Goat and Bicycle Project
Widows and young orphaned women populate the refugee camps in Soroti, Uganda. Many of these women fled their homes with nothing but the clothing on their backs. Some have HIV. Besides lacking life’s basic necessities, these women often have no expectation that the future will be any better. However, as simple as it may seem, the gift of a goat can inspire hope.
The Soroti Refugee Camp Revolving Goat Project gives goats to women. The expectation is that each woman will give away the firstborn female kid to another woman in the camp, thus creating a sustainable project. After fulfilling this obligation, the women will continue to breed the goats; male goats will be sold or butchered, while female goats will be kept to increase the flock.
The next stage of the project is to deliver laying hens to the camp, which will provide a regular source of eggs to the women and their families. If you are interested in contributing to this endeavor, please contact me at lblackbu@depaul.edu.
Bicycle Project
Former street kids and child soldiers, as well as war and AIDS orphans usually have no viable means of supporting themselves. Those who manage to obtain sponsors for educational and living expenses are considered fortunate. In an effort to assist these young men in becoming independent, this bicycle project loans aspiring businessmen money to purchase bicycles which will be used as boda bodas (bicycle taxis).
Because it is not legal in Uganda for those under the age of 18 to drive boda bodas, the young men contract lease-to-own programs with of-age drivers. This business deal earns the young men approximately 150% of the initial investment. After reinvesting in another boda boda, the young men repay 50% of the original loan and repeat the process. When the second business deal is complete, the young men repay the remaining 50% and purchase a third bicycle, which then belongs to them free and clear. They can then continue buying and leasing boda bodas, or they can begin building boda boda fleets. The repaid loan is then given to another aspiring businessman.
The next stage of the project is to finance charcoal cottage—or, more appropriately, “hut”—industries, which will benefit women in refugee camps, as well as self-sustaining tailoring school that can offer career options to displaced people.
