A Goat for an Afghan Woman
Giving hope back to widowed women and their children. What we managed to do with the ‘One Goat for One Afghan Woman’ Project in 2022.
Seeds of Hope: The "Goat Project" Empowers Vulnerable Women in Nuristan
The Costa Family Foundation is proud to share the impactful results of the "Income Generating: Goat Project" in Parun, Nuristan, Afghanistan. This initiative, funded by Costa Family – ISP and implemented by the Social Association of Afghan Justice Seekers (SAAJS), has provided a lifeline to 15 highly vulnerable families, predominantly headed by women, in a region grappling with extreme poverty and the drastic changes brought by the re-establishment of the Taliban government.
A Beacon of Hope in Dire Times
Since August 15, 2021, the re-establishment of the Taliban government has led to a dramatic increase in poverty and hardship across Afghanistan. Many, particularly in rural areas, have lost their livelihoods and hope. While some have turned to agriculture, the income it provides is often insufficient. It's in this challenging environment that SAAJS, an organization dedicated to seeking justice and providing aid to war victims' families since 2007, stepped in. Building on its long-standing efforts, the "Goat Project" was designed to offer a sustainable path to self-sufficiency.
Project Details: Empowering Women with Goats
After thorough research, SAAJS successfully implemented the project in May 2022 in Parun District, Nuristan Province. A total of 45 goats were distributed, with three goats given to each of the 15 selected vulnerable families. Nuristan, a remote province in eastern Afghanistan, traditionally relies on livestock and agriculture, with women playing a key role in both.
Why goats? Goats are a strategic choice due to their:
- Ease and lower cost of management compared to other livestock.
- Multiple uses:
- Dairy: Milk, butter, and cheese provide both essential nutrition (especially for malnourished children) and a consistent source of income. Nuristan cheese, known for its quality, is a widely sold product.
- Reproduction: Selling young goats is a profitable venture, with a one-year-old kid fetching around AFN 14,000-15,000.
- Meat: Goat meat is highly valued in Afghanistan, with a male kid under one year old weighing around 12 kg potentially bringing in AFN 6,500 – enough to support an average family for a month.
The selected families were among the most impoverished in the village, with limited job opportunities, especially for women. Living on the outskirts of villages, these families traditionally rely on fieldwork or goat rearing for their livelihoods, making this project a natural fit for their existing skills and needs.
Tangible Impact and Overcoming Obstacles
All 15 beneficiary families have already begun generating income, seamlessly integrating goat rearing into their daily lives, as it's a common practice in Parun. The families expressed happiness and renewed hope for their future.
However, the project faced significant obstacles:
- High Goat Prices: Fluctuations in currency exchange rates due to the Taliban's return, coupled with widespread drought affecting livestock feed availability, led to soaring goat prices.
- Security Concerns: Transporting goats was challenging due to Taliban checkpoints. SAAJS had to source goats locally within Nuristan Province, which presented difficulties in acquiring such a large number.
- Taliban Interference: Despite official claims of improved security, targeted killings and surveillance were reported. Taliban officials often demanded "their right" (shares) when aid was being transported. SAAJS navigated these challenges by having a local representative claim the goats were for personal business, minimizing interference.
- Poor Infrastructure: Unpaved roads in rural areas made transportation difficult, sometimes requiring the team to travel on foot.
- Social Restrictions: Gathering women in one place for distribution was a challenge, as the Taliban viewed such gatherings as dangerous and subjected them to scrutiny.
Financial Report (May 2022)
The project received €10,000 (AFN 979,800 at a 97.98 conversion rate).
| Expense Item | Amount (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Purchase of Goats (45 goats) | 6,750 |
| Transport (both ways) | 1,600 |
| Nutrition for one-day travel of goats | 900 |
| Overhead/Indirect Cost (7%) | 700 |
| Total Expenditure | 9,950 |
| Balance | 50 |
Voices of Resilience: Stories from the Beneficiaries
The personal stories of the women receiving aid underscore the profound need and impact of the project:
- Leila (40, six children): Her children fled to Iran after the Taliban takeover, and her disabled grandson needs regular medical treatment, which she can't afford.
- Shukrieh (60, three daughters, one son): Widowed by COVID-19, her son lost his army job when the Taliban arrived, leaving them with no income.
- Nazia Khanum (30, four children): Her husband died in the war before the Taliban retook power, leaving her with a disabled 13-year-old son and no support.
- Bakhti Bibi (35, two children): Her husband abandoned her for another wife, forcing Bakhti Bibi to work in others' fields for meager pay, struggling to feed her children.
- Mahjan (42, five daughters, one son): Her husband and son, along with two sons-in-law, were police officers who lost their jobs. Her daughters' husbands died in the Kandahar war. Mahjan's husband sought work in Kabul but found none.
- Besgol (31, two daughters, one son): Her husband, a police officer, was killed in a Taliban ambush a week before their takeover. She lives in a self-built room, struggling to survive.
- Nasima (38, eight children): Her husband suffers from an untreated heart disease, leaving Nasima to work tirelessly to feed her large family.
- Nimro (33, six children): A teacher who lost her job under the Taliban, her husband was killed in a suicide attack at Kabul Airport during the evacuation. She moved to Nuristan, trying to live off inherited land.
- Shima (44, four children): Her son sought work in Iran, but jobs for immigrants are scarce. Widowed three years ago, she faces severe economic hardship.
- Golmeki (39, six children): Her husband lost an arm and a leg in the Helmand war, making it impossible to find work. The Taliban stopped monthly payments to wounded soldiers, leaving them in dire straits.
- Shazieh (seven children): Despite her husband's small piece of land, their harvests were never enough. He joined a camp for meager income but hasn't been heard from since the Taliban's return.
- Wajiheh (young, two children): Forced into marriage at 14 to an older man with three wives, she was expelled from the house after his death. Now, she works in others' fields for minimal food.
- Taj Bibi (five children): Widowed after her husband joined the National Army to support his family and was killed. His family then seized their land, leaving them destitute.
- Emerald (eight children): Her husband lost his legs during the civil wars, leaving Emerald to care for him and eight children while struggling to farm.
- Samar Gol (nine children): A widow with no land, she struggles to feed her children with only four goats. Two daughters work in villagers' fields to help.
These deeply personal accounts highlight the profound impact of the "Goat Project," transforming desperation into tangible hope and self-sufficiency for these courageous women and their families.
