Widows in Kondoa, Bariadi benefit from goat-keeping project

KIBAHA: A TOTAL of 50 widows, 30 from Bumbuta Village in Kondoa District and 20 from Mbiti Mlimani Village in Bariadi District are now the primary beneficiaries of a livestock-led economic transformation.

Implemented by the Widows and Orphans Development Foundation (WODF), the goat-keeping project has seen rapid success since its launch in June 2024.

WODF Chairperson, Ms Jamila Sulu, revealed in a recent interview with the ‘Daily News’ that the project’s initial herd of 54 goats has more than doubled, reaching 125 animals by December last year.

The initiative is designed to provide a sustainable source of income for women who have historically faced financial marginalisation.

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“This project is making a real impact, not only on these women but also on more than 200 members of their families,” Ms Sulu explained.

By selling goat meat, milk and organic manure, the women are now generating the necessary funds to meet essential household needs and ensure their children remain in school.

Furthermore, the widows have become local experts; assisted by Ward Extension Officers, they are now teaching modern goat-keeping methods to other residents in their villages.

The project’s success follows the June 2024 launch of the National Widows Guideline by the Minister for Community Development, Women, Gender and Special Groups, Dr Dorothy Gwajima.

The guideline aims to create a coordinated framework that empowers widows to initiate and scale up incomegenerating activities.

According to the 2022 National Population and Housing Census, Tanzania is home to 1,396,262 widows, accounting for 4.4 per cent of the country’s female population.

Ms Sulu noted that the foundation continues to work closely with the government and local authorities to ensure the project provides a scalable blueprint for supporting this significant demographic across the nation.