Goat Rearing (Small-Scale Business) Part 1 of 2 (50 of 100 Goats)
This is part one of a project that will supply two goats to 25 guardians (quite often grandmothers and widows) of orphaned and vulnerable children in the Kabondo, Kenya. The goats will help individual households to have a sustainable source of milk and income through goat rearing. Goats are the least expensive livestock to raise locally. When the goats produce offspring, these guardian families will be able to purchase school materials and school uniforms. They will be able to afford to provide basic medical care and food for the orphans under their care in a sustainable manner. Each goat along with veterinary training for the guardians will cost $54. Completed!

The most urgent needs in Kabondo are educational support and care for HIV/AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children. The community intends to help these orphans through extended family members or -guardians- and not through orphanages (established orphan homes), as these are normally expensive to run and also break the bond these orphans might have with the remaining members of their extended families following the death of their parents.

These pictures show some of the 50 guardians selected during Part 1.

Five day training was organized for the 50 beneficiaries, 7 board members, 2 local community leaders and one women’s leader. The training was carried out through the Ministry of Livestock Development through the divisional livestock development officer. The 5 day sensitization was carried out at Kilusi Primary school, a public institution to cut down on costs. The training covered the following areas;
• Care of goats and free extension services and products available to livestock farmers from the local government officers.
• Diseases that affect goats and where to get assistance locally.
• Feeding for goats
• Management of small income generating projects.
• Documentation of progress made in income generation.

It is noteworthy that the beneficiaries were introduced to clear and workable structures established by the Ministry of livestock development through which farmers can be mobilized for both dissemination of information and procurement of drugs and other necessary materials for goat rearing that will make the work of Kabondo Poverty Alleviation Organization easy in monitoring and mentoring.