All Living Beings are Equal
Food for Life Global is happy to welcome our newest affiliate, Paramatma Animal Shelter in Colombia. Founded by Juliana Castaneda and Edicson Jem in 2009. The 19,000 sm property in Guasca-Cundinamarca shelters 34 animals (21 dogs, 7 cats, 1 rooster, 1 quail, 1 lab rat, 1 horse, 1 cow and 1 ox) get the love and respect they deserve.
They are the only vegan sanctuary in all of Colombia, and the only shelter in all of South America that protects cows. In a meat-eating culture like South America, that is a big deal.
The main goal of the shelter is to teach humans to respect all living beings. Paramatma is a Sanskrit word that means, “God within the heart” and it is Juliana and Edicson’s belief that all living beings have a soul and that God is in everyone’s heart.
Many animals today do not get the love and respect they deserve.
Paramatma Animal Shelter began in 2009 with a desire is to protect one of the most abused animals in the world: cows. In the United States alone around 5 billion cows are killed annually for food, while hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats are abandoned by their owners. The animals at this shelter were abandoned or rescued from slaughter houses and test laboratories.
Juliana is the sole money earner and every penny she makes from working in the city goes to help protect and feed her animal friends. Sometimes her and Edicson have to survive off bread and corn just so that the animals get the very best vegan foods she can provide them.
Paramatma Animal Shelter needs your help
While Edicson takes care of all the needs of the sanctuary, including feeding the animals, cleaning their stalls, fixing broken fences, caring for their health and giving them natural medicines, etc, Juliana spends all week earning money to support the shelter. On the weekends, however, she takes a 2 hour bus ride back to the farm, with supplies and pet food in hand, to also help with the manual labour of caring for these animals. “It is incredibly hard work,” she told me.
In all of 2013, Paramatma Animal Shelter received just one $25 donation from inside the country. Fortunately, they also received help from the US charity called A Well Fed World with a small grant of $1000. However, even with this kind donation and all her income going to care for these lovely animals, she still found herself falling short. “The costs for simple things are very high in Colombia and we are the only ones in the country with a vegan shelter. So people here don’t understand how significant that is,” she explained.
Adoption is Welcome
Paramatma Animal Shelter promotes adoption, animal welfare and respect for our animal brothers and sisters. They plan to improve the standard of the farm with the aim of eventually making it self-sustaining. However, nothing is easy in Colombia, and so I humbly appeal for your help today…
For Just $30 per month you can Sustain one Cow
If you love animals; if you believe they are our brothers and sisters; if you believe they deserve love and respect, then please get behind this project and help them!
Your donation, even as little as $30 can maintain one cow for an entire month.
So please sponsor one of their animals today.
Make a difference in the life of someone that really needs it.
“Animals depend on us to speak up for them; to show them our love and respect. They are innocent children and they are just as much a member of God’s family as we are,” appeals Juliana.
Any contribution in cash, kind, advocacy or just coming to our farm to volunteer is appreciated.
Only Vegan Food Is provided to our animals
Sponsoring one of Food for Life Global’s sheltered animals at the Julianas Animal Sanctuary in South America means you agree to help with the animal’s livelihood. For as little as $10 a month you can support maintaining fences, planting grass, cover vet expenses, and provide food and care for that animal.
There are only two human carers for these lovely animals and both of them are volunteers! Taking care of 34 animals is time consuming work. These innocent animals need your support!
Your monthly pledge will guarantee them a happy and care-free life.
Meet Gita the Cow
Gita is 6 years old. We rescued her when she was 1. Unfortunately, she was tortured with electroshocks to make her obedient, so she now has a rebellious nature and does what she pleases. When people go to visit her, she hides behind the trees and believes that no one is seeing her. When we take her to the barn, however, she gets happy and dances around. She can jump very high and so we have to build very high fences to keep her safe.
Meet Balarama the Ox
Balarama is 5 years old. He was rescued at birth, so he does not know about the cruelty of humans. He is a very sweet bull who loves being kissed and hugged, and dances when people visit him. He loves getting scratched under the neck and go crazy with salt treats. And oh my God, does he eat lots of grass!
See more pictures of animals under Paramatma Farm’s care below…
