Daniel Laney, educator, goat breeder, world traveler and judge with the American Dairy Goat Association, experienced a life changing moment in 2012. After being in a coma for a month and shortly thereafter losing his mother to cancer, he was at a low point in his life.

“The combination of the coma and the loss of my Mother had a profound effect on me — I was at a loss for a period of time, confused from the coma, the passing of my Mother, and just felt stuck in one place. I didn’t know what I wanted to do or how to move forward, but I knew I had to do something to get me moving again.”.

“As I had been given an opportunity to extend my life longer after coming out of the coma, I felt compelled to do something more..to pay back for this gift….not squander this new time grieving and being remorseful”..

It was a challenge as he was an adult orphan, having lost both parents and an only brother. Fortunately, he still had his three children and eight grandchildren to give him some hope and help pull him up out of this rabbit hole he had fallen into.

It was his second child who encouraged him to combine his love of goats, education, and Nepal. This son was also the reason Daniel got into goats in 1972, because Josh was lactose intolerant and Daniel discovered goat milk was one of the best alternative for a mother’s milk. Following the conversations with his son, he decided on a purpose…not to fill the void from the loss of his Mother, as nothing could replace her, but rather as a tribute to honor his Mother and her memory as her middle name was Grace and full of grace she was. He decided his purpose would be to help goat farmers and the youth of Nepal. She loved the goats. The more he worked on his project, the more he believed it was the right purpose for him.

He developed the Worldwide Goat Project Nepal in late 2012. Since that time, he has worked solo as well as in partnership with the Nepalese government and several nonprofit organizations. While the projects vary in scope and activities, the mission has remained the same; to provide veterinary supplies, tools, young female goats and best practice trainings to local herders of remote villages of the country and to help empower the youth. 

With each visit to Nepal, the sphere of influence expands and each new project adds a new aspect that’s consistently focused around the goats and can be self-sustainable and economical. For example, the Nepali herders were struggling with their female goats not producing enough milk. Daniel realized that the goats not having 24/7 access to water, and the random inbreeding of young females, was impacting their milk production. Since then, more and more village farmers are providing 24/7 access to water and separating the young female does and bucks which is being accomplished at no additional cost to the farmers.

During his course of travels to Nepal, he found out that Saanens goats had been imported to Nepal from the USA under a World Bank funded project. He decided to visit the government farm, the Goat Research Station which now is known as National Goat Research Program (NGRP), located in Bandipur area. This trip to NGRP began his work and support for the Saanen Herd. The information and trainings he has provided during his semi-annual visits coupled with the diligent hard work of the director, Raju Kadel, and his staff, has kept the purebred herd of Saanens healthy and productive.

He has also helped introduce the added value of goat cheese products, which are now being sold in restaurants. Nepal is known as a tourist destination and for foreign travelers who are familiar with goat cheese, it’s an added bonus. 

As a lifelong educator Daniel firmly believes in the phrase …“Our Youth are Our Future,”.  One of his latest projects involves working with schools to create postcards featuring goats drawn by students, which inturn generates funds to buy arts supplies for students of the schools involved. The students themselves help generated these funds through their artwork. They are giving back to their schools and communities. They are learning about the power of community service, using their skills and talentsto help others. Another student related ongoing project involves the middle and secondary students at the Shree Bhumimata Secondary School, along with the assistance of local botanist, Kiran Kharal, where seedling trees are planted to use as forage for goats and erosion control. “I want to encourage involvement of the youth and local specialists in being a part of the whole cycle of empowerment in their own villages by their own hands. That is when the action creates a feeling of self-worth, is sustainable, and becomes a part of the future. 

Daniel also believes that having the right frame of mind to make it work for everyone involved is a crucial component. 

“You must come from a place of respect….respect for the people you are working with, respect for their culture, and you must be a respectful person.”

Daniel loves the country and the Nepali culture, he doesn’t want to change the country but assist the Nepali people as they work to make their lives better….a hand-up rather than a hand-out. And now, after several years, he is seeing the positive outcomes of his project works. In those locations where farmers are providing water 24/7, the goats have milk for the kids, there is a  lower mortality rate with faster growing, healthy kids.

“Goats are amazing creatures, and it’s powerful to experience firsthand all the benefits that comes from being part of something bigger than yourself. It’s important for people, especially as we get older, to have a purpose and focus beyond ourselves, it takes your mind off your own ailments, at least for a while, and it comes back tenfold in rewards”.

When asked what motivates him to keep returning and expanding the project as he is now well into that “senior citizen” status….his answer is simple… “doing good for others is also doing good  for oneself”….the outcome is pure joy for all!

As for regrets, Daniel only has one: “I just wish I started this 30 years ago”!