After the end of a horrific civil war in Sri Lanka, Tearfund came alongside the local people to help them get back on their feet. War completely decimated this entire region but we serve a God who turns evil intentions into good and brings healing.

You can join us in that. For many families living in the north of Sri Lanka, dairying was never more than a secondary income option. But we saw an opportunity that would transform the dairy industry - using NZ expertise.

Ten years ago we started with just eight farmers. Today, we have over 4,500 farmers, 7,500 children and 1,500 women in our programme!
 

“But to get this project to the next level of reaching 10,000 farmers, it’s going to take not just the government, not just corporate donors, but incredible supporters, like you. ”

How did it all begin? 

Working through our local partner, we began by giving farmers cows to replace the ones they’d lost in the war. We trained the local farmers on how to best take care of their cows and provided milk collection points for them to sell their milk. Slowly but surely incomes increased – sometimes up to five fold!

Even better, we came alongside the entire community with Women’s Empowerment Groups, young farmers clubs, a training farm and children’s clubs.
 

Then What? 

Shortly after we began, the New Zealand Government heard about our pioneering work in Sri Lanka and decided they’d like to support it too! Soon that snowballed into private Kiwi organisations that specialise in dairy wanting to get involved, and finally some amazing private donors.

Thanks to their involvement, eight initial farmers went from producing 150L of a milk a month to around 1500 farmers producing almost 400,000L of milk each month. For the last eight years, we’ve been testing, refining and improving the project.

But we hope the next chapter of this story will involve you so we can reach 10,000 farmers! Will you help this life changing project to expand for people like Pathmanathan?


 

“Without the help of Tearfund’s dairy project, we would not be eating three meals a day” 


“My father died of a heart attack and my mother died of a dog bite by the time I was seven years old. At 27, I fell in love and got married. After our kids were born, life was good and we were able to provide for our children. Then, my husband was killed during the war in Sri Lanka–it was so difficult. I no longer had money to run the family. My kids started getting sick and so I started working as a cook so I could get them better and put them in school. After the war was over, I became chronically ill and working became very difficult for me.

Tearfund’s partner was in our area asking people to join their dairy program. I was given a cow, taught how to make a shed, how to feed and handle a cow, and where to sell the milk. Because of them, I now have four cows and my income has doubled. I am thinking about expanding the dairy farm as my children need to go on to higher studies. Without their help, we would not be eating three meals a day or be able to consider the next level of education. This income means we can live.” - Pathmanathan, 46
 

Donate Now

Our Project Supports

Now What? 

We’ve estimated that there is approximately 10,000 farmers living in the area most affected by war. We have the infrastructure in place, ten years of experience and the tried and tested success to know this programme works.

It took ten years to get here and together with you we can double that impact in the next three years! Your donation will enable that to happen.
 

From Start to Finish 

In every season is our opportunity to declare God’s heart for these people in Isaiah 58:12; “You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past.

You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community liveable again”.

Will you join us in helping us reach 10,000 war affected farmers in Sri Lanka get back on their feet?
 

How you can help

$45

Can support 3 members of a savings group to receive training for one year.

$75

Can supply a family with a female calf.

$100

Can provide 10 children a chance to learn about their rights through youth groups.

$