Fifty-seven Akayange families have each received a goat – and will give their first baby goats to the next 57 families… and the next… and the next…
Thursday the 4th of November was an exciting day for the Akayange community. Andrea Bolte, one of our most loyal Children in the Wilderness (CITW) donors in Rwanda – and before that, an unfaltering supporter of CITW Namibia and CITW Zambia – visited the village and donated a goat to the 57 most disadvantaged families!
The Akayange community is situated just outside Akagera National Park, so it was possible for Andrea to visit the village – together with Wilderness Rwanda Operations Manager, Ingrid Baas, and CITW and Community Co-ordinator, Aline Umutoni – while staying at Wilderness Magashi, which is situated inside the national park.
“The community committee that we work with in the Akayange area had requested goats for more families, after the implementation of a successful project in November last year. This was when CITW and Wilderness Rwanda facilitated the donation of a goat each to 78 families in the Akayange community”, noted Ingrid.
Together with the community committee and all families who received a female goat, the arrangement is that the first baby goat born to a recipient family will be donated to the next most needy family in the village – meaning that the project can keep supporting itself, as each family receiving a goat will continue to give its first-born to another family in the village.
“From the previous donation of 78 goats, many baby goats have already been given to other needy families in the village!” added Aline.
Goats are very low-maintenance livestock, surviving on even the poorest graze. Their manure is used for fertiliser, and they produce several litres of nutritious milk a day. They can have two to three kids a year, ensuring the ongoing success of the project.
The village leaders and the residents in the community offered their sincere thanks to Wilderness and CITW Rwanda, not to mention Andrea Bolte!