On November 28, 2017, in the Putna Valley of Bucovina, surrounded by an idyllic snow-covered landscape, we hosted the official opening of the Nord Natural Hub. Our project partners were with us to celebrate this special day: representatives of the Romanian-American Foundation, the Civitas Foundation, World Vision Romania, CMSC Iasi and other local officials.
Very soon, authentic, traditional and tasty products from small and medium-sized producers in northern Romania will be delivered throughout the country to homes that appreciate the real value of manufactured products.
On a cold evening of November 20, 2017, after a long and tiring journey, 68 pregnant Irish heifers arrived in Romania, sent by some farmers with a warm heart and eager to show kindness and generosity towards some needy families in Transylvania.
On a cold evening of November 20, 2017, after a long and tiring journey, 68 pregnant Irish heifers arrived in Romania, sent by some farmers with a warm heart and eager to show kindness and generosity towards some needy families in Transylvania.
This gift would not have been possible without the support of our partners at the Bóthar organization, who collected these cows and sent them in the best conditions.
A few days before Christmas, after a 3-week quarantine period, the heifers will be ready to be welcomed into their new homes. Their beneficiaries are poor families in Transylvanian villages, who are struggling to put food on their families' tables, part of the "Dairy Cows for the Poor in Transylvania" project, a project funded by Bóthar Ireland, heifer international and DOW Agrosciences from the USA.
At Open Fields Foundation, we partner with communities and other organization to create sustainable impact, empowering and inspiring people to make personal changes for a better world.
For the last 15 years, one of our most reliable partner has been Bóthar. Through this partnership, Open Fields was able to give a helping hand and lift out of hunger and extreme poverty thousands of families from the poorest areas of Romania. Throughout the 2016 fiscal year alone, with support from Bóthar, we have donated a number of 123 heifers, and 183 families have benefited from this valuable gift.
Such is the example of Clapau Vasile and Sofrona, from Dumitra village, parents of eleven children, happy recipients of an Irish heifer from January 2016, have considerably improved their nutrition, and have managed to save money otherwise spent in buying milk for their family.
“This heifer has brought a ray of hope on the cloudy sky above our family. Thank you for trusting us with such a great blessing. We want to thank the Irish farmers for their generosity and we promise to do the same when time comes for us to pass on the blessing to others. I never thought we could have something to give to others. This cow means food on the table and milk in the cups that were empty so many days… this cow also means money for the children’s school supplies! From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU!”
said Sofrona with a big smile on her face.
In May 2016, a group of Georgia University students together with two faculty members, Asoc. Prof. Dr. Abigail Borron and Amanda Stephens, Asoc. Dir. of Student Engagement, spent two weeks in Romania for a Culture-Centered Communication and Engagement program offered by the university in partnership with Open Fields. This program allowed US students to travel to two Romanian communities in Eastern Europe, where they completed their own digital storytelling projects and immersed themselves in the community.
While on this trip, students also got to do some sightseeing in Romania getting to know a little of its history, the beauty of the rural landscapes and communities, enjoy the tasty Romanian cuisine but also experience the vibrant cities of Cluj and Bucharest. In collaboration with Open Fields, US students experienced and documented the viewpoint of their host family through video, photography and written narrativecapturing the essence of local agricultural, community and daily life.
Past participants of this program really enjoyed the following experiences in Romania, some of the things they loved were:
This partnership is planned to continue and develop in the future years.
Purdue University - Purdue University's College of Agriculture is one of the world's leading colleges of agricultural, food, life, and natural resource sciences. Purdue is committed to preparing its students to make a difference, stretching the frontiers of science to find solutions to some of the most pressing global challenges and, through Purdue Extension and Engagement programs, helping the people of the nation and the world improve their lives and livelihoods.
Such an extension program has been developed with in Romania in partnership with Open Fields, then Heifer Romania for many years. In 2016, Open Fields received the visit three professors of Purdue University, here in Romania in order to explore and develop ideas for future projects.
Bóthar is an Irish organization that assists needy families to overcome, hunger, malnutrition and poverty in a simple sustainable manner: livestock. The living gift of a farm animal gives a struggling family the opportunity to improve their circumstances and, by working with their animal over time, to raise themselves up to a position of relative comfort.
Bóthar first began supporting projects in Romania in 2001. Over the last 15 years, Bóthar’s support extended from fish and sheep projects to dairy cows. Through this partnership between Open Fields and Bóthar, and the „passing on the gift” component several thousands of people have benefitted from this gitft. Over 600 heifers left their Irish farms to find a new home and make a real difference for a struggling familiy in Romania. There is a very strong relationship with Bóthar for several years now and we complement each other the impact of our work has improved thanks to this great partnership that we have.
In July, with the occasion of the transition event, we had the privilege to host a group of Irish famers that have been donating heifers to Bothar since its beginnings.
The group had the chance to visit communities from three different villages and also be part of the celebration that took place in Central Transylvania, in Viscri. The farmers were touched by the life stories of the beneficiaries they met and the impact the livestock can have on a family in need. They left encouraged to continue their support, and help not just a family but empower a whole community.
Bóthar is an Irish organization that assists needy families to overcome, hunger, malnutrition and poverty in a simple sustainable manner: livestock. The living gift of a farm animal gives a struggling family the opportunity to improve their circumstances and, by working with their animal over time, to raise themselves up to a position of relative comfort.
Bóthar first began supporting projects in Romania in 2001. Over the last 15 years, Bóthar’s support extended from fish and sheep projects to dairy cows. Through this partnership between Open Fields and Bóthar, and the „passing on the gift” component several thousands of people have benefitted from this gitft. Over 600 heifers left their Irish farms to find a new home and make a real difference for a struggling familiy in Romania. There is a very strong relationship with Bóthar for several years now and we complement each other the impact of our work has improved thanks to this great partnership that we have.
In July, with the occasion of the transition event, we had the privilege to host a group of Irish famers that have been donating heifers to Bothar since its beginnings.
The group had the chance to visit communities from three different villages and also be part of the celebration that took place in Central Transylvania, in Viscri. The farmers were touched by the life stories of the beneficiaries they met and the impact the livestock can have on a family in need. They left encouraged to continue their support, and help not just a family but empower a whole community.
