In Bundelkhand, seasonal droughts brought on by climate change have ravaged communities that are entirely dependent on rain-fed agriculture. With a generous grant from the Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation, Asia Initiatives partnered with Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan to offer low interest loans to participants to purchase goats. Women earn SoCCs by participating in village cleanliness drives, re-enrolling school drop-outs, planting trees around water sources and organizing and attend reproductive health sessions that they redeem for low-interest goat loans. The funds recovered from the loans have been used to initiate a microcredit program, where the loans revolve within the community through Self Help Group bank accounts.

Goats are incredibly useful. They supplement agricultural income, their milk can be sold for extra income and used to improve the nutrition of families themselves, and goat kids  can also be sold at the market. The SoCCs for Goat Rearing project has eliminated forced seasonal migration due to drought and improved holistic wellbeing among participants. 

 

Jasoda, was among the first to take advantage of this opportunity when the SoCC program was initiated in her village. She received a loan to purchase three goats, and now has three goat kids. She participated in SHG meetings and activities. A beaming Jasoda says, “The program is a boon for me as I don’t have to go to cities any more for labour. I am hopeful to have good income by selling goat kids and this business will help me to bear the expenses of the education of my children. Their future is secure and so is mine.”