A milk cow stands in an airy shelter and munches elephant grass (that’s what the giant grass here is called). She’s being milked, by hand in the traditional way, and it doesn’t seem to discomfit her at all as she eats. The cow lives in Butiro, a village in the southeast of Uganda in the county of the same name, on a high plateau surrounded by green countryside, near the border to Kenya. It’s a good 7 hours by bus from the airport in Entebbe to Butiro.

The MoreMilk project

Many families here live in very modest circumstances. Helping people help themselves is a proven strategy: For example, with the milk from one cow a family in Butiro can feed their own children better, and sell the leftover milk. That brings in about 10 euros of extra earnings each month – no mean sum in rural Uganda. A milk cow costs about 250 euros in Uganda, putting it out of reach for many people. This is where our company founder Volkmar Wywiol comes in. With donations by him and newly won supporters, he finances the purchase of dairy cows for Butiro. Thus far 106 milk cows have been donated in this way. Through the donations, the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe is a “milk maker” in Uganda. 12 years ago the crossbred Friesian breeding bull Boris came to Butiro, and with his sons is slowly but surely improving the milk yield of local cows.

  • Initiative MoreMilk Busunkya, Kevina Nabwire
  • Initiative MoreMilk Mayanza, Annet Mukite

Helping people help themselves. How do the cows get to Butiro, and who gets them?

An all-volunteer group of friends in Germany (see below) sends donations directly to a Christian organization in Butiro, which is led by the German nun Elisabeth Mwaka. The organisation buys cows at the local cattle market or in neighbouring Kenya. The cows go to women who need help feeding their families. They are organized in mutual support groups. As the first cow owner, each group chooses a woman who can provide shelter and feed. When the cow calves, the calves go to other women in the group as a kind of repayment. That way other families can profit. What a great sustainable project!

MoreMilk attracts interest from colleagues in the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe

Our involvement has attracted the interest not just of business associates, but also of employees of the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe, and motivated them to make their own donations. Almost enough money for the first cow has come together from employees. As Christina Dickel, Curator of the Stern-Wywiol Gallery, puts it, “The idea of MoreMilk is ingenious. A poor family will never be able to afford a cow on their own. Our donation goes directly to the mothers and their children. And it’s just nice to be part of it. Where else can you buy a cow as a team and do something good?”

More supporters of the MoreMilk project are very welcome!

Donation account:
Butiru Freundeskreis, Volksbank Hankensbüttel
IBAN: DE07 2579 1635 0061 8870 00
Purpose: “MoreMilk” (Please give your full address for your charitable donation receipt for tax purposes)

If you’d like more information on the sustainable development in Uganda by the “Freundeskreis zur Förderung Christlicher Sozialarbeit e.V.” – especially education – read about it here: www.butiru-freundeskreis.net

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