top of page

A Cow Called Doug

this is the story of ntizihabose emmanuel and his family who received a cow called doug

Emmanuel's father died in 1994 and his mother in 1998 after a long illness. The family had to sell all their property to pay for her treatment. Emmanuel has one brother and two sisters who all live across the border in the Congo (DRC). In 2007, before going to the Congo, he saw his brother in a fight with another boy but when Emmanuel stood between the two and was trying to pacify them, he was accidentally struck in the eye with a knife. He was taken to a hospital where the eye was removed. He had to sell his property to pay the bill and was left with nothing.

​

​

cow 1 (1).png

                                                                                                 Emmanuel now lives in Jenda with his wife

                                                                                                 Nyiramana, Sarah and their 5 children:

                                                                                                 Uwase Divine, Uwamahoro Aline,                                                                                                                 Ntizihabose James, Umuhuza Innocente,                                                                                                     and Ganza Elisa.

                                                               

                                                                                                 Their life has been spent working for other

                                                                                                 people to be able to buy food and pay 

                                                                                                 the rent as they didn't own their own

                                                                                                 house. Emmanuel goes around looking for

                                                                                                 anybody having land to cultivate, or

                                                                                                 looking where they are building houses to

                                                                                                 serve as an aide to builders. His wife

                                                                                                 washes carrots for people who sell them. There is a washing place where carrots from gardens are washed before they are taken to markets. Recently, the family was able to purchase a small plot and build the house where they have been since been living. It is a two bedroom house with a small sitting room. They cook outside mostly except when it rains. The house is not finished but they are satisfied and they hope to continue making it better.

cow 2 (1).png

The money for Doug the Cow was donated by a 

lady in Litton, Derbyshire. Doug was purchased 

and named in memory of her dad who was a dairy

farmer. Originally the Trust was going to place

Doug in a school, but because of Covid19, Rwandan

schools were closed for many months. Some 

schools have had to sell their cows which they had

previously owned and looked after, so instead 

Anastase (our representative in Rwanda) identified

Emmanuel and his family.

​

Emmanuel said that receiving a cow "is like being

visited by God". They are very grateful to Lynda's family for the gift of Doug which they say "is a gift of love to somebody unknown" and that "from today we have started the journey out of poverty". They promised to raise the cow well and to pass on the first calf to another family in need.

bottom of page