'New hope for the future': Raising livestock to pay for college

Margaret, mother of a sponsored child in Bhagalpur, India.

For some families, a college savings plan has four legs, is covered in hair and eats from a slop bucket.

Raising livestock provides additional income for many sponsored friends and their families, and some take out loans through CFCA to help meet family needs such as education.

Margaret, mother of a sponsored youth in India, did just that to help her son, Paulus, pay for his tuition and realize his educational dreams.

“It gave new hope for our future,” Margaret said.

Margaret and her husband, James, live in a small town near Bhagalpur, India. Other than agriculture, there is little opportunity for business in their village.

Margaret and James wanted their son to receive a quality education, but with the nearest college located 24 hours from their home, it was going to be a challenge.

With the help of his CFCA sponsorship and his family’s contribution, Paulus was able to pay for his tuition, as well as room and board, and is receiving a quality education to prepare him for engineering school.

Paulus is now in his second year, which is the equivalent of 12th standard high school. After Paulus finishes his studies, he is planning to go to an engineering school in Calcutta.

Margaret raises livestock to pay for her son’s tuition.

The fee for engineering school will be very expensive, so Margaret decided to plan ahead for her son’s future and took out a loan through the CFCA mothers group.

She decided to purchase and raise livestock to sell.

“With the help of the loan amount I purchased two piglets to raise,” Margaret said.

Margaret repaid the loan amount in regular installments. Then, in May 2012, she took out another loan to purchase two young goats.

“The piglets have grown big,” Margaret said. “I will sell these pigs when we have to pay the first year’s engineering fees for my son. The young goats can help us to pay the engineering second-year fees.

“We are very much thankful to CFCA for helping us in providing the sponsorship support and also for the [mothers group] support,” Margaret said. “It is helping my son to study his higher education.”