Issue #16: Fall 2006

How Goats Make Learning Possible

By Lisa Thomas-Tench

The YouLead program provides opportunities for “Volunteer Vacations,”
where travel combines with adventure and the chance to make a difference.

In 2004, John Agak, MSC’03, asked then-president Martha Piper for 40 goats to help his home community in Kenya develop a new vision for self-reliance and sustainability.

Kanyawegi, a small village in the far west of Kenya and neighbour to the expansive Masai Mara game reserve, is situated in the lush tropical rainforest along the African equator. John grew up in the village, and was one of a very few young people from his poverty-stricken community able to pursue a university education.

His goal was clear: to give Kanyawegi children orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic the same kind of educational opportunities he received. “The devastation and poverty that this disease has brought to this community cannot be overemphasized,” John says. “Kids from poor homes are bright, concentrate in school and have the will and passion to go as far as they can. The only drawback is the financial support that they desperately need to fulfill their dreams.”

After receiving a grant for the goats, John donated the livestock to eight women’s small business groups. His idea: provide the community with a means to generate cashflow so they could pass on any surplus revenues (or goat offspring) to other small businesses to create new opportunities. Microfinance, only using goats as currency.

The idea worked. Within a year, the women’s groups were making a profit and started a bank account to finance other projects, such as a granary built to maximise revenues from the sales of ample corn crops, a school reconstruction project and a clothing manufacturing business. As John notes, “investing in women makes a profound difference in the community,” not just for the women, but for their children. They can now afford to send their kids to school.

In the spirit of global citizenship, John has now opened Kanyawegi to the world. Through a partnership with YouLead, UBC’s global service learning unit, students are able to visit, learn and assist with projects in rural Kenya. In a new program that starts in the spring, UBC alumni will be able to visit the village to share business skills and agriculture techniques, and provide input on education projects.

John’s ongoing partnership with UBC will not end in Kenya. Goat microfinancing has been translated into a pig project in Uganda, and will continue to inspire new YouLead programs in Indonesia and Colombia. John Agak and Kanyawegi have created a unique legacy that the university will share with students and communities worldwide for years to come. ¤

To learn more, or to explore a volunteer vacation in Kenya, please contact YouLead at 604.822.6110 or visit www.youlead.org.