Lakewood Rotary makes difference for 20 Nepalese farmers

Submitted by Rose Stevens, Lakewood Rotary.

Lakewood Rotary, with the assistance of Rotary District 5020, recently completed a project providing Economic Empowerment through Goat Farming to twenty (20) farmers and their families in rural Chaukhu Village, Dhulikhel, Nepal. 

The 2015 Nepal earthquake created 700,000 more people in need and Covid has added another million. These people are struggling to resume their normal livelihood with many of those in the devastated earthquake area relocating as their land is not habitable. 

The most efficient method of assisting those is need is goat farming. Goats are often seen as the key to family survival. Goat farming is a sustainable livelihood  as it generates income and employment opportunities as well as milk, cheese, meat, butter and leather. Excess product will be sold to provide additional income for the family.

Training and education in the care of goat farming was provided to the families and regular follow up will be provided to answer any questions and concerns.

The goats will produce 2-4 kids per year. The first kid (baby goat) will be given to another family in need along with the information they learned during their training. This will perpetuate the program and benefitting the village.

We thank Rotarian Ranjeev Shrestha of Rotary Club of Dhulikhel for bringing this need to our attention and inviting us to continue our partnership being in “Service Above Self.”