Dear John,

When you think of a family farm, you may envision beautiful crops, healthy livestock and full plates on the dinner table every night. What you might not imagine is children going hungry night after night.

This was the reality 13-year-old Seiha and his younger siblings faced daily in Cambodia. Without proper training, his mother, Savi, couldn't care for the animals she tried raising and buying animal feed was not a choice — it would mean sacrificing food she desperately needed for their children.

But all of that changed thanks to you. Your generosity enabled Heifer International to provide Seiha's family with a flock of chicks and training in their care.

Chicks may be small, but they have made a huge difference to Seiha's family. Chicks provide protein-packed eggs to Seiha and his siblings every day, and because each hen can lay more than 200 eggs every year, they've provided the opportunity for Seiha's mother to build a business.

Your generosity gives families livestock and training, but with your help Heifer also facilitates small business loans and connections to large urban markets. Savi organized with other women farmers, who now collectively negotiate higher prices for the eggs and produce they sell. They are changing the face of farming and business in Cambodia.

Savi now has a reliable stream of income. She can afford food, clothing and medication for her children — and begin saving for their future. But this would not have been possible without help from someone like you.

You put lifesaving food on tables that were once bare. You help parents earn enough to give their children the education they never had. You offer struggling farmers the opportunity to provide for their families and their communities. And you empower them to become successful small business owners.

Your support inspires me today and every day. Thank you for giving families in need the hand up they need to break free of hunger and poverty — forever.

Sincerely,

Pierre Ferrari
Heifer International