Pay-It- Forward Economics

Burkina Faso is in a perpetual drought, which makes farming difficult. To combat extreme poverty, we developed a care package program where we provide families with a pair of vaccinated bulls and a plow, which enables them to start farming corn, millet, sorghum, and other crops. After the training, recipients are able grow enough crop to feed their families, and sell their surplus food in local markets. Families don’t starve anymore and the regional markets benefits from the surplus of cash food crops. With the proceeds from sales, families are able to afford the cost of educating their children, an opportunity they wouldn’t have had otherwise.

After five years of farming, the bulls are bigger and can be sold for their meat and hide. As part of the program, we require that the family sell their bulls. The money earned from the sale is enough to cover the purchase of two younger sets of bulls. The first family pays their care package gift forward by giving the second set of bulls to another family. As the five-year cycle continues, more and more families are farming sustainably in a pay-it- forward economy and more children are receiving an education.

Our Care Package costs $1,650 to take a family out of poverty with multiple beneficiaries long after the initial investment. As of today, 279 families have been equipped thanks to our donors. A dollar at FNTE goes a long way. Click here to watch the impact.