The experience of Mary and her family
Mary Kumwenda comes from Group Village Headman (GVH) Mtambalika, Traditional Authority (TA) Malidade Extension Planning Areas, in the district Mzimba. She is married to Zakeyu Chima with whom she has 8 children (4 men, 4 women). Members of the community selected Mary to be educated (2020) to become a Community Animal Health Worker. She was gifted 2 goats from the project as a way to encourage her hard work.
"The project gave me two goats as a way to encourage me to work even harder and after seeing the problems we faced as a family. Year in and year out, we faced hunger. My house was small and in dilapidated condition. Some of my children are also in school, they need school fees. I bought more goats with the money I earn from offering animal health services" Mary said. "Goats have very good characteristics that make it easy for us to keep them. Unlike pigs, goats do not compete with humans when it comes to food. Goats grow quickly and can have young twice a year. Goats are also resistant to many diseases. This makes keeping goats relatively inexpensive." She continued.
For Mary, goats play a big role in her life. They are a source of income. The money that the family makes from the goats goes to paying tuition for their children and buying agricultural commodities and household items. When a harvest is unsuccessful, the goats can be sold for money that buys the family food. Making it so that they have more security. She also told us that she is planning on selling a few of her goats, so she can buy metal plates for her house.
She is grateful for her husband who has supported her and for everything her family has achieved. "I am thankful for my husband and everything he does. He buys me medicine for the animals which I can use, and he encourages me to work hard and to have an impact on my community" she said.
The experience of Reddings and his family
Reddings Nkhata GVH Diyere, TA Mpherembe, district Mzimba. He is one of the 4 Community Animal Health Workers (CAHW's) who received goats for the Enhancing Community Animal Health Services (ECAHS) Project in Malaidade EPA. He was selected by his fellow CAHW's to get a margin of the profit from the goats back in 2020 because he was one of the best CAHW's. Reddings had treated more animals than most of his colleagues. Because of this, he deserved to get more money for all the work he had done.
"I was excited when I got the 2 goats for this project. It was a sign to me that the livestock farmers and my fellow CAHW's appreciated my hard work to keep the animals healthy. I'm also thankful of VSF The Netherlands that they have given me these goats through Ziweto", Nkhata said. The goats he got made new baby goats, every goat can get 2 each year. With the money he earned from his services as a Community Animal Health Worker, Reddings bought even more goats to expand his herd.
"Goats are living banks for me. I sell goats to pay school tuition for my children and to make sure the basic needs at home and on the farm are taken care of. I also live at the periphery of the Vazwa Wildlife Reserve. Because of this, I don't have a reason anymore to go out hunting, as I have my animals which I can use for food" he explained.