Goat raising project brings a family together

Zhang Shuanze shearing the sheep

In 2002 Zhang Shuanze was working in construction a long way from home when he received a letter from his daughter who had recently become a Plan sponsored child. The letter spoke of the changes occuring in their village and the new work opportunities there. Zhang made the decision to return home to Nanda Village to be a part of Plan China’s goat raising project.

15 million rural residents travel yearly from the countryside to cities to look for work. Some leave their wives and children behind, and others uproot families to live on the outskirts of city life. The goat raising project is a way of increasing rural income and bringing families together.

In 2002 Zhang purchased his first 15 goats with the help of Plan funds, and now raises enough money yearly to buy new goats on his own. Zhang currently owns over 30 goats, and in the past four years has raised and sold 40 more.  Zhang not only earns double the income he earned as a migrant worker, but he can be at home with his family.

Zhang said: “From now on I won’t leave the village to look for work. Before, I left the village for an entire year and didn’t earn much, and I couldn’t look after the family like I can now.” 

Since Zhang returned to Nanda Village, he has written about his experience to friends who are working in distant cities and have subsequently returned home to raise goats. Four years later the village hosts 43 families who raise over 2,000 goats, and earn a total income of RMB 1,000,000 (USD 126,920). Families on average earn 3,000 RMB; nearly triple the country’s per capita GDP of 1,100. 

Since 2002 Plan China provided training on goat-raising and money for buying goats. In 2005 complete responsibility for the project was handed over to the villagers. Plan is now looking for ways to spread the project to more areas and bring more families together.