Heifer International: The Pay It Foward Entrepreneurial Charity

The saying goes, "If you want to feed a man for a day, give him a fish. If you want to end his hunger, teach him to fish."

Heifer International is the perfect example of how this wise saying works. The give the fish to get someone started, but then teaches them to fish more efficiently.

Heifer is my ideal charity because it provides the means and training for third world people to become entrepreneurs while reminding them to take care of their neighbors. It a perfect of a blend of self reliance and being 'my brother's keeper'.

Heifer

1. Teaches people to fish (farm, raise honey bees, you name it).

2. Doesn't give them an omelet to eat for a day, but gives people the chickens to raise eggs to eat forever, PLUS helps them start an entrepreneurial project where they can also sell eggs to get the money to send the kids to school.

3. Has 'pay forward' programs where recipients give by helping their neighbors get started.

4. Has camps where well fed kids can live in mock ups of third world villages where they learn how to survive and gain respect for people they don't know.

5. So much more.

Disclaimer: The title is my description of what Heifer does. It is not the words that Heifer uses to describe itself. It does, however, give people the means to be entrepreneurs and expects them to pay forward.