National Ploughing Association sponsors Ugandan Educational Bursary

Our largest project at present is based in Mbale in eastern Uganda. Over 400 farming families have come together to form a farmer’s co-op which is now working with VIVA and our local partner, Heifer Uganda, to improve their circumstances. These farmers are arable farmers growing crops such as maize, millet, sorghum, cassava and groundnuts. The major intervention in this project has been the introduction of animal traction for ploughing and cultivating their crops and so far 276 oxen and 69 ploughs have been distributed. The project has been a huge success with household food production having tripled. As a result over 400 families (100,000 people) are now food secure and can afford two balanced meals a day. This is mainly due to increased acreages being planted and, even more importantly, timely planting due to the ready availability of the oxen and ploughs. The sale of surplus produce has generated cash incomes which have helped to pay school fees, allowed farmers buy more land or diversify into other activities.

The current phase of the project is concentrating on helping these farmers with post-harvest handling and marketing of their produce in addition to climate change adaptation strategies. With the project ending in 2016, VIVA is now concentrating on ensuring the sustainability of the project. To this end we have been working on an educational scholarship to send two farmers from the co-op to the famous Baraka Agricultural College in Kenya to pursue a course in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development.

Today we are delighted to announce that this scholarship is being generously funded by the National Ploughing Association which this week hosts the National Ploughing Championships, the biggest outdoor event in Europe and the highlight of the agricultural calendar in Ireland, in Co. Laois. VIVA are delighted that one of Ireland's premier agricultural organisations has come on board for this project.

The two students, Solomon Ajak and Julius Itiakorit, have now commenced their studies and on completion in 2016 they will return to their communities and mentor fellow farmers helping them to increase their production.

Links:
VIVA -   www.viva.ie
Baraka College -   www.barakaagricollege.ac.ke/
Ugandan Project - VIVA newsletter - 2013 (our 2013 newsletter has a nice graphic which summarises the project)

VIVA Golf Classic coming up

The annual VIVA Golf Classic is almost upon us. This year the Classic returns to one of its favourite courses, Tullamore Golf Club's mature 18-hole parkland championship course, on Friday, July 31st.

The entry fee for a team of four is €200. With a meal provided on the day and many great prizes this is a day not to be missed. With over €72,000 raised for VIVA projects since 2003 this is a vital fundraiser in ensuring that we continue to support our overseas projects.

To book your team contact:

Brendan Mimnagh  086 8509697

Tony McManus      086 1076542

"Altamira Jordan" settles in in Mayo

"Altamira Jordan", the prize heifer in our 2014 draw has settled in well after her journey last year from her home on Brendan & Joan O'Connor's farm in Co. Cork to Liam Garavan's farm in Westport, Co. Mayo.

If you would like to own a heifer like "Altamira Jordan" our annual Heifer Draw has just been launched. Again, we have great prizes including a pedigree Limousin Heifer, a €500 holiday voucher and a €250 voucher for Trailblazers Biking and Hiking Shop (Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim).

Tickets are only €5 and can be bought online on our homepage or if you'd like to order a book of tickets to sell please email mike@viva.ie

(Thanks to Cathy Waddell for the photos)

The 2014 Mike O'Leary Trust Travel Bursary Lecture

Charlene Grice & Dr. Joe Collins

The 2014 winner of the Mike O’Leary Trust Travel Bursary was Charlene Grice, a third year veterinary student in UCD. Charlene travelled to Uganda in July 2014 to visit our animal traction project. This is the tenth year of the Bursary which sponsors a veterinary student each year to spend a month visiting one of VIVA's overseas projects. The Mike O'Leary Trust was established to honour the memory of Kerry vet, Mike O'Leary, who died tragically of cardiomyopathy in 2003 at the age of 39. His family and friends have undertaken a number of fundraising initiatives over the years to raise funds for the Travel Bursary in addition to supporting the Irish NGO, GOAL, and cardiomyopathy research.

According to Charlene “it was truly amazing to witness how hard working these farmers are and how far and how quickly they have been able to progress. The average initial investment in each farm is actually less than €250 so it is quite impressive”

On March 31st Charlene delivered a lecture in UCD's Veterinary College on her experiences in Uganda to her fellow students. She was joined by Dr. Joe Collins who spoke on his experiences volunteering with Animal Care Egypt (ACE) who provide veterinary services to working equines in the Luxor region in Egypt. Both lectures gave a very interesting overview to students of the important role played by livestock and working equines in rural communities in the Developing World.

Heifer Draw 2015 launched

Our annual Heifer Draw has just been launched. Again, we have great prizes including a pedigree Limousin Heifer, a €500 holiday voucher and a €250 voucher for Trailblazers Biking and Hiking Shop (Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim).

Tickets are only €5 and can be bought online on our homepage or if you'd like to order a book of tickets to sell please email mike@viva.ie

Happy New Year!

VIVA would like to wish all their supporters a Happy New Year and to thank them for all their support in 2014.

This year your support has changed the lives of livestock farmers in Pakistan, Kosovo and Uganda. We'd like to share one farmer's story with you to demonstrate the impact of your efforts.  Leviza was one of the farmers we supported on our goat project in Pakistan this year.

Leviza lives along with her husband, a farmer, and three children in a two-roomed house. Her husband, who is the lone bread-winner, works as a farmer but earns only about €40 a month. Making ends meet was very difficult for the family.  Leviza became seriously ill and the family had to borrow money to enable her to get medical attention and the family went deeper and deeper in to debt. Through contacts with our partner TNJ, Leviza became involved with a local micro-credit group. As she began to save small amounts with the group she became eligible to receive three teddy goats as part of the TNJ / VIVA project. She then began selling milk from the goats in the market and breeding kid goats for meat. The milk sales alone doubled the family income allowing them to repay their loans and help improve the family situation. 

With your support in 2015 we will continue to work with livestock farmers like Leviza in the Developing World.

Fundraiser of the Year - 2014

Every year donors raise money for VIVA in imaginative ways. However, our favourite fundraiser this year was the re-run of one of the great UCD Superleague rivalries of the late 80s - Vet Faculty v Commerce Faculty - which raised over €1000 for VIVA. This is Denis O'Connor's match report!

The highlight of many sports fans' 2014 was the eagerly anticipated rematch between the Veteran Vets and the Commerce Tulips in Belfield on Feb 8th. With no love lost between these two teams a bruising, full blooded encounter was expected and it didn’t disappoint.The game began at an unforgiving pace and the Vets were caught cold with two early Tulip goals despite the best efforts of goalkeeper Tadgh Murphy to justify his inclusion in the starting eleven. The Vets didn’t lie down however (not all at once anyway!) and their midfield of Tony O'Donoghue, Seamy Fagan and baby of the team, John Hennessy,were soon getting the better of their opposite numbers and bringing the lethal strike-force of the Sexton brothers and Denis O’Connor more into play. Indeed, Michael Sexton proved a real handful for the opposition defence on the rare occasions he managed to stay onside in the first half, which alas, ended scoreless for the Vets. After a rousing half time speech, given by chief cheerleader Tom (I forgot my boots) Fabby and the application of industrial amounts of deep heat, the Vets took to the field again with renewed vigour. With fullbacks David Connors and Tom Murray raiding down the flanks like youthful versions of Roberto Carlos it was only a matter of time before the Vets got their just rewards and it came in the shape of a sublime finish by Tony O’ Donoghue from a very tight angle. With Centre backs, Donagh McDonnell and Conor O Scanaill, now lording it over the opposition forwards, it was all out attack by the Vets for the final fifteen minutes in search of the equaliser that their legions of supporters were baying for. Unfortunately it never came; thanks to some fine Tulip goalkeeping and the ever unsympathetic woodwork! 

On leaving the field………. 

Quote of the day: “It’s much easier run with two pulled hamstrings than one”- C O’Scanaill 

Muse of the day:“I never knew I was this good at soccer”- D McDonnell 

Thought of the day: “Why did I say I’d wash the jerseys - the wife is going to kill me!”- T Murray 

Refrain of the day: “Pass the ball Sexy”- Usually directed at Michael Sexton (often with various adjectives preceding “ball”) or his more talented brother Tomas. 

Having congratulated the victorious Tulips, all retired to Kiely’s for a hearty lunch and some liquid anaesthesia! Many thanks to the guest players on the day - Tony O’ Donoghue of RTE, Tom Murray of MSD and Tomas Sexton of CORK. Also thanks to kit sponsor MSD and lunch sponsors Bayer, Norbrook and Pfizer. The match was preceded by a minutes silence in remembrance of deceased teammates. Thanks to all who sponsored the players - watch out for the re-rematch in 2015!