We’ve been training farmers so they have the skills to grow, sell and store more food, and support their children’s education.
Susan has been a poultry farmer since 2010, but struggled to earn enough money to care for her five children. When their school fees were due, Susan was forced to sell the one or two chickens she had to pay them. When her sister passed away, and she became responsible for looking after her two children as well, Susan found herself struggling even more. Susan started attending training with Build Africa in 2014.
“I really appreciate the training that I have been getting. I have been implementing what I have learnt to improve my farming and reduce costs and that’s how my business is now growing. Poultry farming suits me well as it isn’t labour or capital intensive, and eggs are produced very quickly all year round.”
Recently Susan has been learning how to produce chicken feed at a low cost, which will help to make her farm more profitable. She has recently bought another plot of land where she wishes to expand her chicken business to; her goal is to one day begin farming commercially, and teach other local farmers what she has been taught.
Susan’s family knows they will always have something on the table. But more than that, her children no longer have to miss out on school as she is in a position to pay school fees by selling eggs and chickens.
“This chicken business benefits me in a number of ways. I have some basic food security at home so we don’t go hungry, you can fry eggs and have something to eat. If my children need money for school, I take 10 chickens to the market to sell and I have some money so they’re not denied to continue their education.” Susan, farmer, Gilgil, Kenya
