In 2023-24, we approved funding to support 523,127 people facing long-term hunger and malnutrition in 24 countries. Our development work focuses on supporting families’ efforts to build resiliency to hunger and other crises for the long-term. This often involves working with communities to bolster their ability to rebound after crisis, and includes:
- helping families rebuild their livelihoods
- facilitating training on conservation agriculture
- improving nutrition for families
Bishow Raj Thapa lives in Dhading district, Nepal, where Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Nepal and RIMS Nepal are helping farmers like Bishow improve their food security. In this area, families struggle to access enough food year-round due to small land sizes, insufficient income, and limited options for earning a livelihood.
Through the FOSTER-II program, Bishow was trained as a Village Animal Health Worker to provide animal health services to his community and nearby areas.
With support from ADRA Canada, 1,761 farmers like Bishow and their households gained new skills through their participation in the FOSTER-II program, such as vegetable production, goat rearing, and livestock management. (Photo: ADRA Nepal)
“I am not only working within my community, but also extending my services to other nearby areas, as a paid animal health worker for the livestock division of the municipality,” he says.
Bishow used his skills to construct a goat shed for himself, increasing his sales as he was able to accommodate more goats on his property. Now, he keeps 16 goats that help him earn around NPR 200,000 every year to put food on the table for his parents, wife, and three-year-old son, and is grateful for the opportunity to serve his community with his knowledge.
“Being a Village Animal Health Worker in the community has not only increased my confidence, but also strengthened my leadership skills.”
This story was originally published in the 2024 annual report.
