The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), through its Service and Relief Department – Diakonia, continues its efforts to support the livestock sector and enhance livelihoods and food security in rural areas, as part of its ongoing mission to assist the most vulnerable families and alleviate increasing living burdens.

In this context, 134 livestock breeders in the villages of Deir al-Bukht, Khirbet Ghazaleh, and Al-Kutaybeh in rural Dara’a were supported through the distribution of 220 rations to cover 220 heads of cattle. Each ration consisted of 900 kilograms of mineral-fortified pelleted fodder and 720 kilograms of hay. In addition, veterinary services, medications, and vaccines were provided, along with one food basket for each of the 134 breeders’ families.

The beneficiaries also attended training sessions on proper cattle care, ways to manage common livestock diseases, and optimal nutrition practices to improve the quality and quantity of milk production.

One livestock breeder from Deir al-Bukht said; “I used to buy fodder on credit and divide the cow’s daily portion into small rations, barely enough to satisfy hunger or sustain production, just to make it last longer. Thanks to the support from MECC, the cow will finally get a full meal. I won’t need to buy fodder this month, which means I can pay off debts from the past months. Milk production will increase, and so will dairy products like cheese and yogurt. For the first time in months, I felt my pocket fill with liras that won’t be written down in the debt ledger.”

“The vet’s visits were extremely helpful, he examined the cow, ensured she was healthy, gave me advice on how to care for her, and answered all my questions. The food basket I received was full of essential items like rice and lentils, and in generous quantities. I can't afford to buy a full food stock for the house. Instead, I go every couple of days to a small shop in the neighboring village that sells groceries at relatively low prices, and I buy small amounts that last us two or three days... It's really exhausting for us.”

In the same context, the team from MECC, Service and Relief Department – Diakonia, has distributed food baskets in the villages of Al-Masmiyah and Mankat Al-Hattab in rural Dara’a. Each household received two food baskets in two separate distributions. A total of 776 baskets were distributed in Mankat Al-Hattab and 1,270 in Al-Masmiyah, containing essential food items to meet the needs of the targeted families.