By Charlotte Allum | Fundraising and Outreach Coordinator
For our new villages, adopted in 2022, this is an incredibly exciting time of year!
This is when the Goat Beneficiaries - the poorest families who will receive 5 Nanny Goats each - are chosen.
These families are democratically chosen by the Village Steering Committee - which has also been democratically appointed by the villagers.
When Patricia Parker OBE set up Kids for Kids, she asked "but won't other families be jealous if they are not also receiving 5 Nanny Goats?"
"No," came the answer - "those families will be happy that they now don't need to support the poorer families by sharing their own meagre rations."
In Hillat Um Gadeer, one of the 5 villages adopted by Kids for Kids in 2022, 28 famiiles have been chosen to receive 5 Nanny Goats each. There will also be a Billy Goat for every three families in each village to be shared between the families who also take turns to look after him.
After two years, our sustainable Goat Loan ensures that, once the little flocks have grown, 5 Nanny Goats will be passed on from each of these families to another family to benefit. So in two years, another 28 families will benefit, and then after another 2 years, another 28 families, and another 28 and so on. Each family passing on goats then owns the remaining flock - which provides an income for the mothers. "When crops fail" says Patricia "owning a flock of goats is quite literally a life saver. The income from the sale of male goats and the milk and yogurt - and some have enough to make cheese too - is often the first time a mother can make decisions for her own family."
Hakima's family is one of the lucky Goat beneficiaries in Hillat Um Gadeer.
Hakima is 35 years old and is married with 6 chidren - 5 boys and a girl.
Her husband, Ibrahim, is a farmer.
During the rainy season, Hakima and her families crops failed totally. They now have no millet and no sorghum stock.
Hakima's only ambition is to find food for her children each day. It's the only thing that keeps her going.
"This year has been very difficult," Hakima says. "It's like war days. My youngest child is so malnourished I have to walk to Kerkara village health unit - which is a long way away across the sand - to get emergency plummy nuts for her."
But our Goat Loan will change Hakima's life and give her and her family hope.
The Goats will provide nutritious milk and desperately-needed vitamins and protein to strengthen their young bones, teeth and even brain cells.
Hakima will have the option to sell any excess Goat's milk and yoghurt to earn herself a living.
For the first time, Hakima will be able to look to the future, rather than just living day-to-day.
Hakima will be able to make decisions for herself and her family, be able to save for the future, plan an education for her chidren, a life out of poverty.
WE REALLY ARE CHANGING LIVES, ONE GOAT AT A TIME.
But we now need to buy the goats for all of these families.
Could you help us by donating a Goat - or five for a whole family?
We are so grateful for your support, we really can't do it without you - and just think of the smiles those Goats will bring!
By Charlotte Allum | Fundraising and Outreach Coordinator
By Patricia Parker | CEO
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