5 Beanie Babies = 1 Goat!

We have an awesome opportunity that has been provided for us by a kind woman named Kathy. She recently sent some beanie babies to be used to raise money for Haiti. I have posted the beanie babies on the web store, and they are now ready for purchase! The cool thing is after 5 beanie babies have been purchased, a Haitian family receives a goat!! To be a part of this great opportunity, you can purchase a beanie baby here.

The beanie baby sells will help Emerlie, Julnise, Adnel, Francelyn, Renel, Rood-Djevlo, and Wedson’s families! These seven great kids are sponsored through the His Hands for Haiti program by Sara, Mack, Shana, Katja, & Heather. We are raising money to provide each child with a goat. In Haiti, goats are like living banks. They provide families with milk, meat and a source of income.

Emerlie, Julnise, Adnel, Francelyn, Renel, Rood-Djevlo, and Wedson all live in a rural area of Haiti known as Danda. As most of you know by now, Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Most Haitians survive on less than $2 a day, and more than a quarter of Haitian children suffer from chronic malnutrition. Danda (which means "Silly People") is a prime example of how difficult life can get it Haiti. This is a small community of approximately 1,000 people. Fourteen other small villages in the area are home to an additional 3,500 people. The area is very remote and very rural. Most people survive as subsistence farmers.

Goats are valuable property in Haiti, the equivalent of a 401(k) in the States. Goat’s milk, the primary milk in Haiti, can add protein to a family’s diet and help prevent malnutrition. Additionally, a full-grown goat can reproduce one to three times a year, providing offspring that can be used for meat or sold. The income that results from selling goat kids can help families buy basic (but otherwise unaffordable) necessities like food, shelter, clothing, schooling and medical care. You can see why, for many rural Haitians, owning a goat is the first step out of poverty.

Here is a bit more information about the sponsored children this project will benefit: Emerlie is 6 years old, and in the 2nd level at school. She lives with her mother and father, 1 brother and 2 sisters. Julnise is 9 years old, in the 1st level at school. She lives with her parents, 3 brothers and 3 sisters. Francelyn, Renel, Rood-Djevlo, Adnel and Wedson are all ten-year-old boys. Francelyn and Adnel are both in the 3rd level in school. Francelyn lives with his father, 1 brother and 1 sister. Adnel lives with his parents and 5 brothers. Renel and Rood-Djevlo are both in the 1st level at school. Renel lives with his mother and 3 sisters. Rood-Djevlo lives with his mother and father, 5 brothers and 2 sisters. Last, but not least, Wedson is in the 4th level at school. He lives with his mother and 1 brother.

One final note: When these children receive their goats, each will be required to give the goat’s first offspring back to the His Hands for Haiti program. The offspring will then be given to another child in the program, allowing a new family to benefit this reliable source of food and income. So these goats are truly the gift that gives twice!

Each goat costs $40, so the total cost of this Income Generating Project, which will aid seven families now (and more in the future!) is only $280!

Thank you for taking the time to learn about this project. Any donation you can offer is greatly appreciated!