Howard Buffett, Warren Buffett’s son, is a corn and soybean farmer in Nebraska. Although expected to take over Berkshire Hathaway, he spends most of his time away from the board room. When he’s not knee-deep in corn husks, Howard Buffett is focusing on his philanthropic work in the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.
The foundation has multiple initiatives, including schooling, agriculture, and water programs. His Agriculture for Basic Needs program focuses on five skill sets in order to promote sustainable production for small-scale, family farmers. These skill sets, including “innovation & learning, sustainable agriculture, savings & lending, marketing, and group organization & management,” are exactly what the Survivors of the Lesotho Dams are asking for. In their Memorandum of Grievances, they demand “development and training from LHDA. Development and training that would realize sustainable livelihoods.”
In our globalized world, we are finding more and more connections between the First and Third Worlds. Wealthy individuals are reaching out to help the world’s poorest. Like Howard Buffett, we need to use our philanthropic efforts to teach the world’s poor how to support themselves in such a global economy. The men, women, and children hurt by the Lesotho Highlands Water Project need training and support (much like that of the Howard G. Buffett foundation) from the LHDA in order to support themselves and their communities.
