SCAI’s Income Generation programs help break the cycle of poverty, the main reason children are trafficked or sent away from their families
We believe every child has the right to be cared for by their own family if they are safe and wanted, no matter what that family’s economic circumstances. It’s hard to imagine that any parent would prefer to send their child to an orphanage, or into domestic servitude or an early marriage if it could be avoided, but these things do happen because of dire social and financial situations. Even when a family manages to secure support from an organisation such as ours, whilst it is usually greatly appreciated, most have expressed to us that they would prefer to be independent rather than rely on external assistance on an ongoing basis.
How our support helps
SCAI focuses on empowering the families we work with by giving them a step up rather than mere handouts, so they can develop sustainable livelihoods that carry them well into the future after our support ends. The old proverb “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” sums up our approach perfectly.
What support we provide
- We teach them how to establish and run their own community savings groups
- We teach them how to prepare basic business plans, including assessing the market, the local resources, technologies and their own capacity
- We provide relevant skill development training
- We teach them how to run a new or expanded small business effectively with responsible ongoing financial management
- We teach them how to establish and run their own community cooperatives
- We teach them how to access sources of credit from local government and other sources
- We teach them how to access other community support networks
SCAI will match savings made by the children’s families up to a certain amount through a contribution to the cooperatives formed as part of this project. This encourages the families to save as much as possible and doubles the funds they can access for their new or expanded small business. Depending on what is most suitable for each family, some may undertake animal husbandry, while other may engage in crop farming, tailoring or other activities.
SCAI provides regular guidance and support for the duration of the five year project to help families grow their businesses and help them overcome any obstacles they may face along the way.
Goat Rearing Pilot Program
Over the last 2 years, SCAI has been running a pilot program in goat rearing which is proving to be successful. Following a feasibility assessment, eighteen families from the education scholarship program were selected for the program. They attended 3-day goat rearing training and were then given two pregnant, vaccinated, insured female goats. The first two female goats born were passed on to another group of families from the education scholarship program and the cycle has followed on, with goats from subsequent births being used for income generation and for further breeding. There are now almost 70 goats in the cycle with plenty more on the way!
The families contributed by constructing their goat shelters and a funding a portion of their goats. The program was designed in conjunction with the local livestock office who facilitated the training, provided male goats for ongoing insemination and provided subsidised grass seeds.
From 2019 SCAI will be providing income generation support for almost 400 families from the education scholarship programs.