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 2023.
A Goat for an Afghan Woman: Seeds of Hope and Self-Sufficiency
The Costa Family Foundation is proud to share the results of the "A Goat for an Afghan Woman" project, an initiative that has brought concrete support to widowed and vulnerable women in the Farah province of Afghanistan. In collaboration with "Insieme si può..." (ISP) and implemented by the Social Association of Afghan Justice Seekers (SAAJS), this project demonstrates how targeted aid can generate a profound and lasting impact.
The Context: Challenges and Resilience
In Farah province, life has been upended by the Taliban takeover and prolonged droughts. Many men, particularly young soldiers, have fled the country or been forced to join the Taliban. Droughts have dried up farmlands, preventing people from earning income from their crops. In this difficult scenario, livestock farming has become one of the few sources of livelihood, and this work often falls to women.
It's in this context of extreme vulnerability that SAAJS identified and selected the 15 most impoverished families, providing them with an opportunity to build a more stable future. These families often live on the outskirts of villages, with limited access to work opportunities, especially for women.
The Project: Objectives and Concrete Actions
Between January and November 2023, the project aimed to:
- Economic Support: Enable families to generate income through the sale of goat products like milk, yogurt, and offspring.
- Social Empowerment: Foster the independence and autonomy of widowed women and families left without a head of household.
- Food Security: Improve family nutrition through access to fresh milk, reducing reliance on external food sources.
After thorough research, SAAJS began distributing goats in July 2023. In total, 45 goats were distributed to 15 families in the main city and one district of Farah province. Each family received 3 goats.
The choice of goats was strategic due to their economic viability, ease of care, and adaptability to the local environment. Goats give birth annually, providing a consistent source of income from selling kids. In Afghanistan, selling a one-year-old goat kid can fetch around 14,000-15,000 AFN, while goat meat is highly prized, with a male kid under one year old potentially worth around 6,500 AFN, enough to support an average family for a month. Dairy products like milk, butter, and cheese not only generate income but are also a valuable source of nutrition, crucial for combating malnutrition among children.
The Voices of Beneficiaries: Stories of Rebirth
The testimonials from the women who received the goats are the most eloquent proof of the project's success:
- Fatima, a 45-year-old mother of four with heart problems, lost her eldest son in a suicide attack. Without work and with her daughters denied education, she now has hope thanks to the goats.
- Mariam, a widow with three children, saw her husband killed in the war and her crops destroyed by drought. Her account of "sleeping hungry" underscores the urgency of the aid received.
- Amina, with her paralyzed husband and two sons missing in Iran, lost her job as a domestic worker due to the closure of girls' schools. Goats offer her a new chance.
- Sultana, a mother of six with a drug-addicted husband, laments that "aid comes in our name, the poor people, but the Taliban keep all the aid for themselves; we always remain empty-handed." The direct delivery of goats by SAAJS has restored trust.
- Shakila, with her sick and unemployed husband, expresses her greatest wish: "I want the doors of girls' schools to be opened so that my daughters can continue their education and not remain illiterate and unfortunate like us."
These and many other stories from Zahra, Farida, Shabnam, Parisa, Nasrin, Gulnaz, Laila, Samira, Roya, and Zainab speak of women who, despite adversity, have found strength and dignity through this project, transforming simple aid into a driver of self-sufficiency. All 15 families have already started generating income and have quickly adapted to managing the goats, a common practice in Afghanistan.
Challenges Faced
Project implementation was not without its obstacles:
- Rising Goat Prices: Increasing demand and difficulties in cross-border trade caused a surge in purchase costs.
- Drought Impact: The lack of rain made it difficult to find fodder for the animals, increasing maintenance expenses.
- Taliban Restrictions: Strict control over humanitarian organizations and demands for "shares" from local authorities complicated distribution. The SAAJS team overcame these difficulties by ensuring the presence of provincial representatives to facilitate transit and ensure aid reached the beneficiaries directly.
Financial Report (November 2023)
The project was supported by the Costa Family Foundation and Insieme Si Può (ISP), with a total of €10,000 in donations received, equivalent to 900,900 AFN.
| Expense Item | Amount (€) |
|---|---|
| Purchase of goats | 8,100 |
| Transportation costs | 260.00 |
| Purchase of hay and other supplies for each goat | 900.00 |
| Overhead/indirect costs | 740.00 |
| Total Expenditures | 10,000 |
Esporta in Fogli
The "A Goat for an Afghan Woman" project is a striking example of how, through targeted interventions and a deep understanding of the local context, it's possible not only to alleviate poverty but also to build paths toward self-sufficiency and dignity. The Costa Family Foundation continues to believe in these "seeds of hope" that transform lives.
