A group of young mothers from Thika’s Kiandutu slums have benefitted from a donation of 200 chicks from a local charitable organization to boost their poultry farming ventures.
The group dubbed ‘Sunshine Mothers’ and who have been undertaking poultry farming for over five years as a side hustle has another 150 fully grown chickens that they have been rearing for sale.
They received the chicks from Jungle Foundation as part of the empowerment programmes by the charitable organization.
They have built a semi-permanent structure in the slum where they rear the chicken, and have put tight security to ward-off chicken thieves from the notorious informal settlement.
Chairlady Monica Njambi said their target is to have over 700 chicken, which they intend to sell once they are fully grown and use the sale proceeds and part of their savings to buy a plot so as to get out of the slums.
The 12 members started by rearing chicken individually for subsistence use before commercializing their ventures into large scale.
“Rearing chicken in such a settlement is not easy due to thieves. Again, taking a large scale venture increased our expenses especially on feeds and ensuring we have a healthy flock,” said Njambi.
The group is among over 3,000 cluster groups that have benefited from government empowerment programmes and Biashara funds coordinated by the Thika Constituency Development Fund (NG/CDF) and other programmes from charitable organizations.
Jungle Foundation CEO, also the Thika Town MP Patrick Wainaina said only registered groups will benefit from the Youth and Uwezo funds from the constituency.
Speaking when he met registered cluster groups in Ruiru town, Wainaina said funding individual groups made little economic sense and cannot steer development at a faster rate compared to funding organized cluster groups.
“Cluster groups can easily secure loans. If you top the loans with the Uwezo and Youth funds, the groups can start bigger and meaningful ventures and be able to not only generate huge profits but also create job opportunities and spur the economy. The funds, if well utilized, will expand the groups’ income streams,” said Wainaina.
He called on residents to form groups and start profitable businesses, saying it was easier to secure loans as well as be linked to local and international markets.
By Muoki Charles
