Bóthar establishes families in micro-farming units by giving them the living gift of a farm animal. However, this gift is only given as the last stage of a long and important process



Village Committees

Villages and communities that wish to take part in the Bóthar project are asked to form a committee specifically for dealing with the Bóthar project. That committee must then decide which are the most needy families in their community and who should receive animals first. They also appoint the first 'pass-on' families at this time. In this way the community has ownership of the project from the beginning.



Training Courses

Together with our project partners, Bóthar ensures that all families are equipped with the knowledge and skills to manage the animal. The majority of farmers that receive Bóthar animals are illiterate, and unfamiliar with a classroom situation, so training is done in groups using picture cards and stories to aid in explanation. Most training courses last between one and two weeks. They are carried out at a central location and farmers are accommodated in the area. The training will encompass all necessary aspects of care of the animal they are to be given: housing, healthcare, nutrition, etc.