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Kenya: Poultry Farmers Get Free Chicks As COVID-19 Bites

Published

5 years ago

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With the Covid-19 pandemic taking its toll on most enterprises countrywide, a poultry keeper in Kakamega County has begun assisting other farmers by supplying them with chicks to help boost their businesses.

Mama Hadija Nganyi, a trained sociologist in Mumias, has for the past three months been supplying month-old improved kienyeji chicks to farmers who are keen to increase their production.

Mumias, an area better known for sugarcane as the main cash crop, but whose fortunes have dwindled in recent years, has seen many farmers diversify into other ventures.

Many have almost given up on the likelihood of the sugar industry being revived, having almost lost hope of ever getting paid for cane delivered to the ailing millers many years ago.

Speaking to the Seeds of Gold recently, Mama Hadija said she embarked on the chicks-hatching project after receiving support from well-wishers, both in and out of the county.

“I initiated the chicken project for the vulnerable people in the community, especially women, persons with disabilities and the youth to cushion them economically, particularly during these hard times of the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.

She has so far distributed most of the targeted 8,000 chicks to recipients in various constituencies in Kakamega.

She has donated 3,000 chicks in Khwisero, Matungu, Mumias and Butere constituencies. This has been facilitated through contacts with various self-help groups and the local administration.

In the coming weeks, she is looking forward to taking more chicks to Navakholo, Malava, Lurambi, Shinyalu, Ikolomani, Likuyani and Lugari constituencies.

One of the beneficiaries, Rehema Makokha of Mumias Central, lauded the initiative. “Life had been difficult for most of us but we are now encouraged by the new chicks offered by Hadija and her friends,” she said.