisexplains in his sobering new book,“The Empty Ocean.”

Given time, the orange roughymight recover, but “The Empty Ocean”is replete with lists of marine speciesthat humanity has already obliterated.The great auk, Steller’s sea cow, theLabrador duck and Caribbean monkseal—all have vanished from theearth. Still extant but facing gravedanger of extinction, Ellis writes, arethe barndoor skate, thorn-back ray,Patagonian toothfish, Chinese riverdolphin, Ganges River dolphin andthe Gulf of California porpoises called“vaquitas.”

Why should we care? As Ellismakes clear, “everything that lives inthe ocean is intimately connectedwith everything else by a complexarrangement of feeding strategies. …”Humanity, of course, constitutes thefinal link in that food chain; weignore what takes place in the oceansat our peril.

The once plentiful North Americancod fisheries, for example, had to beclosed as a result of over-fishing.Among other things, that meant a lossof jobs.

Also imperiled are mighty whales,

and finwhales—thatwere too fastto huntfromrowboats.

“Whaleswere killed by thehundreds of thousands inperhaps the most callousdemonstration history offers ofhumankind’s self-appointeddominion over animals,” writes Ellis,a former member of the InternationalWhaling Commission.

Despite the successes of themodern “Save the Whales” campaign,Ellis reports that “all the great whaleswere decimated to the point that theymay never recover.” Right whales,humpbacks and bowhead whaleshave been reduced to “shadowpopulations,” he says, adding that“we may witness the death of the lastblue whale in our lifetime.”

A moratorium was imposed oncommercial whaling in 1982, but Elliswarns that the Japanese andNorwegians are exploiting loopholesto continue the killing.

When hunted animals do escapeextinction, the reasons often seemcapricious, as in the case of sealsspared because their fur went out offashion.

Is there hope? Ellis believes there is,if readers will heed his warning. Fishpreserves—areas where fishing is notpermitted—are one part of a possiblesolution. Tighter restrictions oncommercial fishing are another.

Such steps aren’t likely unlesspeople around the world exertpressure on their governments.Reading Ellis’ book may make youwant to enlist in a “Save Our SeaLife” campaign while there’s stilltime.

BOOK REVIEW

‘The Empty Ocean: Plundering the World’s Marine Life’

delicate seahorses and the oilymenhaden, the major source offishmeal in the United States.Swordfish, sharks, white abalone—the lists of endangered sea creaturesgo on and on.

Who is to blame? We are, says Ellis.“We are stranded on shore,

watching as the bountiful sea lifedisappears before ouruncomprehending eyes,” he writes.“For many species, what we do—ordon’t do—in the coming years willmake the difference betweenexistence and extinction.”

Ellis’ meticulously researched book,which boasts a 43-page bibliography,is not always easy reading. “TheEmpty Ocean” lacks a compellingnarrative structure. It relies insteadfor its momentum on the steadyaccretion of examples of humanity’sshortsighted and greed-driven assaulton marine life.

Unfortunately, history is studdedwith such examples.

What Ellis calls the “thousand-yearwar against the whales” began in theBay of Biscay where Basquefishermen soon depleted their nativewaters. They crossed the Atlantic toNewfoundland in pursuit of the“right whale”—so called because ithad thick blubber, didn’t swim toofast for their small boats and floatedwhen killed—and along the waydiscovered rich cod fishing grounds.Craving oil and whalebone, huntersfrom Britain and Holland joined thecampaign, heading north and “killingall the Greenland whales they could.”

Ironically, the discovery ofpetroleum did not save the whales.Instead, it enabled whalers tomodernize their equipment. Armedwith diesel-powered boats andharpoon canons, they began toslaughter species—such as the blue


By Scott Morris

Richard Ellis is a man with urgentnews.

“Through carelessness, ignorance,greed, or just plain stupidity, we havesquandered our precious marineheritage—in some cases beyondsalvation,” he writes in the preface tohis latest book, “The Empty Ocean.”“… [M]illions of whales, dolphins,seals, sea lions, and sea otters havebeen killed in the name of fashion orcommerce. … Poisoning, over-fishing,and extinction are on the increasearound the world.”

Ellis, 65, hopes his readers will beso outraged by this news that theywill take action.

“Contact your local conservationorganizations,” he said in a telephoneinterview from his home in NewYork. “Pay attention. Get involved.”

Ellis, research associate at theAmerican Museum of NaturalHistory in New York, grew up inNew York City and on Long Island,where he fell in love with the sea.After taking a bachelor’s degree inAmerican history and doing graduatework at the University ofPennsylvania, he designed the Hall ofthe Biology of Fishes for the AmericanMuseum, a project that required himto undertake an intensive study ofocean life “from whales to guppies.”

Since then, he has forged asuccessful career as a writer andillustrator of books about the sea.

“It’s a happy little confluence ofinterests,” he said. “I was the kid inyour class that could draw better thanyou. I used to say I drew whalesbecause I couldn’t do feet, but in fact Ican do feet.”

“The Empty Ocean” is gracefullyillustrated with Ellis’ detailed linedrawings of whales, bluefin tuna,

deepwater corals and other seacreatures.

His paintings have been exhibitedacross the country. In 1978 he createda 35-foot-long whale mural for theDenver Museum of Natural History,and in 1986 he painted a 100-foot-long mural of Moby Dick for theNew Bedford Whaling Museum inMassachusetts.

He has published more than 80articles in magazines such asNational Geographic, Audubon andScience Digest. His fifteen booksinclude “The Book of Sharks,”originally published in 1976 andnow in its seventh printing, and“Imagining Atlantis,” published in1998.

A book on extinct sea creatures,titled “Sea Dragons,” is forthcomingfrom the University of Kansas Press.Additional books are planned for2004 and 2005.

“The Empty Ocean” was written,Ellis said, because he realized he wasrunning out of subject matter, “bothliterally and figuratively.”

“It’s not a cheerful book,” he said.“It’s a book that I feel needed to bewritten. I’m sorry the news isn’tgood.”

Humanity’s fundamental mistake,Ellis said, has been its enduringconviction that the seas constitutedan inexhaustible source of protein.That might have been true whenfishermen depended on ocean windsto propel their boats and their ownstrong backs to haul in modest nets.In the last hundred years, however,dramatic technological advances—more powerful ships and biggernets, among them—havetransformed humans into the mostdevastating predators the world has

ever seen.“It’s industrialized fishing,” he said

when asked to name the root cause ofthe problem. “It’s greed. It’s love ofmoney.”

Add the fact that commercialfishing takes place on the high seas,far from the sight of most Americans,and there’s little political pressure forchange.

Ellis said that most people he metwhile on a speaking tour to promotehis book expressed surprise thefederal government hadn’t takensteps to protect the world’s fish. Heresponded by noting thatgovernment had a poor record ofprotecting the environment fromindustry.

“I have no idea what will happen,”he said, “but I’m hopeful that peoplewill wake up and see what’s goingon around them.”

INTERVIEW

‘Get involved,’ author urges



Margaret AtwoodNan A. Talese/DoubledayCloth, $26, 376 pages

By Leslie Newell Peacock

The reader should be warned: thepost-apocalyptic world depictedin Margaret Atwood’s novel

“Oryx and Crake” is a horrifyinglybrutal place.

Corporations have supplantedgovernments and confined theiremployees to artificially lovelycompounds that have become the onlysafe living places. Global warming hasflooded the coastlines and fried the“pleeblands,” the dangerous areassurrounding the compounds. TheInternet offers animal snuff sites andcondemned men hamming it up forthe camera before their executions ondeathrowlive.com.

Though no year is given, thisdreadful future doesn’t feel too fardistant from today. Little boys like theprotagonist Jimmy are still taken to thebarbershop by their dads. Jimmyremembers fall, when leaves changed.His chain-smoking, biochemist wreckof a mother mourns the shriveling ofher grandfather’s orchard and theinundation of her seaside cottage.

“Oryx and Crake” is a dark andfrequently funny tale of a worldremarkably like ours. AlthoughAtwood’s dark visions are extremelydisturbing, we know that even nowlittle girls endure horrors in the armiesof Africa and South America.

Unbidden e-mail and raw televisionfare, our consumption-driven society’srape of the world’s resources, agoverning system that concentrateswealth among the few and toleratespoverty among the many—these

BOOK REVIEW

obscenities are already fact. So “Oryx and Crake” is, in fact, a

logical extension of our trajectory, andin the novel that path ends inArmageddon. But the novel itselfdoesn’t end there; Atwood’s grim andexquisitely crafted allegory concludesin a beginning.

The novel opens on a lagoon.Snowman—as the adult Jimmy isknown—wakes to find he may be thelast man on earth. He enjoys thatterrible privilege because he was safelyairlocked away in a place calledParadice inside the RejoovenEnsecompany’s compound when a plagueravaged the globe.

Yet he has company at the lagoon: theCrakers, green-eyed innocents whocome in all colors, live on grass andleaves, and who don’t know how theycame to be.

Snowman’s story unfolds during hisharrowing journey back to Paradice forweapons and food.

Abandoned by his mother while stilla boy, Jimmy is left with his shallow,upbeat father and his father’s new wife.Jimmy tamps down his confusion andresumes a “normal” life. He watchespornography websites and plays acomputer game that pits humanachievements against human atrocities(the Mona Lisa equals Bergen-Belsen,but “there was room for haggling”)with his friend Glenn.

Glenn is soon known as “Crake,” thename of an extinct African bird hediscovers on the game Extinctathon.

Off they go to college—Jimmy toMartha Graham, “named after somegory dance goddess of the twentiethcentury who’d cut quite a swath in herday;” Crake to the brainy Watson-Crick. It’s there, Jimmy is disgusted tolearn on a visit, that scientists havecreated a lump-like creature with

chicken skinfrom which amultitude ofbulbs are growing.It is a chicken, ofsorts— a headless,beakless, eyelessbird that grows onlybreasts. “Picture thesea-anemone body

plan,” Crake tells Jimmy. “That helps.”In the Martha Graham library, Jimmy

finds all kinds of writing, from theinane to Shakespeare, and begins tosoak up all manner of obsolete butbeautiful words: wheelwright,saturnine, adamant. Succulent, quarto,frass.

But the ever-compromising Jimmybecomes not a writer, of course, but anunhappy ad man, turning out emptycommercial phrases until Crake hireshim for a secret project atReejoovenEnse.

At the Paradice facility, Jimmyencounters the love of his life. She was alittle girl brutalized on the Internet, thesmall-boned child whose adult eyesbored directly into Jimmy’s barricadedsoul.

Oryx, as she’s been named by Crake,is teaching the bioengineered Crakers,the beautiful, multi-colored and color-blind people Crake has designed to bedevoid of all of the nasty traits ofhumankind.

In the end, though, it is the all-too-human art of science that produces aworld-ravaging plague, leaving behindonly a few survivors and theirfundamental human capacity to loveone another. That enduring trait,Atwood suggests, is the place wherenew beginnings start.

Leslie Newell Peacock is a writer living inLittle Rock, Ark.

‘Oryx and Crake’

his own sake, but, for the first timein his life, he feared that he wouldno longer be able to take care of hisfamily. He was restless with anxietyabout what the future would holdfor his wife and family. It dawnedon him that out of all the planninghe had put into living, there wasone thing he had failed to do forhis family—he hadn’t planned ondying. He didn’t have a will.

I met the Murrays while giving a seminar in their community.After the seminar, the Murraysintroduced themselves and invitedme to come to their home fordinner. Ted had long been asupporter of Heifer International.Being a dairy farmer (and raised on a farm during the GreatDepression), he, of all people,

t w o bright,w o n d e r f u ldaughters. Tedt o o k g r e a tpride in havinggrown up ona farm andthen raisinghis family onthe same farmwhere he wasreared. Theymade a decentl iv ing andwonderful life together.

Ted and Adel were able to givetheir daughters opportunitiesthey hadn’t had. They went tocollege. Soon their children hadlives and families of their own—though theirs took them to careersin the big city, not back to thefarm. Ted took great pride inproviding for his family. In hiscommunity, a strong work ethicand providing for your family werethe most important attributes aperson could have.

Over a lifetime of growing andfarming, the Murrays acquired a choice herd of cattle and highlycoveted rich, rolling, greenfarmland. Their life togetherseemed to be picture-perfect formany years. It was only days aftercelebrating his 70th birthday thatTed learned that he had terminalcancer. He was devastated, not for


Ted and Adel Murray metwhile attending the samevacation Bible school in a

small town in the rural Midwest.Both came from small familyfarms in neighboring townshipswithin five miles of each other.Before long, they were attendingthe same school and weremarried soon after graduation.There was a war, and then therewere children. (The names of thedonors have been changed toprotect their privacy.)

Farming is what they knew, so farming is what they did.They raised corn, soybeans and

www.heiferfoundation.org Heifer International Foundation

continued on next page...

A Will for PeaceBy Janet K. GinnPresident

Gifts like the Murrays’ help Heifer International continue itswork around the world in places like Quebrada Honda,Honduras.

www.heiferfoundation.org

Your generosity can put a smile on thefaces of children like Rose in Kenya,whose futures are threatened by forcesbeyond their control.

knew what one cow could do fora family.

I visited with the Murrays andfound out what their concernsand values were. Ted wanted tosee that his family was cared forfirst, and then to help Heifer tohelp others, as heifers had helpedhis family. After talking withhim about his wishes andlistening to his concerns, I wasable to help Ted with hisquestions and provide him with

the tools that he needed to puthis mind at ease. With theguidance of his attorney, Ted wasable to put his estate in order.

A few weeks after visiting withthe Murrays, I was visiting withdonors half a continent awaywhen I received a call from Adeltelling me that Ted had passedaway. I was deeply saddened by thenews. In the short time I hadknown them, I felt very close tothe Murrays, especially meetingthem during this tragic time

in their l ives . I of fered mycondolences and thanked Adelfor taking the time to personallytrack me down. Adel said that itwas important that she tell mewhat our visit had meant to her.She said that after our visit, Tedwas the happiest she had seen himsince the onset of his illness. Hewas happy because he was atpeace. He knew that he had takencare of his family, and madeprovisions for families in parts ofthe world he would never know.

There must be powerful reasons to avoidhaving a will because so many people diewithout one. In case you happen to be oneof the seven out of 10 who will departwithout a will, here are five reasons tosupport your position.

Powerful reasons? Hardly. Nonetheless,people unwittingly affirm these reasonsyear after year as they continue to putoff the minor inconvenience of makinga will.

Heifer Foundation urges you to takeaction now. Your family will appreciate it.The charities you support will appreciate it.And you will appreciate the peace of mindyou get from fulfilling one of your mostimportant stewardship responsibilities.

Like many people, you may be uneasyabout going to an attorney. But an

Five Reasons to Die Without a Will

1. The court can do a better job deciding how to disburse your assets than you can.

2. The court can choose a better personal representative to handle your estate during probate than you can.

3. The court can choose a more caring guardian for your minor children than you can.

4. The government will use your estate tax dollars more efficiently than your favorite charity would use a charitable bequest.

5. Your grieving loved ones will be better off looking after your affairs without your will.

Five Reasons to Die Without a Will

continued from previous page...

www.heiferfoundation.orgHeifer International Foundation

42 World Ark Fall 2003 www.heiferfoundation.org

(Please complete and return this reply form.)

Dear Friends at HeiferInternational Foundation:

❏ Please send me a country endowment catalog.

❏ Please accept my gift to the $100 Million Club.

❏ I have already provided for Heifer in my will.

❏ Please send me a complimentary will kit.

Name: ____________________________

Address: __________________________

City: ______________________________

State: ______Zip: __________________

Phone: ____________________________

E-mail: ___________________________

www.heiferfoundation.org(888) 422-1161

Mail this form to:Heifer International Foundation

P. O. Box 727Little Rock, Arkansas 72203

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attorney who specializes in estate planning knowsthe right questions to ask and the best ways to help youaccomplish your goals. These professionals are welltrained and normally well worth the time and expensethey require.

Heifer International Foundation offers an informativeguide on making your will. Lori Jones, our planned givingdirector, can help you with this. She will provide youwith helpful printed material on making a will and, if youlike, supply information on ways you can includecharitable giving in your plans.

While you will still need to meet with yourprofessional advisor for expert counsel, an advancemeeting or two with Lori will prove useful and couldsave costs by helping you make the best use of yourattorney’s time. Her services are available to youwithout any obligation whatsoever. You can contactLori by calling (888) 422-1161.

Would you like to learn more about making a will?Simply fill out the response form and mail it to us, or giveus a call. And while you’re at it, please let us knowwhether you have included (or intend to include) HeiferInternational Foundation in your estate plans. Thisinformation helps us assist you better.

Making a will to determine how and where your assetsare transferred sounds like a cold and foreboding act. It’sno wonder so many people put off making their wills.Instead, you should think of it as an act of love, maybethe ultimate act of love. With a current will in place, youspare your family enormous headaches and heartaches.Most importantly, you make a final statement of yourvalues that will stand beyond your lifetime.

For more information, and to download a free willsample, go to: www.heiferfoundation.org/waystogive/memorials/will.cfm

•

www.heiferfoundation.org

World Ark Fall 2003 43www.heiferfoundation.org


When I met Antonia, she lived on a mountain inwestern Guatemala. Her village was accessibleonly by a dirt road in which stones stuck out like

knives, slicing tires and throwing rocks up onto thewindshield of our pickup truck. On either side of the road,palms and coffee trees created a wall of dark green, andevery once in a while, a face peered out from a doorwaytucked into the jungle, or a woman carried a brightlywrapped basket on her head, holding the hand of a littleone by her side.

It is a long way to Antonia's if you are coming from ourworld, but in her world, her needs were close at hand. Inher village, as she sat on the ground weaving, the fabric shecreated stretched out in front of her, connected to her by abelt she wore low around her waist. The school sheattended was a few yards away from her thatched-roofhouse. Her family's chickens wandered around the yard.The church sat just beyond the village store.

The year was 1997, and Antonia was 15 years old. Shehad graduated from sixth grade, the furthest her villageschool could take her. But through an internationalorganization, she had met a teacher in the city at the base ofthe mountain. And so, wearing her tribe’s native dress,Antonia took the bumpy truck ride down the mountainduring the week for more education, including use of theInternet.

Effectively, Antonia skipped centuries on every driveback and forth. When she visited the city, with only anhour of transition time to buffer her, she became part of alandscape that included computer screens and keyboards,connecting her to Mozart and Van Gogh and Einstein’sTheory of Relativity. In the city, she slept in a bed, ate at atable, rode on buses painted red and green. Then, when shereturned to her village, she slept in a hut made from treesand mud, ate with her family around a circle of stones and,in the company of neighbors, sat on the ground to weavethe tribal dress of her ancestors.

I was fascinated by the contrast. And when I tried to boilit down to the fundamental difference, it was this: In thecity, where Antonia became a citizen in the world ofpossibilities, she was separated from the earth. On themountain, enveloped in the ancient customs of hercommunity, she was directly sustained by it.

Someday when she takes the trip down the mountain, Iwondered, will she be able to find her way back home?

In developing countries, children die of diarrhea andhookworm. Women walk miles each day to find a few sticksof wood to keep their families warm and fed. Men have fewopportunities to earn decent wages. Yet it’s an interestingthing to look at our developed world, where our feet rarelytouch bare ground: When we have access to so much, wespend our lives far beyond survival mode. We are trying tofind happiness, to stretch the bounds of creativity, to learnwho we are. And when we finally accomplish those goals,often what we want most of all is to live on a mountainsomewhere, close to the trees and the earth, and be part of acommunity.

When technology can quickly erase the past, it’s easy toforget that our collective history is one of dirt roads, felledfirewood, and hand-loomed clothing—the very things thatboth propel and sustain us in seeking out a better life. Iremember watching Antonia weave, counting threads tocreate the design of yellow and blue. She sat under a goldbanner that was hung over the door of her family’s hut.Feliz Navidad ... “Merry Christmas,” it said. Christmas hadcome and gone two months earlier, but in Antonia’s world,where time stretches back generations, that's not far, either.Maybe we all have something important to learn from that.

Debra Landwehr Engle traveled to Guatemala as part of RotaryInternational’s Group Study Exchange program. She is the authorof “Grace from the Garden: Changing the World One Garden at aTime” (Rodale, 2003).

R E F L E C T I O N

By Debra Landwehr Engle

ROOTED


WORDwebon the

SURVEY SAYS SURVEY SAYSWe at World Ark would like to thank all the people who

filled out the reader’s survey in the summer issue of themagazine. The response was phenomenal.

We’d also like to thank all those (and that was most of you)who took the time to answer completely the questions callingfor a written response. Thousands of people offeredthoughtful, concrete suggestions for improving the magazine,to name writers whose work they’d like to see in World Arkand to comment on particular stories.

As readers might expect, the responses ran the gamut. Somepeople, for example, wrote that they were adamantly opposedto World Ark taking positions on issues affecting hunger andpoverty. Others said, in effect, “Go for it.”

In many ways the survey responses reflected World Ark andHeifer International’s goals. All kinds of people, no mattertheir gender, political views or age, support our work to endhunger and preserve our beautiful planet. It is heartening tosee such unity regarding Heifer’s mission. It’s alsoheartening—and fascinating—to see such diversity of opinionand interest among our readers.

We will publish the survey’s results in a future edition ofthe magazine. Thank you for helping us understand ourreaders better so we can continue to improve World Ark andprovide you with the information you want and need.

Differences of opinion will always exist about how best toachieve Heifer International’s goals. What matters is that somany thoughtful, dedicated people share those goals. Again,our deepest thanks.

SURVEY SAYS SURVEY SAYS

Community Supported Agriculture

Field Manager

Needed at Heifer Ranch

for 2004 Growing Season.

Contact Chuck Crimmins

for more information;

501-889-5124 x 3650

[email protected]

Water, school and goats—what’s theconnection?

Heifer International, of course. By sending goats to farm families

living in the parched highlands ofeastern Guatemala, Heifer is helpingyoung girls spend less time gatheringwater and more time in school.

In this drought-stricken land,women and girls are responsible forthe household while men and boyswork in the fields. One of theseduties—providing enough water fortheir families and animals—hasrequired them to make up to 10 trips aday to the nearest faucet whilebalancing 20-pound jugs on theirheads. With chores like these, it’s nowonder most young girls would quitschool by the sixth grade.

To help reduce the time thesewomen and girls spend gatheringwater, Heifer has been sending goatsto Guatemalan families for almost 20years. In places where water is scarce,goats are useful because they drinkmuch less water than the dairy cowsthe families traditionally used. Andgoats reproduce faster, need less foodand adapt better to the rockyhighlands of eastern Guatemala. Sosimply by substituting goats for cows,children can reduce the time theyspend gathering water and increase thetime they spend in school.

Find out how you and Heifer arechanging lives in Guatemala byvisiting our web site at

www.heifer.org/water

NonprofitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDHeifer

InternationalHeifer Project International1015 Louisiana St.Little Rock, AR 72202/USA800-422-0474

Printed on recycled paper

RP1093

The coffee you buy can make a world of differenceAs part of our 6-month Better World Coffee Tour, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters willdonate a gift of ducks, chickens or geese in your name, while sending you — or theperson you choose — two fabulous bags of coffee every month. In the 12-month tour, wewill give a contribution towards a heifer.

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This donation to Heifer International represents the complete livestock gift of a quality animal,technical assistance and training. Each donation is symbolic and represents a contribution to the entiremission of Heifer International. Donations will be used where needed most to help struggling people.

All our organic coffees are also Fair Trade Certified™, guaranteeing that the farmer received a fair price.

A Partnership Gives LifeBreaking the cycle of poverty is complex, but not impossible.Heifer International® and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters® areworking directly with coffee farming communities to improvethe quality of their coffee and the quality of their lives.

This joint venture begins with a project in Guatemala. Heiferwill train coffee farmers in natural farming techniques, andGreen Mountain Coffee will provide a market for their crop.

On the island of La Gonave, Haiti, Joseph Becken holds hisHeifer chicken. ©Heifer International, Darcy Kiefel

www.GreenMountainCoffee.com | 800-223-6768 H002 1159

ending hunger • saving the earth fall 2003 troubled waters

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