Heifer Tanzania: Empowering Communities To Learn, Improve and Motivate Others

Heifer Foundation Staff Member Tonya Toney Attends Heifer Tanzania Study Tour

After traveling over 5,000 miles, I arrived in Tanzania with my stomach full of butterflies, anxious and excited about my first visit to a foreign land. I couldn’t believe it I was in Africa. Being an African American, I felt a strong connection to the people and culture. Upon landing, we traveled to Arusha, which is nestled below Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro.

The first day of the study tour, we went to the Heifer Tanzania office where we meet the staff, toured the offices, and got an overview from Peter Mwakabwale, Tanzania country director, on the various projects, the different communities, successes stories and what’s next for the program.  I was looking forward to the project visits and seeing firsthand Heifer’s work in the field. I took in the scenery as we traveled back to our hotel. The streets were bustling with people selling produce, roasting fresh corn-on-the-cob, and women carrying tall loads atop their heads with ease.

Our first day of project visits, we traveled outside Arusha to the Nambala village where we met Zadock Kitomari and his wife Mama Nama. This family received a cow from Heifer in 2003; since then they have expanded the one and a half acre farm to include goats, chickens, tilapia ponds and organic farming. Zadock grows sugar cane, vanilla, bananas, mangos and tangerines. He is considered a “model farmer” in his community, educating other farmers on the techniques of organic farming, how to produce better yields, types of grass to use for livestock and animal management.  He is now able to pass on the gift by educating others.

You could see the pride and happiness as he shared with us that he has been able to send his children to school and provide a better life for his family. He wished he had only known about Heifer sooner so that he could have sent his oldest son to school, but he was thankful for the opportunity for his other children.

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Looking for Fixed Income During Your Retirement?

If you have been wondering how you can provide for your retirement years and support Heifer's mission of ending hunger and poverty, then you may want to consider an Annuity through Heifer Foundation.

With the increase in Annuity rates, you will get a higher fixed yearly payment that will never fluctuate with the markets and provide you with financial security until death. The Annuity's remainder will then go to provide for life-changing work taking place all across the globe.

Find peace of mind through a Charitable Gift Annuity and receive:

• Charitable deduction/tax savings
• Bypass capital gains on gift of appreciated securities
• Partial tax-free income payments
• Remainder supports Heifer International

Call today to learn your yearly payment rate and you’ll receive a free annuity proposal. You can contact Charitable Gift Planner Dorothy Graham at 888.422.1161 or email her at Dorothy.Graham@heiferfoundation.org.

For more information on charitable gift annuities with Heifer Foundation, click here.

Make A Commitment That Will Have A Lasting Impact By Joining "W.I.L.L. Society"

Learn More About Tax Advantages When Gifting Retirement Plans and Life Insurance

A will provides assurance that you have made provisions for family members as well as any organizations you cared about during your life. Once your affairs are in order, you can rest assured that your estate will be distributed according to your will. Heifer Foundation has established Why I Leave A Legacy (W.I.L.L.) Society to help individuals make a commitment to a better world now so that people all across the globe can realize their potential for many years to come.

When you choose to leave Heifer Foundation in your will, you join with other like-minded people from all walks of life that have made a lasting commitment. You will receive updates and information on project areas that interest you and the Foundation staff will assist you in making any adjustments you desire.

With a bequest or other end-of-life gift, you can:

• Remain in control of the funds during your lifetime. A bequest does not become irrevocable until death, which means you can make changes at anytime.

• Reduce estate taxes. Your estate will receive an estate tax deduction for a portion of the gift made by the estate to charity.

• Help continue Heifer's ongoing mission. Bequests are not just for the wealthy. Even a small portion of a typical estate can be a very meaningful gift.

You can also enjoy several tax advantages by gifting retirement plan assets and life insurance to a charity at the time of your death. There are several advantages to gifting qualified retirement plan assets to charity at death. First, the gift of such assets to charity at death carries out taxable income to the charity; however, the charity is tax-exempt and is not required to pay income taxes. If you were to gift those same assets to family members at your death, your family members would be required to pay income taxes on the amounts received from the qualified retirement plans.

Another advantage to gifting qualified retirement assets is that your estate could receive an estate tax deduction for the amount gifted to charity. Gifting qualified retirement plan assets to charities at your death is easy and flexible. You can designate your favorite charity as the beneficiary of a portion or the entire qualified retirement plan asset.

Life insurance provides you with the opportunity to make a charitable gift at very little cost. There are two options available in gifting life insurance. First you can make a charity the beneficiary of the life insurance policy and second you can make the charity owner and beneficiary of the life insurance policy. You may own a policy that is no longer needed that would make an excellent charitable gift. Life insurance can also provide an opportunity to make a larger gift than would normally be possible.

If you would like more information on leaving Heifer Foundation in your will, gifting retirement plan assets and life insurance, or would like to receive a free Will Kit, please contact us at info@heiferfoundation.org or call toll free 888.422.1161.

To read more about creating a will or to submit an online will form, click here.

Heifer Foundation and its employees are not engaged in rendering legal or tax advice. The content provided is for general information purposes only. Advice and assistance on specific cases should be obtained from attorneys or other professional counsel. Be aware of tax revisions. Because individual state laws govern charitable gifts, wills and trusts, the advice of an attorney should be sought when considering any of these gifts.