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WHY IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT SOCIETY LOOKS AFTER ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED WIDOWS.

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Widows who are economically disadvantaged may face a range of challenges and hardships, including poverty, social isolation, and lack of access to essential services. Providing support to these women can help to alleviate some of these challenges and improve their quality of life.

Supporting widows who are economically disadvantaged can help to promote gender equality and reduce discrimination based on gender. Widows, especially in some parts of the world, may face discrimination and unequal treatment due to their gender, and providing support can help to combat these inequalities.

Widows who are economically disadvantaged may have dependents, such as children or elderly parents, who are also in need of support. Providing support to the widow can help to ensure that her dependents are also taken care of.

Providing support to widows who are economically disadvantaged can help to strengthen communities and promote social cohesion. When individuals and families are able to overcome economic challenges, they are more likely to be able to participate fully in their communities and contribute to their well-being.

Finally, providing support to widows who are economically disadvantaged is simply the right thing to do. It is a matter of social justice and human rights, and it reflects the values of compassion and empathy that are important in any society.

Widowed households can be economically empowered in different ways as has been witnessed by different organizations including The Goat Foundation. Some approaches that have proven to be successful in this effort include:

  • Providing access to financial services and resources, such as microloans, savings accounts, and financial education, can help widows to start or expand a small business, save money, and build assets.
  • Offering vocational training and education programs that can help widows to develop new skills and knowledge, and increase their employability in a variety of industries.
  • Supporting the development of cooperatives and other forms of collective enterprise, which can provide widows with a platform to share resources, access markets, and generate income.
  • Providing access to market information and other business development services, such as technical assistance and mentoring, can help widows to overcome barriers to entrepreneurship and to succeed in a competitive economy.
  • Engaging with local communities, governments, and other stakeholders to raise awareness of the economic challenges faced by widows, and to advocate for policies and programs that can support their economic empowerment.

Overall, empowering widows economically requires a holistic approach that addresses the many challenges and opportunities faced by this vulnerable population. By providing access to resources and support, and by creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and economic growth, it is possible to promote sustainable economic empowerment for widows in Africa.

THE KILIFI GIVEBACK

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A woman greeting a man while holding a pair of goats by their leash

A beneficiary of The Goat Foundation giveback in Majajani village, Kilifi County Kenya, greets Founder Steve Down

The Goat Foundation was started with a vision of reaching out to the most vulnerable families across rural Kenya. The founder, Steve Down, met a family at one of the funerals he attended during his first visit to Kenya. The woman who continues to propagate this vision was widowed and left with 4 children.  She only had a vegetable garden that she thought would sustain her young family. 

Steve Down learnt that goat farming was one of the climate-smart methods of agriculture that people living in ASALS were fast embracing. He took it upon himself to help this family by donating 2 goats (a he-goat and a she-goat.) 

This inspired his vision of ensuring no family lacks basic resources or goes to bed hopeless. 

So far, The Goat Foundation has donated 850 goats across Kenya and empowered 500 households through the cause initiative. Recipient families are asked to donate the firstborn goat from each pair to the next village family in need. This could provide perpetual giving of goats and nutrition. 

Our vision is in alignment with Sustainable Development Goals 1,2,&5. (No poverty, No hunger and Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls). We envision a hunger-free Africa where its most marginalized populations have a chance at wealth creation. 

The issue- What we are solving? 

  1. Poverty- to ensure widows earn a sustainable income through climate-smart agriculture
  2. Hunger- to ensure no widows and their beneficiaries go to bed hungry. 
  3. Injustice- to create awareness of the tribulations faced by widows and ensure their rights are withheld.  

Our Cause Capitalism Philosophy.

A man with many microphones held in front of him

Founder of The Goat Foundation, Steve Down Addressing the press during the goat giveback

Cause Capitalism according to Steve Down is when a for-profit company partners with a nonprofit, not as a gimmick but as a true sustainable partner. 

We believe that for-profit companies should ensure sustainability around the communities they operate in, to promote economic inclusion. 

Companies have to ensure people benefit positively from their creations. That is why we advocate for For-profit and non-profit partnerships. 

Non-profits address global issues by reaching out directly to vulnerable groups. They educate, enable and empower them. This can only be possible if they have financial access to ensure this happens. 

Therefore, we call on more stakeholders to join our cause capitalism initiative and make the world a better place. 

 

The 200 Goat Donation. 

Financially Fit through The Goat Foundation will donate 200 goats to 100 low-income households in Mariakani, Kilifi County. We work through partnerships with like-minded institutions and strongly believe in the power of the media to amplify the impact of climate change on low-income households fully dependent on agriculture and call for mitigation across all sectors. For this reason, we invite you to witness the impactful donation from The Goat Foundation. 

We look forward to hosting you on the 8th of November 2022. 

 

THE FUTURE OF THE GOAT FOUNDATION

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From Humble Beginnings Great Milestones

Beckon

The socio-economic changes sweeping across villages and rural communities once visited by The Goat Foundation have been unprecedented, and according to Dominic, a community leader from Kisii town in Western Kenya, akin to a social revolution.

The donation of a pair of goats to widows and orphans in far-flung areas across the country opened societies to the potential of women, and widows in particular. Communities bore witness to the improved livelihoods and general well-being of widows, who once empowered by the initial investment of two goats, chose to apply the bargaining power that came with it towards wealth generation.   

Paradigm Shift in Perceptions

Perhaps the most cited achievement was the elimination of the inequitable gender power relations. Economically empowered widows acquired a voice and were included in decision-making in discussions that affected the community.

Loan disbursement, land rights, and inheritance rights got advocated for by community activists. By elevating widows from a whispered and shunned demographic to a celebrated group of achievers, The Goat Foundation allowed women and widows to access land ownership and resources. Widows were now able to contest for the property of their departed husbands. 

Changing lives and communities all over the country

Changing lives and communities all over the country

These attainments not only had the universal effect of eliminating extreme poverty, violence, and health risks, but they also advanced the cause of women towards education, training and awareness about their human rights. 

With the increased legal literacy, these widows are now able to confront long-standing exclusionary ideals born out of patriarchal customary and religious norms. 

During a peace and reconciliation process in Kisii County, Western Kenya, neighboring communities sat to negotiate compensation and deterrence against future atrocities. Among the items on the agenda was the payment of restitution to widows whose husbands had been killed during a raid conducted by a neighboring community.

The fact that the welfare of widows was discussed in a traditional ceremony long reserved for male community elders was a game-changing event that resonated throughout the Abagusii community.

Future Plans

The Goat Foundation has not sat on its laurels with a congratulatory grin of satisfaction. In future, they envisage a partnership with donors, Cause champions, Corporates and Businesses in endeavors across the African continent and the world. 

In the meantime, as the winds of change blow across the sunbaked landscapes of rural Kenya, it is hoped that intransigent voices of traditional patriarchy will shift their allegiance from the outdated customary norm of female domination to the caring and just idea of equality for all.

Steve Down, the founder of The Goat Foundation, his Business and Corporate partners, and friends who donate and contribute towards Cause Capitalism look forward to yet another year of fruitful engagement with widows, community leaders and all those who believe in the art of giving.