When Sohadi Soren received a single goat through her local self-help group, she never imagined how much her life could change.
A mother and grandmother from a small rural village in eastern India, Sohadi was struggling to make ends meet after the sudden loss of her husband. Her family survived on a small plot of land, growing rice and vegetables mostly for their own table. Money was always tight.
Then came the goat.
The gift was part of a community development program supported by UnitingWorld through the Church of North India, Diocese of Durgapur. With training and encouragement from her group, Sohadi began to raise and breed goats. One became two, then three, and before long, she had a small herd.
Over time, Sohadi sold goats to pay off her family’s debts and even buy back land that had been mortgaged. The income helped her invest in cows and a threshing machine for her crops. Today, she provides for her grandchildren, pays for their schooling, and helps others in her village do the same.
“With that one goat I was able to change my family’s life,” Sohadi said. “I wish more people could have the same opportunity.”
Her story is just one example of how practical gifts—simple as a goat, a water pump, or a handful of seeds—can grow into lasting hope.
Through Everything in Common, UnitingWorld’s annual gift catalogue, every card and donation represents love in action. Goats that become herds. Seeds that become gardens. Clean water, education, small business support and more — all helping families overcome poverty and build brighter futures.
This Christmas, you can help more families like Sohadi’s turn small gifts into life-changing opportunities.
Choose that fight poverty and build hope
www.everythingincommon.com.au