Eswatini Farm Animal Initiative

The Forward Foundation is proud to fund the Eswatini Farm Animal Initiative, a community-building project spearheaded by Pasture Valley Children Missions, a  nonprofit organization with a mission to benefit orphans, orphanages, preschools, elementary schools, and vulnerable families in Swaziland, Africa.

In this region, the need is great, the resources are not sufficient, and children die daily of starvation. With the help of a $6,000 grant from the Forward Foundation, Pasture Valley Children Missions was able to help two homesteads receive farm animals in 2021, including goats, a cow, a half dozen chickens, and two pigs each.

The families are learning how to care for the animals and project coordinators have been delighted with the results. One of the sows had 9 baby pigs and now the family is raising them to sell, using the money earned to pay for school fees for their children. The chickens produce eggs and offspring, and families can harvest the poultry for protein. Animals can be traded for vital supplies, and cows create long-term wealth in Eswatini.

Another major goal of this project is creating self-sufficiency for families, which creates a generational positive impact. According to project coordinators, the two homesteads that received farm animals are now sharing chickens with other families and teaching them to take care of them. The pay-it-forward mentality has lasting, long-term effects on building a community that shares, develops and lifts everyone up in the process.

Pasture Valley Children Missions aims to continue expanding the farm animal program, with hopes of providing more chickens, cows, goats, and pigs for additional homesteads in the future. Project coordinators hope to keep building on the momentum of education, community-building and family self-sufficiency.

The Forward Foundation is proud to support this incredible initiative, made possible in partnership with Pasture Valley Children Missions. For more information about Pasture Valley Children Missions, visit their website.