Have A Cow

Vestine

Vestine is a 36 year old widow with 3 children. She lives amongst the poorest in Boneza. After losing her husband 2 years ago to HIV/AIDS, she has had to work extremely hard to support her family. Her typical day starts at 5am where she goes to work on nearby farms in her small community. Vestine makes the average wage in Boneza of $1 a day. She works everyday under heavy sun until noon with her 3 year old son on her back.

In the afternoon she tends to her cow. She gathers water and cow grass from her garden, carrying it on her head to the cow shed. After feeding the cow, she works on her banana plantation and in her vegetable garden. Then every evening she makes dinner for her children, feeding them with vegetables she grew in her garden.

Vestine’s oldest daughter, Angel is 11 years old and currently enrolled in school. Angel radiates with hope for this family, helping her mom take care of her siblings. She walks about 2 hours everyday to and from school. When she returns home, she helps her mom fetch water from the well, collect fire wood and cook food for her family. When asked about her future dreams, she said she wants to be a teacher and teach all the impoverished children in her community. Angel also loves to sing in her church.

When asked about their family cow and what it means for their life, Vestine explained, “I have been praying for a cow for the last three years. This is our family wealth. The soils become depleted with no fertilizer, but I am already growing food on our small land and the production is going to increase.” Now she is growing a vegetable garden in front of her house. Angel says, “I now have hope for the future that I will continue to go to school. This cow has also given me hope that my siblings will have an education.” Vestine’s family thanked Arise Rwanda Ministries for supporting their family with a gift of a cow.