The Diligent Farmer
Asim Ferizi's family in Kodrali village (Deçani, Kosovo) consists of 7 people; Azim, his father (Halili), wife (Lavdije), and four children: 2 sons and 2 daughters. Prior to receiving a Bóthar cow the family were unemployed and were living on one pension as well as sporadic income from casual agriculture. In February 2022, they received their Bóthar in-calf heifer. The whole family was hugely optimistic as they rallied around to take excellent care of the animal, with the goal of increased household income in mind.
The cow gave birth to a bull calf, and the average daily milk production during the first lactation was 22 litres per day. The family has enough milk and milk products to consume in the home, whilst the excess milk and milk products are sold in the local market and upon demand to neighbouring customers (1 litre of milk is sold for 70 cents, 1 kg of cheese earns €5). From the sale of milk and cheese, they are able to support the needs of the whole family. Asim is diligent as he works the land and earns income by gathering crops. He has produced quality feed for their Irish cow and is very active in participating in organised trainings.
Asim is extremely satisfied with the breed of cow and is keen to increase the herd so that his family can be more involved on the farm, with the ultimate aim of further increasing their monthly income. "We have more work to do, but with our dedication and work we can succeed in the future". Now all family members are involved in the chores around the farm, keeping the farm clean and productive. His family is very grateful for the help from the supporters of Bóthar, the NGO "Meshqerra", and the municipality of Deçani. Their hard work embodies the Bóthar ethos of a hand up, not a hand out.
We are extremely grateful to our supporters for the opportunity to facilitate the life-changing, 32-year mission of Bóthar. As always we are happy to answer any questions or receive feedback on 1800 268 463 or info@bothar.ie
