Children of the Sahara Foundation

Sahara Children is proud to introduce our 2010 holiday season gift campaign: Give a Goat!

In 2009, our organization started an animal banking initiative whereby poor nomadic families in Morocco benefit from a couple of goats to start or enhance their herd.

Now you can give a goat to a poor family to help kick-start their own herd. Donations of any size are welcome. With a donation of $50 or more you will get a stylish and environmentally-friendly tote bag as our gift to you.

As you may know, the nomadic people in North Africa live off their goats and occasional camel. A family needs about four to five goats to start their herd. The herds provide important nourishment from their milk, warmth from their wool, and can be traded for other goods and investments such as children’s education and healthcare. Therefore, a goat is a gift that keeps on giving. Donations totaling $1000 would help about four to five families in need. Read more here about how the young newlyweds Abelhamid and Khadija have benefited from our program.

When the goats have offspring, the herd grows itself and can be shared with others. The initiative—animal banking—builds on the same type of principles as micro-credit or micro-finance. The recipients agree with the lender that the goats received are theirs to keep and to be used to start building their herd but that some of the offspring will be “paid back” by passing them on to other families in need.

Sahara Children have committed to raising $1000 this holiday season. Last year we were able to purchase goats locally at $50 each. Other organizations undertaking similar initiatives charge $120 for goats. Sahara Children have minimal administrative costs, take no compensation, and work with sponsors so that no less than 99% of your donation will go directly towards goats. Should we raise more than $1000 during this campaign, we will use the surplus funds towards other initiatives.

When you make your donation for this campaign you will receive an email with a printable donation certificate. With donations of $50 or more you will be sent the handy tote bag to the address you provide. This offer is valid until January 31, 2011.

In the upcoming months we’ll keep you posted on how the goats you helped contribute were delivered.