It is KI's goal to teach gentle handling and healthy care of all animals. This includes these powerful beasts of burden. Efficient yokes, proper housing, ideal food storage are also some of the aspects of animal welfare that are taught and implemented in the small villages that use animals to plow the fields.

Before KI provided these working animals to Yua (14 hours from Accra, Ghana) the men did all of the plowing. With the new addition of oxen and donkeys, the yield is now three times what it was with manual labor. Although there are still many more animals that are needed to improve food production for these villages, we are intent on moving slowly with education as a priority. With the help of a local veterinarian, KI subsidized the construction of a more efficient and animal friendly substitute for the square yoke initially tried by the villagers. KI also supplied a 400-gallon water tank to the village of Yua to insure an ample water supply for the oxen in dry seasons.

Benefits
In Yua, this is the first time animals have been used in the fields. It is already improving crop yield. Training in gentle handling of these oxen is being implemented from the beginning and will ensure that they live longer. The efficiency of the new yokes will maximize the use of their power so that they will not be overworked.

How You Can Help
$20 will buy worming medicine for 4 oxen for 1 year
$35 will supply wound dressing for 4 oxen for 1 year
$250.00 will buy 1 healthy oxen