Community Goats

The New Hope Rural Leprosy Trust has supported people affected by leprosy for over 25 years by providing care, medical help, and social support. Many people in these communities are elderly, disabled, or have no family to care for them. In larger colonies, families often live together across generations, with limited income supporting everyone. As a result, elderly and disabled people are especially vulnerable and often struggle to get enough food and medical care.

Location

India

Funds Needed

$3,800

The Need

Leprosy colonies in India are home to people who are cured but still live with poverty, disability, and social stigma. Elderly and disabled residents are the most vulnerable and often depend on younger family members who have few job skills or steady work. This makes it hard for families to afford basic needs like food, medical care, and daily support.

Running charity programs is costly, and donations are often uncertain and not enough to meet long-term needs. There is a strong need for a self-sustaining project that can provide ongoing support for elderly and disabled residents while helping the community become more independent. New Hope currently supports over vulnerable 930 individuals.

The Solution

This project will set up goat-rearing units in leprosy colonies to create a steady source of income. Goats are easy to care for, reproduce quickly, and can be sold to earn money. The income will be used to pay for food, medical care, and other essential needs in the colonies.

Younger and middle-aged family members will look after the goats, giving them work, skills, and a way to support their elderly relatives. The project is based on New Hope’s past success with goat-rearing programs for disabled people and widows. With proper care, breeding, and veterinary support, the project will provide reliable income for many years.

This approach helps reduce dependence on donations and allows the community to support itself while ensuring elderly and disabled residents continue to receive care.

The Opportunity

This project is a low-cost, high-impact way to reduce poverty and social exclusion. One unit of 25 goats can support 35-88 people by helping cover their basic needs and improving their quality of life. Selling goats also creates jobs for younger community members and helps the Trust pay running costs without cutting support to those in need.

If the goats are purchased as part of the work in Kothavalsa, the income generated will help cover the running costs of the centre, which currently supports more than 930 vulnerable people. A yearly breeding cycle would produce enough income to support approximately 88 people for one year, contributing to feeding programmes, residential care, and healthcare appointments.

If the goats are purchased for the Bargarh leprosy colony, every group of five goats can generate income for one family. A herd of 25 goats would therefore support five families, helping them become self-sustainable, as they can rely on goat milk and related income. Each family has an average of seven members, meaning around 35 people would benefit.

The project can easily be expanded to other colonies, reaching more families. By supporting goat-rearing, donors invest in a proven and sustainable solution that provides long-term benefits such as better nutrition, medical care, financial security, and dignity for some of India’s most marginalized people.

Looking to fund this project?

Contact us If you fund this project, you will receive a custom media kit for this project to share with your backers and community including photos, a video, and a full report to celebrate what has been achieved together.

More Games4Good Projects

View All Projects