Job opportunities and a better life for trainees, trainers, and their families.
Goat farming as a gateway to financial independence
Deviram Sunar from Nepal used to work as a day laborer in India, but now he runs his own business.
When Deviram Sunar decided to start breeding goats, he felt a little uneasy. He didn't have much experience in this field. But the alternative would be to continue working seasonally as a day laborer and having to leave his family for several months at a time.
Unemployment is high in the western part of Nepal, and many young people go to the neighboring country to earn money as day laborers. Deviram also had a family to feed, so at the age of 17, he started working seasonally on a construction site in India.
Deviram says that an Indian goat herder gave him the idea to start breeding goats: “He walked past the construction site where I was working, and we got talking. ‘Why are you working here? You could breed goats in your own country and achieve more. Nepal has a great climate for it,’ he said to me. That made me rethink things.” He wanted to establish a foothold in his homeland of Nepal. So, he used his savings to buy four more goats, as he already had two.
Goat breeding training at a Welthungerhilfe Green College
Since his family has always been involved in traditional agriculture and he therefore has little experience in goat breeding, Deviram enrolled in a goat breeding training course at a Welthungerhilfe (WHH) Green College. The training center for sustainable professions is not only located in Nepal, but also in countries such as India, Afghanistan, Kenya, Malawi and Uganda. In Nepal, the Green College is supported by WHH’s “Skill Up!”training program. During the training, participants had the opportunity to meet with financial institutions and learn about the rules and standards of the credit system, leading to Devram securing a loan.
“Initially the goats were sheltered in one barn. But now, with the help of the loan, I have built separate, spacious barns where the goats can move around freely,” says Deviram.
In the Green Colleges training, he also learned how to administer medication to the goats and castrate them so that he doesn't always have to call a veterinarian in such cases. Deviram also improved his skills in terms of maintenance and cleanliness of stables. A visit to an established goat farm as part of the project inspired him to takefurther measures. There, he noticed how the goats were kept on an elevated wooden plank and fed there. Deviram copied it and made a similar raised wooden floor for his feeding areas.
No one knew me before, but now strangers from the city call me when they need goats.
Deviram Sunar Participant in goat breeding training as part of the “Skill Up!” program
From day laborer to successful goat entrepreneur
Deviram has made a name for himself as a goat herder. He bought a buffalo to provide the kids with enough milk. He prepares their feed from local plants that grow in his own garden. Being self-sufficient means he is independent of market products. For Deviram, who lives in a remote area, this is exactly the right approach.
“Nobody knew me before, but now strangers from the city call me when they need goats,” he reports proudly. Deviram, still humble about his success, says he will continue to rear goats for the rest of his life. “I no longer plan to go abroad to work. I will continue to breed goats and sell them at the market.”
Thanks to the Green Colleges training, Deviram has not only been able to improve his standard of living,but can now also support other small business owners in the region in achieving their goals and building successful businesses.
Written by Pratistha Rai (WHH) and Khagin Dahal (CEAPRED)
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