Kishagazi Community Thriving through Poultry
Kishagazi Community Thriving through Poultry
Enid Kukunda inside the Tukwatanise Group chicken pen. The group is rearing chicken to improve diets for their children, and supplement their household income
Enid Kukunda, 37, is a mother of five and a member of the Tukwatanise Group located in her home village, Kishagazi - Kyegegwa District. The group was formed in August 2023 following training by the Kulea Watoto Project team.
During the training, the group that comprises 16 members (09 male, 07 female) with children of 5 years and under, was urged to brainstorm on business ideas that would elevate their financial status, and they agreed on poultry farming.
“We chose poultry because it’s what we have grown up doing. It was an easy choice. We introduced a saving scheme where we sit every Saturday and each family member contributes shs 1,000,” Enid says.
Convinced that it was the right business opportunity, the group further decided to enhance their capital, agreeing that each of the 08 households contributes shs 20,000 to capitalize the business. At the end of the collections, they had shs 160,000.
“From our collections, we purchased 16 birds, each costing shs 10,000 and kicked off our project in November. Our birds are so far one month old, and we are excited about the future,” she says.
Enid Kukunda attends to the birds ensuring that they have enough feeds and water to help them grow
Thanks to the Kulea Watoto project, the group is building a solid income generating opportunity for its members and continues to learn a great deal about the business. They remain resilient despite the challenges that come with rearing birds, the cost of poultry feeds ranking highest on the list. To be able to address this challenge, each household is contributing an additional shs 2,000 to cater for the increasing costs. The group is also currently planning to construct a modernized pen for the birds to stay as they foresee the numbers increasing.
“We are looking forward to having our birds produce lots of eggs which we shall sell to generate income, and some will be provided to our children for consumption to improve their nutrition. We also have plans of opening a group bank account that will support in keeping the funds safely and future credit services,” Enid concludes.
The commitment of members in the Tukwatanise Group is a true testimony of just how much a community can transform for the better given the right mindset and skills. The group that is growing from strength to strength is determined to be a role model that will serve as an inspiration to the others that it is possible to transform economic fortunes of individual members and have a food basket that can provide enough nutritious meals for families and the entire community, and an available source of income that ensures the future of children lies in continuous nurturing and learning provided in schools.
