Goats can be a key resource for a rural Haitian family - the family’s savings account. S.H.A.R.E. has provided goats to Haitian families in the past and is currently providing goats to 141 couples as a component of the Families and Land project. Goats are hardy and can thrive on very little, so the cost for their upkeep is low. There is a strong demand for goat meat as part of the Haitian diet and demand increases around holidays. Because a female goat will give birth to an average of three kids per year there is the potential of growing a small herd and having income quite quickly. The earnings from selling a goat are generally used for school supplies, medicine or food.
Beneficiaries of the goats do their part in this project. Couples attend 60 hours of education in a program called “Change Your Family’s Life”. They learn about domestic violence, hygiene, disease (including signs of childhood malnutrition), animal husbandry and gardening. Couples graduating from these classes receive a breeding pair of goats. This proven and effective goat project is integrated into the current initiative in the S.H.A.R.E. Families and Land project as a strategy to improve nutrition of families and the economy in the whole area.
