Chicken Project to generate income toward sustainability of URF projects and local community

Dependence on foreign donations/aid is risky and not “smart” development. URF’s major focus is on designing projects that can generate income using local resources and tapping into local markets. We have been researching various models of sustainable development and identifying resources for implementing income-generating projects.

Baby chicks in the brooder

In December 2011, we launched a poultry project as one of the income-generating projects to ensure that URF becomes self-sustaining.  We purchased 600 one-day baby chicks which have made three weeks now (Jan 19, 2012).

With such a big project, the prospect of some sizable monthly income is very real. As a result, we shall be able to enrich many lives, one village at a time by using it as a model project for all the nearby communities that have the desire to venture
into commercial poultry farming. There is a steady market for eggs within Uganda and in neighboring Rwanda and Kenya.

We are also involving the Hope Academy students in this project so that they can acquire some practical skills in poultry, in addition to animal husbandry, art and crafts, and skills they learning from the various URF projects.

Special thanks go Cole and John and S.I.F.E students of the College of Saint Benedict and John’s University, USA who raised funds for the project. Also many thanks to Amina and a group of Canadian students who also provided initial funding for an earlier smaller chicken project and the first phase of construction of the chicken coop. — (by Serah Claire, staff)

building the chicken coop

building the chicken coop