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NewsUSA/ChildFund ) - Like many children in Central Java, Indonesia, 14-year-old Taufik has little. He shares a cramped one-bedroom home with his parents, both employed as street sweepers. Most days, the money they bring home is not enough to cover basic necessities like food and clothing, but now there is hope.
Earlier this year, a load of livestock donated through
ChildFund's Gifts of Love & Hope catalog was delivered to the community. Taufik's family received a cow. "We are thankful for the cow that was given to us, and also the training to breed it," says Taufik's mother, Sri Rahayu. "Now I have several plans for the future."
The gift of a cow holds much promise for Taufik and his parents -- food security and a potential business of selling surplus milk. Sri Rahayu has taken basic economics classes through ChildFund and is already planning how to generate extra income. "Perhaps a small food place -- anything that will help us to get more money for the family," she says.
With the help of ChildFund community volunteers, Taufik and his mother also are learning how to care for the cow properly. In their community, grass is plentiful, so feeding the cow is easy and inexpensive. Taufik's new after-school chore is ensuring his new friend finds pasture. "I love my cow," he says. "I can play with her, and my favorite part is feeding her grass."
Taufik's family was among the 120 households in Central Java to receive cows, ducks and chickens through ChildFund's Gift of Love & Hope catalog.
Each year, ChildFund asks community leaders in its program areas around the world to identify their greatest needs. Local ChildFund staff members facilitate the process and compile a list of tangible items that will benefit children and families the most. From farm animals to medical supplies, the Gifts of Love & Hope catalog is filled with items that improve the lives of children and their families. Once ordered, these items are purchased in country and delivered by ChildFund staff to children like Taufik.
Thanks to the generosity of thousands of catalog donors, children and families living in poverty receive the most precious gift -- hope.
