1. Title of the Project : Goat rearing Programme for the families of

Person with disabilities who are undergoing

training in St.Francis House of hope Ashwasa

Bhavan ,Cheekanal in the Diocese of

Pathanamthitta

2. Project Applicant : Fr.Varghese Chmakalayil

Director, Ashwasa Bhavan&

Social Service Society

Omalloor P.O, Pathanamthitta- 689 647

Kerala-State, South India

Phone: 91-468-2365244

Email: frvarghesechamakalayil@gmail.com

3. Legal Holder of the Project : Most Rev.Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom

Bishop of Pathanamthitta Catholic Bishop╆s House

Pathanamthitta- 689 645

Kerala-State, South India

Phone: 91-468-2223200

Email: diocesepta@gmail.com

4. FCRA Bank Account Number :0316053000009647

5. FCRA Bank Name and Address :The South Indian Bank

College Road, Pathanamthitta-689645

Branch Code-0316 Pathanamthitta

Kerala, India

6. Total Cost of the Project :Rs. 7,79,000/- (Euro-9738)

7. Local Contribution : Rs.1,39,000/- (Euro-1738)

8. Amount Requested from You :Rs.6,40,000/- (Euro-8000)

9. Project Duration :One Year (12 Calendar Months)

10. Background Information

The new Diocese of Pathanamthitta is formed by bifurcating Major Archdiocese of

Trivandrum on March 20, 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. The diocese is formed to take care of

the pastoral and development needs of the Malankara Catholic people living in

Pathanamthitta-District. Most Rev.Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom has been appointed as the

first bishop the new diocese. He is from the local area and has got a thorough knowledge

about diocesan area and the aspirations of the faithful. He has brought in his wide

experience in working in the Mission Diocese of Marthandam to this infant diocese.

Operational area of the diocese is hilly area and majority of the families are engaged in

agriculture for their livelihood. The diocesan area is divided into 6 ecclesiastical districts

namely Ranni-Perunadu, Konni, Pathanamthitta, Pandalam, Chandhanapally and

Seethathodu covering 100 parishes. According to the recent census report, this district is

populated by about 12,50,000 Of this population, there are around 40,000 catholic rest

belong to Hindu, Muslim and other Christian denominations. There is a very good

ecumenical relationship among the Christian denominations.

Considered from the economic point of view, the Christians are very backward. A few

landlords own the land. The average property of a family of Malankara Catholics will be

around 10 cents. Therefore they do not have enough plots to cultivate. Educationally also,

the Malankara Catholic stand in a low position. There are no higher education institutions

in the diocese to provide higher education to the children.

Majorities of the men are working in the agricultural farms of the landlords as daily

laborers. Agricultural employment is very seasonal in nature. The men spent major portion

of their earning for drinking. So they have got fewer amounts to meet the needs of his

family members. Pathanamthitta is reachable from by road. The nearest airport is at

Thiruvanthapuram, which is 120 K.M away from Pathanamthitta. Nearest railway station

is Chenganoor, which is 26 K.M away from the Bishops house.

11. Project Applicant

Fr.Varghese Chmakalayil, Director of Social apostolate of diocese and Ashwasa Bhavan is

the applicant of the project. He is directly in-charge of the day today administration of the

project. He is working as a priest for the past ten years. He has worked in the diocesan area

as parish priest of many churches. He served as the district director of Malakara Catholic

Youth Movement (MCYM) Parasala-ecclesiastical district. He is qualified in social work with

Masters Degree (M.S.W) and has got great interest in working among the poor sections of

the society. He conducted a research study on Autism and the study has brought out much

relevant information. Soon after the formation of the new diocese he has been appointed

as the director of the Ashwasa Bhavan and Director of the diocesan social work department

called Anugraha Social service society. He is assisted by two qualified Bethany sisters, who

render their full-time service to the institution.

12. Need Addressed by the Project.

The families of person with disabilities in general struggle to make both ends meet due to

financial constraints on one side and depression, stress and stigma from society. It is a fact

that families having children with disabilities are suffering a lot. Mother has to be at home

to take care of the child. She is not able to go for any work outside her house. Further the

family has to pay money for the treatment of the child. Resource poor rural families are

helpless in these situations. We have come across a number of cases parents are struggling

to take care of their disadvantaged child. Mothers are taking so much pain in looking after

these children. This peculiar situation many a times affects the study of other children in

the family. Economically poor parents were not able to meet the educational expenses of

their normal children or they are forced to drop their studies at an early stage and start

working for the family. We propose to identify 50 most needy families with disabled

children and support them with initial capital to start Goat earning which will fetch them

small but regular income.

Goat rearing is an ideal activity for this region, considering the geographical nature and the

availability of green fodder. Most of the villagers have got experience in livestock rearing.

Goat rearing can be taken as a family activity; children also can help their parents in this

activity. What they need is the initial financial support to purchase a good variety goat.

There is a good demand for goat for meat purpose in the area and the families are assured

of a regular income from it. Villagers have got experience in goat rearing and families can

do it as a family income generation activity. Parents and children can involve in looking

after the animal.

Goat has been described as a poor man╆s cow ゅor mini-cow) because of its immense

contribution to the poor man╆s economy┻ They not only supply nutritious and easily digestible milk to their children but also regular source of additional income for poor and

landless or marginal farmers. Being small-sized animals, goats can easily be managed by

women and children. Feeding, milking and care of goats does not require much equipment

and hard work. Capital investment and feeding costs are also quite low. Four goats can be

maintained as cheaply as one indigenous cow. Goats can be successfully reared in areas

where fodder resources are limited and milk cattle do not thrive. Returns on capital of up

to 50% and recovery of 70% of retail price are possible in goat farming. In rural areas, goat

farming plays a vital role in providing gainful employment. Below given are the advantages

of goat rearing.

The goat is a multi-purpose animal producing meat, milk, hide, fiber and manure. In

hilly areas, goats are also used for hauling light loads.

Goats have very few demands of housing and management. They hardly need

separate housing and happily share their homes with their owners or his other

livestock.

Goats can be raised by landless agricultural labourers, ladies and children because

they can thrive well on variety of leaves, shrubs, bushes, kitchen waste etc.

Goat farming can be a profitable occupation for a farmer and can fit well into mixed

farming.

Goats are cheaper to maintain, easily available and have a friendly disposition.

Goats are capable of adapting to various agro-climatic conditions ranging from arid

dry to cold arid to hot humid. They can be raised in plains, hilly tracts, and sandy

zones and at high altitudes.

Goats are more tolerant to hot climate than other farm animals.

Goats suffer from fewer ailments than other large animals.

Goats have got increased digestibility of crude fibre and can produce even on poor

quality roughages.

Goats give more production per unit of investment.

Goats are smaller in size and have a younger slaughter age.

Goat meat has no religious taboo and is relished by all sections of society.

Goat meat has less fat and is more in demand.

Goats are called the foster mother of man, as their milk is considered better for

human nutrition than other species of livestock.

Goat milk is cheap, wholesome, easily digestible and nutritious.

Goat milk is finer than cow milk i.e. the fats and proteins are present in a finer state

and are more easily digestible, especially by children and invalids.

Goat milk has lesser allergic problems than other species of livestock.

Goat milk is used as a ayurvedic medicine for personas ailing with asthma, cough,

diabetes etc..

Goat milk has higher buffering qualities and this enhances its value for patients

suffering from peptic ulcers, liver dysfunction, jaundice, biliary disorders and other

digestive problems.

Goat milk has higher phosphate content, which is beneficial for vegetarian

communities.

Goat milk has a higher content of B-complex vitamins.

Goat milk is suitable for preparing various milk products.

13. Project Objective

To support 50 poor women who have got disabled children to start Malabari goat

rearing as an income generation activity to earn additional income for the family.

To organize one day orientation programme in goat rearing for the women so that

they will be successful in their Income Generation Activity.

14. Project Activities

i) Training programme in Goat rearing.

One day training programme in goat rearing will be organized for the selected

beneficiaries. Dr.George Thomas, veterinary surgeon will conduct the class for the group.

Topics like how to select good variety goat, what feed to be given, what are the common

sickness, shelter for the goats, need for insurance and economic viability of the etc will be

discussed in detail during the training.

ii) Financial support to purchase Goats

Financial support of Rs.15,000/-(Euro187) each will be given to the 50 selected

beneficiaries to purchase goats. Each beneficiary will purchase two malabari goats with

the financial support. They can purchase 2 good verity goats with the financial support we

provide under this project. The beneficiary family has to make the shed to keep the goats

with own money. Malabari goat is good for milk and meat. It grows very fast and gives

more milk. Usually it gives birth to two lamps in a delivery so the earning will be more for

the beneficiary. The beneficiary has to insure the goat to minimize the risk in case of the

animal die due to sickness.

iii) Follow-Up of the programme

Director and his team members will undertake periodic visits to the beneficiary families

who are supported under this project. During the visits the team will give proper guidance

and necessary directions to the families to run the goat rearing activity successfully. This

will help us to know the benefits of the programme and what changes has happen in these

families because of the increased income from the activity.

15. Project Budget

SL.No. Activities Calculation Amount

01. Training Programme in Malabari

Goat rearing (food, hall rent,

resource persons charge etc)

Rs. 100 x 50 persons x

1 day

Rs. 5,000.00

02. Financial support to 50 poor families

to purchase Malabari Goats(7500x2)

Rs.15,000 x 50 nos. Rs. 7,50,000.00

03. Project Coordination Expenses

(travel, stationery, telephone etc)

Rs.2,000 x 12 months Rs. 12,000.00

Total Project Cost Rs.7,79,000.00

(Euro-9738)

Financing pattern

Source Amount In Rupees Amount Euro

Local Contribution 1,39,000.00 1738

Amount Requested From You 6,40,000.00 8000

Total 7,79,000.00 9738

16. Expected Result of the Project

Fifty economically poor families, who has got physically/mentally disabled children

were supported to start Malabari Goat rearing in Diocese of Pathanamthitta under

this project and thereby started earning increased income for their families.

Standard of living of the families increased : increased income earned by the family

from goat rearing has helped them to utilize money for food, cloth and educational

expenses of their children, especially for meeting the day today needs of the special

children they have.

Increased intake of milk by the families: By consuming goat milk by the family

members they become health and free from many sickness, which reduced their

expenses on medicine.

Goat dung is utilized by the family members to grow vegetable and other orchids in

their backyards and to consume chemical free vegetables and fruits.

Increased confidence of the rural women who are engaged in the goat rearing

activity and the success in the goat rearing activity motivate them to venture into

other new IGP activities for the economic stability of the family.

Malabari Goat Rearing is undertaken as a family activity, the entire family members

are involved in it and children learn the value of manual labour. Further it will give a

chance for the mentally/physically challenged child to pick-up useful skills in animal

husbandry.

Conclusion

Goat is known as ╅Poor man╆s cow╆ in India and is a very important component in dry land farming system. Goat creates employment to the rural poor besides effectively utilizing

unpaid family labour. Goat is a multi functional animal and plays a significant role in the

economy and nutrition of landless, small and marginal farmers in the country. Goat rearing

is an enterprise which has been practiced by a large section of population in rural areas.

Goats can efficiently survive on available shrubs and trees in adverse harsh environment in

low fertility lands where no other crop can be grown. The above project is proposed to

provide an alternative employment opportunity in goat rearing for the mothers of

differently abled children who are trainees of Ashwasa bhavan, which will help them to

have a steady income. It will be a great blessing for the mothers who are forced to confined

to their houses to look after their special child at the same time they are in need of

additional income to meet the developmental needs of the family. We need your generous

financial support to implement the project successfully for the benefit of the poor families

our area.

Fr.Varghese Chamakalayil

Director