OUR FAMILY ASSISTANCE GOAT DISTRIBUTION
Its 4am in the morning and still very dark, with no lights in this area, but there is much activity as 32 families prepare themselves to set out on a five hour difficult and strenuous hike to join us for a very exciting day. Today each family will receive two goats, marking a new beginning in their lives. These goats help families obtain self-empowerment, sustainability, and financial stability.
Why goats? Goats provide the balance in an economic climate, they can send a child to school for a year, put a roof on a house, feed families, and are there when crops fail or floods happen and can be sold to help the family through difficult times. Goats can have kids twice a year, and if one is lucky most of them have two at a time, thus rapidly multiplying the investment for each family. Goats do not need a lot of difficult provisions, are easy to keep, and adorable to look at and get to know.
The gift of goats is part of our Family Security Program, where poverty stricken families are assisted in leading healthier lives through education and training in correct farming methods, in environmental security, nutrition, and the importance of agricultural diversity. Gifts of tools, seeds, and trees are literally life giving. Today they will collect the biggest prize of all – goats; a lifeline to a healthier future.
The strength of this program is in the continuing participation of each family. They are required to return to the program a kid for each one given, and the same quantity plus some interest of seeds distributed. Other families are then the recipients of these kids and seeds. It is with a great deal of pride and commitment that families take part in this cycle of giving and help their neighbors as they themselves have been helped.
I am excited to meet these families as I have never been able to make the trip to Petite Montaigne and Bouly, and I’m also thrilled to know that it is now our CFFL Agriculture grads who are working with these families, helping them, and using their newly acquired educational skills honed at CFFL.
This is really what we are all about!!! Thanks for your help in making this dream come true.
We have to hurry as after the presentation all these happy families will have to return to their homes, another 5 hours away, hopefully before dark and before the rain comes, but at least they (and the goats) are grateful there is no sun today.