The Farmers Helping Farmers Holiday Campaign 2017 offers many ways to give a gift with meaning and support the work of the P.E.I.-based organization in Kenya.
Donors will receive a gift card in time for Christmas for donations received by December 15, 2017.
Donations to the Holiday Campaign support many families, schools and women's groups in Kenya.
There are a dozen different gift suggestions, from $10 mosquito nets, $20 soccer balls, $25 for a vegetable grow bag, $90 for milk for school children, $500 for a water tank, to $1,000 to establish a vegetable garden for a school.
Carol and John MacLeod have a sheep and beef farm in Valleyfield and have been taking part in the Holiday Campaign since it started.
"Being farmers ourselves, and knowing Teresa and Ken Mellish personally for many years, we have supported the fund raising initiatives since the early days," said Carol MacLeod.
"It is rewarding to think that we are helping in a small way."
This year, the MacLeods are donating $50 for a solar light for a child to study at night.
"The solar light for students to be able to study in the evenings is so important to their education," said MacLeod.
The MacLeods also like that their donation comes with a gift card so they can pass on the generosity.
"Giving on an annual basis adds up and so must have an impact in the long run," said MacLeod.
"We are amazed at how much good work Farmers Helping Farmers has done over the years."
Debbie Kemp of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, also makes annual donations to the Holiday Campaign.
She travelled to Kenya to visit her daughter, Dr. Shauna Richards, who was connected with Farmers Helping Farmers through the Atlantic Veterinary College and worked with dairy farmers in Kenya.
"She had great support from the organization throughout her studies and this is how we were introduced to FHF," said Kemp.
"All of the people I met when in Kenya were so thankful for everything and were so giving of themselves."
Kemp likes the Holiday Campaign because of the impact it has in Kenya.
"We often do a Christmas donation and give them as gifts to our nieces and nephews," said Kemp.
"One year we bought a cow which was a big hit (plus we knew who was getting it) so we have some follow-up which is nice."
This year, Kemp is donating to a new category on the Holiday Campaign list, supporting the work of Farmers Helping Farmers in making schools in Kenya more inclusive.
The donation is in honour of a Kenyan boy she met named Cedric, who had both mental and physical challenges, and has since passed away.
"We would hope it would help other families to be able to have their children with disabilities attend the local school," said Kemp.
"We thought it was a great way to remember Cedric as well."
Another popular item on the Holiday Campaign list is a water tank which allows women to collect and store clean rain water in their homes during the two rainy seasons.
This saves them from hauling water from a stream and gives them time for more productive work, like growing a vegetable garden.
"It costs us so little to be able to give so much," said Kemp.
"I know FHF is an organization that works directly with the schools, people and organizations there and does amazing work," said Kemp.
"I know my donation is being spent for exactly what I chose it to be spent on and that it will make a huge difference in someone's life."
Colleen Walton, president of Farmers Helping Farmers, says the Holiday Campaign is crucial to support the work the organization does in Kenya.
"One hundred per cent of these gifts will go directly to Kenya," said Walton.
Last year, generous supporters made the 2016 Holiday Campaign a success, contributing more than $54,000 towards projects in Kenya, the biggest total yet.
To see the entire list of gift suggestions, please visit the Farmers Helping Farmers website where you can also click on the DONATE button and make your donation online: www.farmershelpingfarmers.ca
Donors will receive a gift card in time for Christmas for donations received by December 15, 2017.
