Balki is the mother of five children, widowed by her husband’s death only a few years ago. Her family was selected to receive three goats for breeding as part of the livestock activities, and one of her daughters, Hasia, was selected to receive a goat from the goats for girls campaign.
Balki’s smile and joyful attitude greets visitors as they enter her home.
“Before Samaritan’s Purse came to our village, I struggled to meet the needs of my family by farming a small plot of land and selling small homemade food items in the market,” Balki said.
She shared her story while continuing to process furah, a drink made by mixing milk or water with pounded millet flour.
“I have always made furah to sell, but it was always very small quantities since I was unable to purchase or have sufficient ingredients available to sell on a larger scale,” she said. “However, now that Samaritan’s Purse has given us these goats that you see, we have plenty of milk for the children to drink and for me to increase production. I have also cultivated a good millet harvest this year, which will contribute to the ability to produce and sell more furah. I am now better able to take care of my family’s needs as a result.”
Like Assama and her mom, Balki’s hope is that her children continue in school in order to gain a good education and a better future. Girls in Niger face seemingly insurmountable barriers, whether cultural, physical, or environmental, to obtaining a proper education and ultimately greater empowerment in life. Samaritan’s Purse in Niger strives to support families’ livelihoods so that parents’ number one priority is shifted more on their children’s future and less on mere survival. More important, though, is the desire to see people gain a far greater hope and eternal future in Christ.
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