Give a Girl a Goat, Keep Her in School

In the rural community of Mersan in southern Haiti there is a primary school called Ecole Mixte Bon Berger.  Since 2012 World Concern has partnered with this school by providing goats and husbandry training to students.  With a goat students are able to earn an income by selling the goat’s offspring and using the money to pay for school tuition and other supplies. 

One of these students in Mersan is named Fania Bien-Aime, a shy 14-year-old girl who has a smile that is hard to forget.  She lives a 15 minute walk from the school with her parents and six siblings.  “I always walk to school.  In the beginning it was difficult but now it is easy.” 

Fania recently received a goat from World Concern and participated in the training where she learned how to take care of her goat and how to maintain its health. 

“I know how to take care of the goat because I learned some things in the training,” she said.  “When it’s raining I have to shelter the goat but usually during the day it sits in the shade because the sun is too hot.”

Now her goat is in heat and Fania expects it to become pregnant shortly. 

When working with communities, the ‘long view’ must be taken into consideration.  There may be solutions that would provide temporary assistance to Fania, however this lacks sustainability and requires a handout to be given repeatedly.  World Concern is interested instead in long term solutions. 

A goat is a treasured asset in rural Haiti because it represents a steady income.  “Each year a goat can give between six and nine kids, and she may produce kids for up to 10 years,” explains Pierre Duclona, World Concern’s regional coordinator for southern Haiti. 

While a goat and relevant training may not produce immediate results, it will provide students like Fania with a way to earn an income for years to come and give her new skills which she can carry into adulthood.    

Fania will soon begin the 6^th grade and is looking forward to returning to class after the summer break.

“The sciences and mathematics are the ones I like.  I like to study,” she shared.  “Education is important so I can help my parents and also for myself to feel good and help in society.” 

“I would like to be a tailor but I can’t sew right now.  For now this is the profession that is in my head,” explained Fania.  “You can get money from this skill because when school begins, parents need to send their children’s uniforms to get sewed.”

With a goat and specific training, Fania is well-positioned to earn an income and therefore continue with her education which will give her opportunities to provide for herself and her family.  Thank you so much for your generosity and partnership in keeping girls like Fania in school! 

Written on the side of the house belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Nocolas Amazan are the words, “God is leading my house.”  This family continues to rely on God for their strength and hope, but the gift of a goat helped them meet some important physical needs. 

Your gift of a goat is impacting lives just like this family.

The Amazan family lives in a tiny village in southern Haiti called Morency.  They have three daughters—Francise, Nehemie and Rose.  In 2006, Francise, who is the oldest daughter, received a goat from World Concern.  The following year Nehemie also received a goat.  In addition to the gift of a goat, the girls were given training on how to manage and care for their goat.

In rural Haiti a goat is an important source of income.  Baby goats can be easily sold in local markets.  By giving girls a goat and training, they have the opportunity to earn an income which can be used to pay for school and potentially much more, as you will see in the Amazan family.

“The goat program is a blessing coming directly from God,” said Mr. Amazan.  “The goats were the most important revenue for my family.”

Mr. Amazan shared that once his daughter’s goats gave offspring, some were sold to pay for Francise and Nehemie’s high school education in Les Cayes, a city nearby, where they are currently studying.

Sometimes the income earned from a goat can also encourage other economic opportunities within the family.  The Amazan family decided to use some of the income they earned from selling the offspring to build a stove so they could bake bread and sell it to the community.  The stove is still functioning and providing the Amazan family with yet another source of income. 

The gift of a goat and training can equip a girl with the resources and knowledge needed to succeed educationally and personally.  And in some families, like the Amazans, the impact often goes beyond the girl herself and also helps her whole family. 

Thank you for making a difference in the life of a girl—and her family—with the gift of a goat!