Goats and Donkeys Transform Lives in Darfur

This project is vital to the very existence of children in rural Darfur.  Thank you for supporting us in our endeavours to supply goats and donkeys to prolong the lives of the little ones who need our help so much. 

In the twelve years since Kids for Kids was founded, I have never been more worried for the children of Darfur.  You may know that I started Kids for Kids because of what I perceived as the inexcusable and inconceivable hardship of their lives.  The violence that erupted in 2002/3 made things even worse. But now, in the wake of the creation of South Sudan, the absence of aid workers from the large agencies in Darfur, and the disasters elsewhere in the world, Darfur has been left as a forgotten region.   Violence has been worsening by the month, with hundreds of thousands of people fleeing their villages since January.  You will know that our remit has been to help families to stay in their homes and to give them a chance of a better future.  Tragically, the indirect effects of all that has happened in recent months has meant soaring inflation in Sudan and in Darfur, it is the highest in the entire country

Our goats and donkeys remain vital to the villagers.  You will know that we lend 6 goats to a family to give them milk and the opportunity of a small income, then in two years time they pass 6 kids to another family and then another.  This is micro finance at its best and just one goat can change many lives.

We do however, have a problem.  This time of year when people are often forced to sell their animals to get themselves over the hungry months before the next harvest, twelve years ago I could have bought a goat for £5, a year ago just £28  but now they are £60 each, and the price will rise even more.    Everything is costing more, at the same time as our donations sink and the world's media remains silent on Darfur.  Children are continuing to die, but not in Kids for Kids villages.  That is why we need your help so much, as requests for help from new villages pour in each month.  One of our Village Leaders recently told me, "there is no malnutrition in Kids for Kids villages".  We are making a huge difference to those that we can help but funds are needed to support even more.  Please tell your friends about the impact we are having and help us to increase our help and sponsor more communities. 

In April we held our twice yearly programme meeting with our team who work on the ground in Darfur.  For the first time, we were able to invite our Chairman of the Volunteer Village Leaders to find out how much impact we were having in a still tragic region and to find out what more can be done.  We were delighted to be given a really fantastic and positive briefing from the Chairman who gave us incontestable proof that our simple long term help really is changing lives.

In the villages of Darfur, malnutrition continues to be at epidemic proportions.  But not in Kids for Kids villages.  We were told the amazing story of Azargarfa which was adopted by Kids for Kids in 2004.  Our original goat loans have now been passed on every two years and the four rotations that have taken place have not only transformed the lives of the poorest families but have also had a positive impact on the whole community.  Our other help such as a handpumps, donkey loans, midwives, paravets, first aid training and the rest have lifted the whole village. 

Before Azargarfa was adopted by Kids for Kids in 2004, up to 50 children died from malnutrition died each year.  Last year just 2 little ones lost their lives, none of them due to malnutrition.  There is no longer any malnutrition in our villages.  This is an incredible outcome that shows just how a simple goat loan, along with our other sustainable help can transform the lives of those most at risk. 

Finally, please take a look at the attached photographs.  The first shows a little girl who has lost all colour from her hair due to the effects of prolonged malnutrition.  However, because we were able to lend the family six goats, the little girl and her brothers and sisters now have a cup of milk each day.  The second picture, of the same girl, was taken 11 months later - the transformation is clear.  Thank you for your help and please share Afaf's picture in the hope that more people will feel compelled to buy a goat to help a child just like her and change her life forever.