ACHIEVING THE SDGs, The role of KIHEFO’s Rabbits.

The sustainable development goals or Global goals are a set of interrelated objectives put together for peace and prosperity for the people and the planet now and into the future. They include;

• No poverty
• Zero hunger
• Good health and well being
• Quality education
• Gender equality etc.

Kigezi Health Foundation is a non-governmental Organisation that is holistically promoting health and sustainable agriculture in Kabale region of Uganda with so many projects notably the Rabbit Breeding scheme. The first rabbits were acquired by KIHEFO about a decade ago where they were bred at the breeding center and the off springs given out to vulnerable communities and subsequently the vulnerable families. Each family was or is given three rabbits (bunnies) two females and one male which later in a space of 60 days rose or rise to around 30 rabbits.(Simple mathematics). The number of rabbits was and is associated with improved nutrition and economical status. The million dollar question is what has the increased number of rabbits have to do with the sustainable development goals. You are right because not everyone is going to quickly get the impact of KIHEFO’s rabbit scheme.

Well here is the role of mere rabbits on elevation of the Kabale communities’ development and achievement of the set SDGs. When the rabbits were given to vulnerable families for the first time in about a decade ago, the families took care of them and once they multiplied, there was an abundance of protein supplies as the rabbits were slaughtered for family meals thus beating protein energy malnutrition and with time sold the remainder and gained income to improve their social welfare.

This was like this: the two females were taken to meet the male (the male is fought off if it is the one shifted to the female) and they got pregnant. Fast forward thirty days, each female rabbit littered averagely 7 young ones courtesy of the easy to get feeds. The young ones developed in about 120 days and also met the male together with the original female rabbits. This brought about an avalanche increase in the rabbit numbers which was overwhelming. The families ate meat hence proteins (the meat is sweater than chicken by the way) and with the continuous rolling in numbers there was the chance of products to take to market. The rabbits were sold for around 15000UGX i.e., about 6$. This was tremendous especially for the families that were living on less than a dollar per day.

Now to the achievement of the SDGs. The rabbits brought in a situation of NO HUNGER, ZERO HUNGER, GOOD HEALTH AND WELL BEING and so much more. With such a situation in the communities, the set sustainable development goals are being achieved by the effect of rabbits.

Hopefully we can have many volunteers as we can that are ready to support such project.

By;

AINEMUKAMA PROSPER

The writer is a student in his final year of diploma in clinical medicine and community health who is volunteering at KIHEFO.