Our own Tonya Toney is on a study tour in Tanzania visiting Heifer International projects that are helping families become self sufficient through education, training and livestock. She will be posting her thoughts and photos from the field during the coming week.

“What an amazing first day of project visits, I’m still processing all that I saw, heard and felt. The people have such a beautiful spirit.” – Tonya Toney

In this photo, Tonya is in the Nambala village with four siblings who are now able to attend primary school thanks to their parents involvement with Heifer’s life-changing work.

In the Nambala village, Zadock, a farmer, and his wife received Heifer goats and now have a variety of livestock, more fish ponds and practice organic farming. Zadock now trains other farmers in surrounding villages. They have now been able to send their four children to school (they are in the above photo with Tonya).

Mama Ana demonstrates butter churning. The Agape women’s project, in the hills of Mt. Meru, has shown women how to process milk to make all types of cheese and butter that they can use to improve nutrition and sell in their communities. The profits from this successful project has helped build primary and secondary schools and a health clinic for the community.