Cambodian "Fat Cow" Program Lifts Families Out of Poverty

When Wade Roberts was given six months to live in 2020, his brothers asked him what legacy he wanted to leave behind. His answer came instantly: Cambodia.

Roberts fell in love with Cambodia in 1999 while learning Khmer during a church mission in California. On his first wedding anniversary trip to the country, he witnessed poverty so severe it changed the course of his life.

Born with cystic fibrosis and facing declining health, Roberts channeled his economics PhD and decades of research into founding Become More Charity in 2022. The organization tackles poverty through an unexpected solution: teaching farmers how to raise healthier cows.

In Cambodia, skinny cows are the norm. Young boys spend five hours daily walking single cattle to water and feed, missing school in the process. Without vaccinations or proper nutrition, only 56% of calves survive.

The Fat Cow program flips this reality. Farmers learn modern techniques that double the number of calves per cow and boost survival rates to 98%. The result is a five times return on investment for families living on less than $2 a day.

"A skinny cow produces skinny profits," explains Ben Roberts, Wade's brother and co-founder. The program pairs healthier livestock with mentorship from neighboring farmers who have already succeeded.

But Become More doesn't stop at cattle. The charity addresses what Roberts calls "connected needs" in each village: education, clean drinking water, nutrition, prenatal vitamins, hygiene, dental care, and vision services.

One innovative education approach offers rice to parents in exchange for sending their children to school. This tackles the immediate hunger that keeps kids home while creating pathways to long-term prosperity.

Roberts built his model by listening to villagers and working where need was greatest. He saw that sustainable change required addressing health, education, and economic development as an interconnected whole.

The village-by-village approach creates lasting transformation. When farmers sell their calves, proceeds get reinvested into community programs that support the next generation.

Three years after being given six months to live, Roberts continues his work. His son and two nephews now serve missions in Cambodia, carrying forward the family's commitment to the country.

What started as one man's answer to a difficult question has become a blueprint for development that respects local culture while creating real opportunity. Roberts proved that poverty may be large, but it's large enough that anyone can touch it.