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Rearing sheep in Ethiopia

Letegziar's increased income means she can keep her son in school Letegziar's increased income means she can keep her son in school

The climate in Tigray, in northern Ethiopia, is arid, dry and inhospitable. 80% of the population live in rural areas, and earn less than £2 per day.

Most families here don’t have access to farmland, and those who do, struggle to grow crops as the land is steeply sloping, the soil is poor and rainfall is erratic. Life here is unbearably hard.

This is where 40-year-old Letegziar and her children live. The family are used to enduring food shortages and not having enough money for medicines when they get sick. Letegziar worked as a labourer to survive, but sometimes this just isn't enough.

Simple and effective solutions

As with all of Farm Africa’s initiatives, our project in Tigray is simple, effective and sustainable. In January 2014 Letegziar received three sheep from Farm Africa. Small animals like sheep and goats can thrive on the shrubs and bushes that grow in Tigray, making them ideal for this hostile environment.

She also received training on how to keep her sheep healthy, what to feed them, how to build a house for them, and when to take them to get vaccinated. She continues to receive support and advice from Farm Africa about what to do when her sheep get sick. Over the last 14 months, Letegziar’s three sheep have produced eight lambs.

“In the near future I am planning to sell some of them and generate a good amount of money.

Letegziar is confident that her sheep will help her earn enough income to keep her children in school.

A gift from you could help provide a woman with three sheep that could transform her family’s future.

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