Can goats empower women?
In poorest areas of India, they already are. Thanks to a new team of health workers who are training rural women on how to gain financial independence by raising goats. India has more than 150 million goats, 2/6th of the world’s goat population. 70% of poor, rural families raise them.
Health workers are goat nurses called “pashu sakhis” or “friends of animals” in Hindi. Pashu sakhis are poor women who are given basic training on how to vaccinate, deworm, provide preventive care to goats in communities.
Goat rearing is an important source of income. Goats can be sold easily as a source of food. Nicknamed “rural ATMs” as a convenient source of cash. Women earn money with goats to improve nutrition, schooling for children, visiting a doctor, building a toilet.
Incredible idea…