By Benedicto Maguda

Blantyre, October 23, Mana: Women Fair Development (WOFAD) has distributed 190 goats to 95 women at Katete and Somba Villages, Traditional Authority Lundu in Blantyre as one way of empowering them to be productive in their respective families.

WOFAD Executive Director, Apostle Lindiwe Matanya, said recently that the organization will continue helping women by proving them with livestock and other requirements to improve their livelihood.

“Women need to be empowered and this is why we distributed goats to improve their income status at household level for better living standards,” he said.

WOFAD distributed 190 goats to 95 women such that each of the women received two goats through a programme called, Giving Machine with financial support from Mentors International.

“Our target is to help 350 women from both Traditional Authorities Kunthembwe and Lundu in Blantyre. We are doing this with funds from Mentors International,” she said, adding that WOFAD has put in place door to door monitoring mechanism to see impact.

The organization trained the recipients for two months in business management and how to care for the livestock before giving them the goats.

WOFAD Executive Director, therefore appealed to the women to take good care of the goats, saying the goats will provide a sustainable livelihood if well taken care of.

“It is unfortunate that some people abuse such kind of gesture. I man sure the women will not sell the goats because this will contribute a better livelihood,” she said, adding that WOFAD intends to discuss with Mentors International to introduce the programme to other parts of Malawi to empowering more women.

Mentors International, Country Director, Lameck Chisale said the organization partners very well with WOFAD because of similar goals as both seek to empower women.

Mentors international and WOFAD provide women with business management training to better empower women and youth for self-economic reliance, according to Chisale.

“Our aim is to ensure women and youth are living better life. We provide them with livestock such as goats and pigs so that they should improve their income for better living standards,

“This is why Mentors International thought of having partnership with WOFAD,” he said, adding that they were targeting to distribute over 2,700 goats to over 1,350 families in other parts of Malawi.

He said the goats’ dual purpose will achieve greater things at household level where recipients expect to use manure as alternative farm input.

“As they rear the goats, they will also able to secure manure that will be applied in their gardens for improved crop yield. They can also sell the goats once they are multiplied to improve household income.

“With improved income at household level, they should also be able to pay school fees for their children,” Chisale added.

Sarah Chinsewu from Katete area said was grateful for receiving the goats, adding that this was the beginning of another way of living,

She said the goats were an asset and also looked forward to make compost manure out of goat droppings for improved crop production.