Empowering Christians in Uganda through goat farming

Barnabas is helping to lift our Ugandan brothers and sisters out of poverty and hunger by giving them the gift of a goat.

What is Barnabas doing for Ugandan Christians?

With funding from Barnabas, our project partners are giving female goats to 800 Christian households who live in poverty in the Kasese district. The hope is that by setting up goat farming ventures, these families will be able to both feed themselves and sustain themselves economically.

The goats reproduce quickly, breeding with males owned by others within the community. The young, which average at two to three kids per pregnancy, can be sold for an income, or given to another Christian family so that more believers can benefit from this venture.

How can goats help Ugandan Christians to be self-sufficient?

The goats can help these Christians in multiple ways. The goats’ milk can be used to feed the household, as can their meat, with any excess being sold to provide income. The goats’ manure can be used as crop fertiliser, and they also provide skins, all of which can be used to benefit the families, or sold.

Each recipient of a goat was given training in how to look after the animal correctly, so that this venture can be as long-term and profitable for these communities as possible.

Lay reader Eryeza, 62, gives thanks to God that owning a goat will help to support him and his family into his retirement from active church service in two years’ time.

“God is a loving and faithful Father who remembers and cares for His people,” said Eryeza. “I thank the Lord for using Barnabas Aid through the diocese and for remembering my family.”

Opportunity Africa: building up African Christian communities

The goat farming venture is part of Barnabas Aid’s Opportunity Africa initiative, where we help African Christian communities become more resilient, self-sufficient and independent. Opportunity Africa is a long-term and ongoing initiative which helps believers gain the skills and resources they need to become self-sufficient. This includes long-term solutions for food, education, income and much more. We hope that by building these communities up, they will no longer be reliant on charitable aid and donations for their continued survival.

Different communities of Christians in Africa have different needs, so it is important that Opportunity Africa includes many approaches to improving resilience, so we can apply the appropriate assistance to each community’s situation. We have therefore created 12 different aspects, called ‘strands’, of the initiative.

The 12 strands of Opportunity Africa are:

1. Food: innovative, long-term approaches to feeding
2. Healthcare, medical needs and disabilities
3. Economic empowerment, including for groups and churches
4. Education: schools and vocational training
5. Energy
6. Digital connectivity
7. Water
8. Agriculture
9. Houses, churches, other community buildings
10. Christian refugees and IDPs (internally displaced persons)
11. Bible training and spiritual development
12. Human capacity development

Thank you to our supporters!

It is only thanks to our project partners and supporters that we can continue helping African Christians grow in independence. We would therefore like to extend our gratitude to all those who have contributed to this worthy cause, allowing Ugandan Christians the chance to gain sustainable food and income through the gift of a goat.