Heifer Project Map Click on a region to view project work in that part of the world. View Central & Eastern Europe Slideshow Featured Giving Opportunity: Central & Eastern Europe: Armenia Country Endowment Central & Eastern Europe Projects: Kosovo Poland Orphanges Read about a donor's view. Download a pdf on Country Endowments from our download center.

Thirteen-year-old Aneta Kurek is the self-appointed main goat keeper at the Wola Galezowska orphanage in southeast Poland. Every morning she rises at 5:45 a.m. to tend to her chores in the barn before catching the school bus to travel to school in the nearest town. She milks and feeds seven goats every morning, and in the evenings she milks them again and prepares their fodder for the next day.

Aneta was born on a farm. Like many children in this part of the world, her parents were not able to take care of her, and she was brought to the orphanage by the courts. Although two of her siblings are in the same orphanage, Aneta has always felt lonely, as though she was missing something. The goats Heifer International provided for the orphanage changed Aneta's life.

She took it upon herself to become an expert on their care. She no longer has to ask a supervisor what to do-she now makes recommendations about the animals' care. Her knowledge of goat husbandry and her skill in caring for the goats is impressive. After many years of living in the shadows of her surroundings, Aneta has become an asset to the orphanage-and feels needed once again.

When the headmaster organized a summer camp for the children of the orphanage, she refused to take part so she could stay at the orphanage with her goats. She could not imagine leaving them with anybody else. Mr. Wieslaw Mazurek, the orphanage director, believes the project not only improves child nutrition and increases opportunities for future employment, but in addition, the bond between children and livestock helps ease emotional problems caused by separation from family.

There are currently 40 children from age 6 to 20 at the orphanage. Two boys have already purchased two goats and two rabbits with their saved pocket money and have begun to teach other children how to care for them. The children have renovated orphanage farm buildings and prepared a concrete receptacle for manure storage in anticipation of receiving additional animals.

By establishing or contributing to an endowment for Heifer's work in Central and Eastern Europe, you can ensure a brighter future for many orphans like Aneta.