'My Goat, My Hope' Crowdfunding

'My Goat, My Hope' is a women-oriented project providing agricultural assistance, creating new income-generating opportunities and establishing new platforms for community development to those most vulnerable to poverty in Rwanda.
 
BRUSSELS - May 19, 2015 - PRLog -- What We Need & What You Get

STEP 1

To kick-start livestock micro-businesses, we will purchase 40 healthy goats (does) for 40 indigenous girls and women from the Nyabihu district in Rwanda.
One goat costs 40$. Transportation costs 150$.
Veterinary aid (vaccination and de-worming) will be given to all goats to protect them against diseases and increase milk yield - 100$.
We will also provide goat feed for the first 3 months - 100$.
STEP 2
Thanks to your help, Batwa women farmers will receive capacity-building training in demonstration fields of their village on animal husbandry, animal health, processing techniques, packaging, milk handling, entrepreneurial and marketing skills. Local livestock experts will train Batwa women in sustainable, low-cost and environmentally friendly best practices to ensure viable and profitable livestock production and marketing - 200$.
Your contribution will help finance materials to build goat stations, metal feeders, water buckets, packaging materials and basic supplies for setting up a micro-business to ensure that dairy processing is hygienic and efficient - 300$.
The duration of the implementation is 3 months and capacity-building training will take place once every two weeks throughout the duration of the project.
STEP 3
Batwa women will be encouraged to give away the first female goat to another woman in the village who would then do the same in turn.
We will also support Batwa women in establishing small, collective, women's associations in the Batwa village to improve marketing of new products and information-sharing.

The Impact

Since the genocide, Rwanda is striving to reconcile its society, rebuild its economy, guarantee gender equality and improve its healthcare system and infrastructure. Despite the fact that the Government has put several measures in place to improve living conditions, this historically marginalized Batwa community in Nyabihu district is still facing poverty. Unable to access their ancestral lands and practice traditional economic and cultural activities, the Batwa have become one of the most vulnerable communities in the country. However, there is hope.

How can indigenous Batwa women benefit from goats?
Goats are a valuable asset for families and communities in Rwanda; however, many Batwa cannot afford them. The comparable advantage of goats is that they can graze even on poor, dry land unsuitable for other livestock and their manure can be used to fertilize gardens and fields. Each day, goats can supply several quarts of milk providing important nutrition for undernourished family members and most importantly for children who need a balanced and healthy diet.

Goats will allow Batwa women and their families to sell their wool, dairy products, like milk, cheese or yoghurt at local markets in order to stimulate extra earnings. Goats give birth to two or three kids per year, offering Batwa families the opportunity to sustainably plan little investments and to pay for food supplies, education and health care.

Why Help Us?
Unlike other organizations who support vulnerable populations and social groups by providing them with livestock aid, our team from the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization helps those who are usually forgotten and isolated from receiving development support due to discrimination and stigma.
Since 1991, UNPO has been working with indigenous peoples, minorities, and unrecognised or occupied territories who have joined together to protect and promote their human and cultural rights, to preserve their environments, and to find nonviolent solutions to conflicts which affect them. UNPO works to ensure their voices are heard.
UNPO sent a mission to Rwanda and neighboring countries, Zaire, Tanzania and Burundi in 1994, and again in 2010 to investigating the situation of the Batwa people of Rwanda. Since then, UNPO developed a network of partner organizations and individuals, who help us implement our small-scale, community outreach, not-for-profit projects.
For the project "My Goat, My Hope", our partner Young Women's Christian Association of Rwanda based in Kigali will help us deliver the livestock to their new owners and homes, provide the trainings and help them take care of the goats together as a community.

Other Ways You Can Help
We understand if you are unable to support our project financially, but you can help us spread the word. Share our campaign with you friends, family, colleagues and anyone else with a big heart.

You can also like our page and stay informed on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/UNPO/393260647387831?fref=ts) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/UNPOintl)!

Donate here! https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/my-goat-my-hope#/story

Contact
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
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Tags:Crowdfunding, Empowerment, Development, Rwanda, Minority
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