Nine-year-old Tassy, who lives in Zambia, lost her parents when she was just one year old. She was raised by her grandparents who are HIV positive. With little money for food or HIV medical treatment, their situation was dire. After they received a gift of goats and animal husbandry training, their lives changed dramatically. The unique gift helped generate a sustainable income to buy food, medicines and support Tassy’s education.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) website, an estimated 1 billion poor people depend on livestock for food and income. Many families do not have the means to purchase livestock products, so they rely heavily on charitable programs for donations. World Vision Canada reports that over 12,500 people benefited from their Gift of Animals program in 2015. Goats, in particular, are a popular gift because they’re more affordable than other livestock. It costs just $75 to give a gift of a goat versus $650 for a dairy cow. Here are some interesting facts you may not know about the domestic goat:
