Real lives: Rose Juwawo, Balaka district, Malawi
Rose Juwawo with her livestock. Rose is a beneficiary of Balaka Sustainable Livelihoods. Photo: Debbie Yazbek/Oxfam
Goats break the poor from their cycle of poverty
“The village chief together with the village development committee identified the most vulnerable people in the community and we went for training in how to build a kraal for goat-keeping, and how to look after goats. I was given one goat because my husband was very sick and couldn’t work and I was looking after six people in my household.
“The first goat I received was female and gave birth to one female and one male goat. Because I received the goat as a loan, when my goat gave birth I had to give the female goat to another woman in the community as repayment. My original goat gave birth again and so did some of her offspring until last year I had a total of 48 goats. Before I was living in a very small, dilapidated mud shack with a grass thatched roof, so I sold 21 goats and built this whole house with bricks, cement and iron sheets. Now I have 19 goats remaining of which I rent out three males to other people.
Any problems I encounter I sell a goat and then the problem is solved…my children never go to bed hungry like before
“I have no words to express how owning these goats has changed my life, any problems I encounter I sell a goat and then the problem is solved. I can buy anything I want, I can buy food and my children never go to bed hungry like before. If I didn’t own goats my youngest daughter would not have been able to go to school.
“This year when I was cultivating my garden I was able to buy fertiliser for my maize that I bought from selling one goat, we also benefit from the manure from the goats, which we use as fertiliser for our crops. I also sold one of my goats and bought two chickens that have also bred. Before I had the chickens it was difficult to have alternative sources of food, after doing some odd jobs for people I might be able buy a few vegetables or some small fish but now we can eat chicken and eggs whenever we want.
“When I look at my goats or sleep at night in my new house I always think of the assistance Oxfam gave and am thankful.”
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