Cattle Project

With the entire country on the run from rebels during the war, scavenging for food became your only concern besides trying to stay alive. The result of this, is a country with little to no animals. All the sheep, goats, cattle, even zoo animals were killed and eaten in order to survive. In 2005, there wasn't even a dog that could be found running around, which is really rare for Africa.

SP has a few livestock projects ongoing in Liberia, one being the cattle project. Currently, SP has the only successful cattle project in all of Liberia running! Five farmers are chosen in a community for training, in which they learn all about the health, proper cleaning, shelter and feeding of the animal. Each farmer is required to build a shelter for their animal before they recieve their cow.

One farmer recieves a bull, while the others all receive females. When the females give birth, the farmer is required to pay SP back with their first female calf, which is passed on to the next community, thus a self sustaining program.

Most times, the cattle turn into the farmers "bank"- creating funds to send their children to school, or put tin on their roofs for rainy season.

This woman just received her cow this year, and is anticipating that first calf!

This particular farmer has had his cow since 2007 and LOVES him. In fact, in the rainy season he will even build a fire inside his bedroom and let his cow sleep in his room!