Defeating Poverty One Goat at a Time

Continual Charity creates the cycle of dependence and poverty. By providing opportunity through credit for micro-loans which must be repaid, we can teach responsibility, community involvement and self-reliance.

Traditionally micro-loans have a very high rate of repayment and do far more good than an outright gift. Help us help others become more productive and reduce poverty through sustainable development.

A charitable gift is a one-time gift, when repaid a microloan is repeated many times.

 

Services

Global Goats – we’ve got your goat:
Global goats is a free enterprise project which provides the opportunity for people in developing areas to own and expand their own private property – a goat or sheep herd—and begin escaping the poverty trap.

 

Responsibility, not charity:
Global Goats is a project of Global Outreach, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) organization which has been in operation since 1973. Our experience has taught us that the best way to help people out of poverty is through giving them responsibility, not charity. Charity and humanitarian aid has its place in emergencies and disasters, but if continued, builds dependence not independence. Pure charity perpetuates poverty.

 

Defeating poverty:
Global Goats is a program whereby rotating grants are made to qualifying organizations which in turn make small loans to individuals within their community. Loans are for the purchase of pregnant does or a breeding pair to begin a goat or sheep herd. These loans must be repaid either in currency or in-kind so the program can continue to provide loans and animals to others in the community. Loan support groups of five are established and composed of peers who also are waiting to receive a loan. Lots are drawn to establish a queue or order for receiving loans. In-country over-sight from the sponsor and community peer support help ensure a high rate of success with this program.

 

Creating Private Wealth:
The Peruvian economist, Hernando de Soto wrote in his book, The Mystery of Capital that the way out of poverty involves property ownership. Many of the world’s poor own no land, have no access to credit and have few tangible assets which they can put to work for income purposes. Goats and sheep offer an excellent, low cost opportunity for the poor to begin owning and building tangible assets which cost little to maintain and increase exponentially. By providing small loans to individuals to begin a goat or sheep herd, many opportunities are opened to the poor for financial gain and improved living conditions. For example: Dairy goats can produce up to 5 liters of milk per day which can be easily sold for consumption or to dairy product producers who produce food products for retail sale as well as a number of employment and business opportunities stemming from a goat flock. Goats and sheep both are an excellent and affordable source of meat which is often absent from the dinner plate in many families.