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A group of women standing in from=nt of The Goat Foundation Banner holding leashes to pairs of goats each

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY WITH THE HELP OF THE GOAT FOUNDATION

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A group of women standing in from=nt of The Goat Foundation Banner holding leashes to pairs of goats each

The Goat Foundation beneficiaries of the 7th Cause Giveback in Kilifi County, Kenya.

In the remote, rural areas of Kilifi County, Kenya, many women face overwhelming odds after the loss of a husband. Without the protection of a male head of household, these widows are often subjected to abuse, neglect, and poverty. For one woman, however, the journey was a little different. This is her story.

After her husband drowned while on a fishing trip, she was left to pick up the pieces and care for her children on her own. With no means to support herself or her family, she turned to her in-laws for help. But instead of compassion and support, she was met with emotional and physical abuse. Her in-laws chased her away from her matrimonial home, leaving her with nowhere to turn.

Despite her dire circumstances, she refused to give up. With courage and determination, she took to the streets, selling vegetables and doing odd jobs to support her family. But it wasn’t enough. The days were long and the nights were lonely. The future seemed bleak and uncertain.

But then, something changed. The Goat Foundation, founded by Steve Down under the Cause Capitalism philosophy, heard about her plight and invited her to a goat giveback ceremony. It was there that she received a pair of goats, male and female, which would change her life forever.

The goats multiplied and grew into a big herd, providing her with a steady source of income. She was able to purchase more land, build a home, and send her children to school. She was no longer a social pariah. The once-broken woman was now a successful businesswoman, providing for her family and giving back to her community.

Looking back on her journey, she is filled with gratitude for the Goat Foundation and the opportunity it gave her. “I never thought this day would come,” she says with a smile. “But with the help of the Goat Foundation, I have overcome adversity and am now financially independent. I will forever be grateful for this organization and the hope it has given me.”

The Goat Foundation is working to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable widows like this one. By providing them with the resources and support they need to start their own goat herds, the foundation is promoting sustainable economic solutions and creating a more equitable world. The cause capitalism philosophy ensures that these women are not only able to sustain themselves, but also help to develop the community at large.

This widow’s story is just one of many. But it serves as a testament to the power of hope and the impact that organizations like The Goat Foundation can have in transforming lives and communities. We can all make a difference, and it starts with supporting the work of organizations like The Goat Foundation.

 

USING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TO EMPOWER WIDOWS WHILE MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

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Sustainable agriculture to help widows combat climate change effects like poverty.

Supporting sustainable agriculture and rural development can be a powerful way to reduce poverty and improve the lives of widows who live in rural areas and rely on farming for their livelihoods. Some potential strategies for achieving this include:

  • Providing training and support to farmers to help them improve their agricultural practices and increase their yields
  • Investing in infrastructures, such as irrigation systems, roads, and storage facilities, to improve access to markets and reduce food waste
  • Supporting the development of value-added products, such as processed foods, that can generate more income for farmers
  • Providing access to credit and other financial services, such as insurance, to help farmers manage risks and invest in their businesses
  • Promoting policies and programs that support small-scale farmers and protect their land rights
  • Investing in research and development to develop new technologies and innovations that can support sustainable agriculture and improve farmers’ livelihoods

These are just a few examples of how sustainable agriculture and rural development can be supported. It is vital to involve widows and local leaders in designing and implementing these strategies to ensure that they are effective and sustainable.

A crucial factor in promoting sustainable agriculture is climate change, and therefore, in the framework of ensuring economic sustainability, we must interrogate means with which we can mitigate the effects of climate change. 

Some approaches that can be undertaken include developing and implementing policies and programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as by promoting the use of renewable energy sources and increasing energy efficiency.

Governments can invest in infrastructure and technology that can help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as building more resilient homes and roads and developing early warning systems for extreme weather events.

Supporting the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources, such as forests, wetlands, and grasslands can help to absorb carbon dioxide and reduce the impacts of climate change.

Promoting sustainable agriculture and land use practices, such as agroforestry and conservation agriculture, can help to reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and improve crop yields.

Engaging with local communities, governments, and other stakeholders to raise awareness of climate change and its impacts, and to identify and implement effective solutions.

Addressing climate change for marginalized communities will require a combination of efforts at the local, national, and global levels, involving all sectors of society.

Veronica Kanini speaking to the Goat Foundation

SHE DARES TO DREAM

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A Chance Meeting

During a donation exercise by The Goat Foundation in Kitui Central, Kitui County, I was drawn to a lady of about 30 years. She wore jeans, a gray hoodie, and open slacks that were rather too fashionable. 

I watched as she energetically marshaled her local group of widows through the set program. She embodied the enterprising hope envisioned by conveners of The goat Foundation. I made a mental note to request an interview with her and find out what her story was. 

Six months later I sat across the bubbly lady named Mwende whose story was quite an eye-opener. 

“I am a businesswoman, so I have trained myself to read a customer before they open their mouth. This intuition has guided me to succeed in business and once, it saved my life”  

The Goat Foundation

Some recipients turned their lives around and begun giving as cause capitalists

 

She pauses for effect to see if she has my attention and then begins her narrative. 

“Let me tell you my story. It began ten years ago when…”

Tragedy and Redemption

Mwende got married right after finishing high school. Her husband was from Mwingi, a town that was near her rural home. He worked as a clinical officer at the Level-5 hospital in that town. Musyoka (not his real name) had courted her through her secondary school and after finishing her ‘O’ level examinations, she promptly packed her bags and moved in with him.

For the next 8 years, they lived happily as a married couple though they never got to formalize their union. The one consternating factor in her marriage was her inability to conceive. Her husband’s relatives whispered loudly urging him to get another wife. Her in-laws had performed medical telepathy that somehow diagnosed her, and not Musyoka, her husband as the offending culprit in that childless union.

As animosity grew against her, her husband remained faithful and refused to entertain village ‘advisers’ who made regular trips to their homes to consult on ‘family matters.’

Tragedy struck in July 2018, she lost her husband in a road accident. He had traveled to the capital city for an interview with a large private hospital. The grief and sorrow that soon overwhelmed her were compounded by the fact that her in-laws wanted her out of her matrimonial home as soon as the burial ceremony was over. The house she was being thrown out of had been fully purchased by her husband before he died. 

Clinging to Hope

Determined not to lose everything in her life, Mwende vowed to stay put and never leave the house and property she shared with her husband. What followed was a series of orchestrated threats, beatings by unknown intruders and social media bullying and verbal assaults. It appeared like all of a sudden all members of her husband’s family had something rude to say to her. 

With no one to turn to, since she had run away from home to get married, Mwende decided to visit an old friend from school. On her way out she picked up a bottle of water that she had left standing on her table. On her way out she took a sip of the water, disliked it for tasting funny and threw the bottle away. That was the last thing she remembered. 

Waking up three weeks later in a hospital a doctor told her how lucky she had been. A good Samaritan had seen her collapse as she walked and got assistance to take her to the hospital. Mwende was quite sure who and why she had got poisoned. Her in-laws wanted the house and property left by her husband. 

After being discharged, she traveled back to her hometown in Kituyi carrying nothing but the clothes she wore on her back. 

The journey to Fulfillment

“How did you manage to survive, get an income and become the woman you are today?” I ask her.

“At first it wasn’t easy, I suffered from the side effects of those drugs. Later on, I did menial jobs for a small fee.”

Through her hard work and determination, Mwende scraped enough money to purchase a plot where she currently resided. 

“The Goat Foundation gave me hope for a prosperous future that I frankly believe in,” says Mwende with a smile. 

My two goats have been through two gestations. I have five goats. I gave one out to a needy friend. I hope that by the end of the year, I will add two more goats to my herd. If all goes according to plan, I will use these goats as collateral to get a loan and open a salon in town. 

Then she told me one of the most astonishing things I have heard in a long time. 

“My salon will offer free hair services to needy children. I will give one free service for every customer that I serve” she says confidently.

“How can you afford that?” I ask her, still stunned. 

“Don’t worry about that. The universe has plenty of abundances. You give to receive, and I believe blessings will keep coming my way as long as I keep giving.” 

She smiles brilliantly and rises to signal the end of our interview.

What a lady!