Our Projects in Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria
Heifer Romania manages livestock and microcredit projects all over Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria. The diversity of our projects includes beneficiaries of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, together with a large variety of livestock: cows, goats, sheep, horses, rabbits, poultry, bees and fish.
Presently Heifer Romania manages 60 projects in three countries. New projects are at all times either in the process of approval or to be opened in the near future.
Bulgaria is the latest addition to the list of Heifer beneficiary countries in Central and Eastern Europe. With three countries where to implement and monitor projects, Heifer Romania has grown to become one of the most successful Heifer country programs in the world.
Each project receives biannual progress and financial reports, submitted to our donors. A yearly audit verifies the activity of the whole country program. Informative newsletters spread the word about our latest work, activities, special events, visits and staff announcements. Read more
Please find below a list of Heifer Romania projects:
1. Sheep, Fruit Trees and Reforestation Project Read more... See photo gallery
2. Pig Project for Rebricea Read more... See photo gallery
3. Honey and Trees Project Read more...
4. Revitalization of water buffalo breeding in Aschileu and Mera villages Read more... See photo gallery
5. Cattle Genetic Improvement in Hunedoara County Read more... See photo gallery
6. Honey production for poor communities in Central Transylvania Read more... See photo gallery
7. Dairy cows and artificial insemination for Maeriste Read more... See photo gallery
8. Sheep, bees, and Reforestation project in Vrancioaia Read more... See photo gallery
9. Livestock for Highland Farms in Carlibaba Read more... See photo gallery
10. Cattle Project in Carnateni, Republic of Moldova Read more... See photo gallery
11. Livestock for farmers in Pleven area villages, Bulgaria Read more...
12. Alpine Goats for Two Poor Communities Read more... See photo gallery
13. Livestock for Orphans with Disabilities, Bulgaria
14. Livestock for farmers in Balvan, Bulgaria
15. Romanian Carpathian Project (Phase 2) Read more... See photo gallery
16. Cattle Project in Vata See photo gallery
17. Rabbits Project in Vadul Rascov, Republic of Moldova See photo gallery
18. Farmers Feed the Children (Phase III) Read more... See photo gallery
19. Sheep Project in Borca
20. Microcredit Project in Pojorata
21. Microcredit Project in Dorna
22. Goat Breeding in Roma Community of Cuiejd See photo gallery
23. Dairy Cows for Women in Buteni, Republic of Moldova
24. Romanian Carpathian Project - Dairy Sheep on Mountains Peaks
25. Cattle Project in Javgur, Republic of Moldova
26. Rabbits for Farmers in Radeni, Republic of Moldova
27. Cattle Project of Pojorata (Phase II) See photo gallery
28. Goats for the Roma Community of Deaj See photo gallery
29. Roma People’s Goat Project in Nemsa See photo gallery
30. Goat Project in Cobadin
31. Livestock for Unemployed People in Rachitova See photo gallery
32. Poultry for Small Communities
33. Small Farm for Orphans in Giurgiu
34. Farmers Feed the Children (Phase II)
35. Microcredit Program in Corusu
36. Farmers Feed the Children (Phase I)
37. Farmers Feed the Children
38. Livestock for Hearing Impaired Children in Hirbovat, Republic of Moldova See photo gallery
39. Dairy Cows Project in Sofia, Republic of Moldova See photo gallery
40. Trout Fish Project in Cozanesti
41. Microcredit Project in Vadu-Izei
42. Furioso - North Star Horse Revitalization in Jucu Village
43. Small Scale Fish Production in Pojorita and Dorna Candrenilor
44. Sheep and Goats Improvement in Topolog Village (Phase II)
45. Small Ruminant Improvement in Topolog Village (Phase I) See photo gallery
46. Ileanda Community Pig Project See photo gallery
47. Dorna Candreni Microcredit Program
48. Cattle Project of Pojorita (Phase I)
49. Caminul Felix Dairy Project See photo gallery
50. Hungarian Minority Dairy Program in Panet
51. Small Farm Development of Telciu See photo gallery
52. Vadu Izei Dairy Cow Program See photo gallery
53. Dorna Candreni Cattle Improvement Program (Phase II) See photo gallery
54. Dorna Candreni Cattle Improvement Program (Phase I)
55. Dairy Cows for "Cristian" Association
56. Small Farm Development in Bologa
57. Pigs Breed Improvement in Corus
58. Dairy Cattle Improvement in Corus
59. Angora Goat Production on Family Farms in Romania (Phase II)
60. Angora Goat Production on Family Farms in Romania (Phase I)
Please find below information about some of our most recent projects:
Sheep, Fruit Trees and Reforestation Project
Targeted groups are formed by farmers’ communities from Valea Salciei, Modreni and Valea Salciei-Catun. The project will be extended in the neighboring communities through the passing-on process and the reforestation component of the project.
The project first objective is to increase farmers’ income and improve nutrition by promoting traditional farming activities such as sheep breeding and fruit trees.
The second project’s objective is to improve the environment trough reforestation. Farmers are determined to plant thousands of fir trees on the highlands.
Heifer Romania will provide 72 farmer families with 720 Red Face Tigaia sheep and 72 Tigaia rams. Another 150 farmer families will receive 15,000 fruit tree saplings (apple, pear, plum, cherry and walnut) and 90 families will receive 9,000 fir tree saplings.
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Pig Project for Rebricea
Life in Rebricea is not easy. The area is dry and facing times of necessity during the hot summers. Winter is even worse because the Siberian winds bring cold temperatures and lots of snow. Targeted groups are formed by farmers’ communities from Rebricea commune
Heifer Romania will provide 150 families with 150 Romanian White sow and 6 families with 6 White boars. More than 600 families will be part of the project increasing their incomes through the selling of piglets and pork products, and improving their nutrition.
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Honey and Trees Project
The project’s main purpose is to improve nutrition and increase income levels through the introduction of bee keeping as a new activity for poor farmer families in nine communities along the Somes river valley. The second goal is to improve the environment and balance the deforestation by planting acacia trees.
During the first two years, Heifer Romania will provide 50 farmer families with 5 bee families, beehives and small equipment. Another 600 farmer families will receive 150,000 acacia saplings. Humans and animals will benefit from the reforestation component of the project. The trees will keep the moisture on neighboring lands, lower the effect of soil erosion, and fix the nitrogen levels. Other benefits are the nectar for bees and seeds for birds.
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Revitalization of water buffalo breeding in Aschileu and Mera villages
The project goal is to improve the living standards of poor farmers in two Transylvanian villages by revitalizing water buffalo breeding. Heifer International will provide 30 families in Aschileu and Mera villages with 30 water buffalo. The project will contribute to strengthening peace and partnerships between two different cultures and nationalities, as Mera is inhabited by Hungarians and Aschileu by Romanians. Project participants in both communities will improve nutrition and income through the consumption and selling of water buffalo products.
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Cattle Genetic Improvement in Hunedoara County
The project’s first objective is to improve nutrition and income of small farmer families in Hunedoara County. In order to achieve this goal, Heifer Romania and its partner, Semtest BVN, will ameliorate genetics of dairy and beef cow breeds. Livestock production, size, and general value will increase each new generation due to the distribution of 10,500 high quality frozen bull semen doses that will positively impact more than 13,500 families in Western Transylvania. Project participants will receive Artificial Insemination (AI) straws of high quality that significantly improve genetics and performance of the offspring.
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Honey production for poor communities in Central Transylvania
Honey production and bee breeding is an activity fitted for the poor families who have very limited resources and can’t afford an investment in high-input farming activities. Additionally, this activity generates income in a short period of time. We can say that, beekeeping starts as a hobby, and soon will turn into a small business. Heifer Romania will distribute to 30 needy families from Rus commune, 5 bee families each together with needy material to construct the beehives, bees’ equipment and specific trainings.
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Dairy cows and artificial insemination for Maeriste
This project is made up of two big components: the distribution of 51 Romanian Spotted dairy heifers in Maeriste commune and 5200 artificial insemination frozen semen of high quality that will improve the genetics and performance of dairy cows from Cluj and Salaj county. The second component will also give farmers the opportunity to turn their farms from dairy cows to beef ones. The beneficiary families will improve their nutrition and increase their income by selling the surplus.
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Sheep, bees and Reforestation project in Vrancioaia
Target groups of the project are farming communities in Vrancioaia plateau, Vrancea County – mainly the villages of Vrancioaia, Bodesti, Muncei, Plostina, Poiana and Spinesti and extending to neighboring communities in the region through the passing-on process and the reforestation component of the project. Heifer Romania will provide 50 farmer families with 500 Red Face Tigaia sheep, 25 meat rams and 25 Tigaia rams. Another 25 farmer families will receive 125 beehives, and 810 families will receive 162,000 acacia saplings. The project goal is to increase farmers’ income and improve nutrition by promoting traditional farming activities such as sheep breeding and bee keeping.
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Livestock for Highland Farms in Carlibaba
The project purpose is to improve the income level and nutritional status of beneficiary farmers in the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. Heifer Romania will distribute 320 Turcana sheep and 32 rams, 16 beef cattle and 2 bulls, and trout fish to 54 families in Carlibaba, Valea Stanii, Iedu, Preta, Juravlea villages. In order to allow farmers to increase their income, this project will have a micro-enterprise component – a lamb fattening farm, as described in the project rationale.
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Cattle Project in Carnateni, Republic of Moldova
The Carnateni community is located in the Republic of Moldova, 60 km from the capital, Chisinau. Far from main roads, Carnateni suffers from a lack of infrastructure and neglect from the government. Most farmers in Carnateni live in poverty, with an average income per family of 25 USD/month. The aim of this project is to improve nutrition through dairy products and meat consumption, as well as improve incomes through the sale of milk and dairy products. Heifer Romania will distribute 30 heifers to 30 farm families from Carnateni commune, vaccines and fodder supplements, and training in animal breeding.
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