SEATTLE — Emmy Award-winning actress Uzo Aduba, who some may recognize as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren from Orange Is the New Black, has been announced as Heifer International’s first celebrity ambassador. She is being appointed for two years in order to help with Heifer International’s initiatives of ending poverty and world hunger.
How Did Uzo Aduba Become Heifer International’s First Celebrity Ambassador?
In 2016, Aduba had the opportunity to travel to Uganda and see some of the projects Heifer International was working on at the time. There, Aduba was able to help out with processing milk at a community-owned dairy center as a part of a Passing on the Gift ceremony.
After being touched by this experience in Uganda, she returned once more in March 2018 to see how the 2016 projects had been progressing. From there, Aduba decided she wanted to do more to get involved, which led to her becoming Heifer International’s first celebrity ambassador for Africa.
Heifer International president and CEO Pierre Ferrari told Look to the Stars, “We are thrilled to have Uzo join us in our work. As a passionate champion of small-scale farmers, particularly women, Uzo’s commitment to empower farmers is inspiring.” As she continues to support these causes by doing hands-on work, along with raising awareness, the self-reliance of these farmers will continue to grow and inspire more people to advocate for Heifer International’s mission.
How Does Heifer International Intend to Help?
The charity focuses on increasing small scale farmers’ incomes by providing them with the livestock and agricultural training needed to sustain their farms. This not only produces more food sources, but also provides another route of earning an income.
Aduba explained to Look to the Stars, “What makes Heifer different is simply this; they look to offer those they serve with a hand up, not a handout.” This is what makes Heifer International so special. The charity is not simply helping people survive, it is helping people thrive and make new lives for themselves, which is something that is extremely powerful.
Heifer International has projects going on all over the world, and the results illustrate the impact it has had so far. In fact, by teaching sustainability practices, there has been a 59 percent increase in the adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices. This has led to an 11 percent boost in dietary diversity each year for project participants. With more than 75 projects currently underway, Heifer International is working hard to replicate these results all over the world.
As Uzo Aduba begins her work as Heifer International’s first celebrity ambassador, she will continue to exert her positive influence on the world and work alongside the charity on the journey to end poverty and world hunger, which can inspire and encourage individuals to get involved in any way they can.
– Raven Patzke
Photo: Google