Welcome to the wonderful world of pigs! These clever, playful creatures are full of surprises and charm. Here are five fascinating facts about pigs:
- Pigs are one of the smartest mammals on earth! They’re more intelligent than dogs, have excellent memories and can obey simple commands.
- Pigs are clean! Despite their propensity to roll in the mud, they naturally follow specific hygiene and sanitation rules.
- Mama pigs sing lullabies to their piglets and communicate with them using distinct grunts and calls.
- Pigs dream and love to cuddle, often sleeping snout to snout!
- Last but certainly not least, pigs can help a hungry family leave dire poverty behind!
Just ask Ben and Eunice, a young couple living in remote Kalasa Mukoso, Zambia They have experienced firsthand the joy and hope that pigs can bring.
The Transformative Power of Pigs
Bright Hope and a group of churches in Zambia started the Christian Farmers Association (CFA) to help families living in rural Northern Zambia learn farming skills and raise their incomes permanently.
Ben and Eunice are among the youngest couples in the Christian Farmers Association (CFA) program. At first, they wanted to raise chickens for eggs. However, after struggling with disease in their flock, they decided to raise pigs. Now, Ben and Eunice are about to sell their second batch of pigs and earn more income than they ever thought possible.
Eunice shared how they’ve cultivated a thriving vegetable garden using the manure collected from their pigs, effectively launching a secondary business at minimal expense with the free fertilizer. Furthermore, they reserved some manure for their cornfield, which they will plant in early November.
With their new income, Ben and Eunice have built a shop near their house. They sell produce from their garden, groceries and household items. So, from a few piglets, they have developed three businesses and stepped out of extreme poverty into a sustainable future.
Building a Sustainable Life
Ben and Eunice are excellent examples of the CFA sustainability model. Their membership has enabled the family to establish multiple streams of income, creating a resilient financial structure. If one business encounters challenges, the others can still support the family. Most of their enterprises are located at their homestead in the village, enhancing both efficiency and management.
Ben and Eunice receive daily income through their vegetable and shop sales. This allows them to consistently cover essential household needs like groceries and clothing. Their pigs yield substantial income twice a year, while the corn farm provides a yearly boost. Because the shop and garden meet daily expenses, they can invest the larger paydays into capital-generating opportunities, further strengthening their financial foundation.
More Than Pigs
At Bright Hope, we share your passion to help the world’s poorest families leave behind hunger, fear and isolation. We want to partner with you to see the poor build sustainable lives. Ben and Eunice’s pig breeding business helped them find the path out of generational poverty.
At Bright Hope, we have a proven plan to help people stuck living on $2 a day to increase their incomes, escape extreme poverty and discover eternal hope in Jesus Christ. Your partnership is crucial!
We invite you to unite your vision with ours. Together, we can help family after family break out of generational poverty.
