In a special vespers presentation this week, students in Orme’s International Club spoke about the Heifer International Program and its importance in fighting world hunger. They challenged all Orme students to participate in a fundraising effort for Heifer International. Club member Dede Ballo stated, “While, no, Orme students and faculty cannot end world hunger all by ourselves, we can still make a difference, and that is important for us to do!”
Heifer International is an aid organization that has many projects helping people all over the world, and especially farm families who live in poverty.
One of Heifer International’s projects assists small scale farm families in developing countries become self-sufficient by supplying the family with a breeding animal such as a heifer. The program also trains and teaches those families how to care for the animal they receive. When the animal produces an offspring, the family then passes on that offspring as a ‘gift’ to yet another family in the village. In that way, the initial gift continues to help even more families!
Orme’s International Club has worked successfully to raise money for Heifer International several times in the past. Last year the Club raised almost $1,600, and the money was sent to assist with earthquake relief efforts in Nepal. This year they hope to raise at least $1,000 with the assistance of other Orme students, faculty and staff. Planned fund raisers this month will include a Bake Sale, Penny Wars, the sale of pens, pencils and pencil cases during lunch, and a Walkathon on Sunday, May 1st.