Ethnic conflicts erupted and more than 800,000 people were slaughtered over a period of only 100 days. Most of the men and livestock were killed. Today, women and children who survived the massacre are trying to recover and rebuild their lives. All of the participants are widows who have survived the 1994 massacre. In order to participate in the project, the women join an established, approved association that has agreed to work with the project.
Participants then go through a training course and agree to build an approved stable.
The EPR contract with each association stipulates that half of the association members will receive a goat, with the first kid going to the other half after weaning. Participant A, having had the benefit of being first in line, also has to provide another kid to the association for an association herd. Participant B pays back her goat, by giving up the first kid to the association herd as well. In this way, the project will bring sustainable benefits to all parties. In comparison to the life-long benefits of this project for the Rwandan participants, the costs are quite minimal.