An Encouraging Story of Xinjiang Project
Despite the chilly weather in Turpan, Xinjiang in November, one could feel the warmth and happiness in Qiekeman Village, Turpan. Heifer project families were excited about their "Passing on the Gift" ceremony. Each project family put the Passing on the Gift money in a beautiful red packet envelope and passed it to another needy family in person and asked them to take good care of the money to get themselves on the road to self-reliance.
All the project families kept their promises to "pass on the gift" and even did it ahead of schedule. Most importantly, they had participated in Heifer's training and learnt how to take care of their livestock. This not only enhanced their living standard but also changed their mindset. They learnt together, worked together and cared for the community whole-heartedly. They set up Self-help Groups and learnt that supporting each other and improving lives together was the best way to develop the community sustainably. Therefore, they were eager to pass on all these concepts and knowledge to the passed-on families as well to ensure that these needy families could follow their footsteps to become self-reliant.
One of the recipients said on the ceremony, "Heifer not just only helped us improve income, but more importantly, has inspired us to develop a positive attitude towards life which enables us to have confidence in building our future."
Heifer's "Passing on the Gift" ceremony celebrates the positive changes taking place in the project families' homes, their communities, and most importantly their mindset as well as a promise honored.