Report Back: Goats for Zambia
5/10/2009
In August 2008 ChildFund appealed to New Zealanders to help provide goat farms to one of the poorest communities in the world – Luangwa in Zambia.
Thanks to the generous support of New Zealanders and the multiplying NZAID grant (New Zealand Government funding), 800 nanny goats and 20 billy goats were purchased and distributed to 200 vulnerable families, many headed by women. Women like Naphtali, mother of three children aged from two to 10 years old, who received four nanny goats and a share in a billy goat.
"Goats' milk is a good source of nutrients for our children. That is why we always put it in their porridge now."
One in three children in Luangwa suffers from symptoms of severe malnutrition. The goal of this project is to reduce malnutrition rates amongst children under five years of age by helping families set up goat farms.
For Naphtali's family surviving on subsistence farming life is hard because of the low rainfall. But goats survive just about anywhere. They eat nearly anything and they breed quickly – often producing multiple kids. All this means that goat-raising can be a profitable business generating income for life-saving essentials, as well as providing nutritious milk for growing children.
"In the future the milk or a goat will be sold from time to time to help meet medical bills for our children or raise the necessary funds for school fees," say Naphtali.
The goats have started breeding and 35 kids have already been born. The first four kids to be born to a family will be passed along to another family – meaning New Zealanders’ generous donations are reaching even more children.
To ensure that the goat farms are sustainable, local groups were formed to share experiences, skills and knowledge and to provide leadership during the important setting up phase for families. Women were taught livestock management and animal health skills, as well as how to manage the impact of goats on the environment. Goat pens were also built to house the goats and keep them safe from predators. To keep the goats healthy livestock drugs and kits were purchased and distributed to each of the families.
The women were also trained in village banking and how to start a savings group within their communities to help increase their income. This has been a great success with an excess of ZMK200,000 (around $65 NZD) saved from income generated by the goat farms.
“Everyone knew us as poor people because we could not afford animals such as cows or goats. It was unheard of in my village for a woman to own any animals until the project came into being last year," says Naphtali.
The family constructed a goat pen high from the ground to ensure goats were safe from wild animals. 
“Every day we open the pen in the morning and give the goats enough water. Later in the day we also ensure every goat has entered the pen before we close it for the night. With the training we underwent before receiving the goats, I am able to tell whether the goat is sick or not."
Goats have more benefits for the garden, too.
“We also use the manure to fertilise the vegetables in our garden. Our vegetable yields have improved since we started applying goat manure. Most of the people that got goats have very good gardens and this has improved the availability of relish in the village.
"I am so grateful to ChildFund New Zealand for this project. I am sure with the goats, my children will safely go through high school without any problems.”
Thank you New Zealand!
