Legu Meniuwai’s Healthy Pigs From Pig Farming Program

Our Pig Farming program aims to increase families’ overall income and ensure that they can sustainably support their children’s education and well-being. We hope the families can earn a profit of CNY 5,000 to 8,000 [USD 700 to 1,120] per year from the pig business.

Legu Meniuwai’s household consists of six people: her elderly mother-in-law, two sons, one daughter, and her husband. Their home is self-built and constructed thanks to a CNY 15,000 (USD 2,112) subsidy under the government’s Five Improvements policy.

The family’s annual income comes from her husband’s labor work and their farm harvests which totals CNY 40,000 (USD 5,633). Her husband works away from home for most of the year, often in other provinces. He engages in different labor work like farming and tunnel construction—and usually returns home every four to five months. Her husband brings home about CNY 30,000 to the family. And the other CNY 10,000 comes from Legu’s family’s land which they use to grow peppercorns, yielding over 300 jin (about 150 kg) yearly. Sometimes, they also sweet potatoes to feed their livestock: 2 pigs, 3 cows, and over 10 chickens.

Although their annual income is a seemingly decent amount partnered with their resources—their family size still makes it very difficult to make ends meet. All of the family income is spent on home expenses and children’s education, making them more vulnerable when someone gets sick, or encounters a financial emergency. Families like Legu’s are only one emergency away from extreme poverty.

When our follow-up team arrived at Legu Meniuwai’s home, she was feeding the pigs by the pen. The pigs looked very healthy and were eating heartily with a strong appetite—a good sign that the pigs are well looked after. Legu Meniuwai told us that since receiving the pigs, they have grown rapidly from an initial weight of 20-30 jin (10-15 kg) to about 60 jin (30 kg) now.

We asked her about the difference between the pigs we provided and the pigs that she is used to raising. Legu Meniuwai answered with no hesitation that the pigs we provided were of better quality. They have a great appetite, and are not picky with food. With the pig feed we provided, the pigs show an astonishing growth rate. She also expressed her deep gratitude to the foundation, noting that these pigs have greatly alleviated her financial burden and improved her family’s quality of life. If given the opportunity, she would continue raising pigs.

Legu Meniuwai is a thrifty and hardworking woman, and her industrious nature ensures that our help is not wasted. We are looking forward to hearing from her again, hopefully with a bigger pig pen!

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