At the June Spirit in Action meeting, the Board of Directors approved a grant for $1,066 for Common Ground Program to start a poultry farm. Common Ground Program, led by Joshua Machinga, aims to reduce poverty and bring stability to their village in western Kenya. They have sustainable garden projects and an elementary school with over 350 students.
The Poultry Project that SIA has supported, with your contributions, will create a sustainable source of income for the group through the sale of chicken egg and meat. The school children are learning about how to care for chickens, giving them practical, transferable skills. The children also benefit from the addition of protein to their diets.
I am so impressed with how much the group has been able to accomplish in a relatively short time and the amount of community support they have for all their projects.
Since receiving the funds in July, the group has already built a poultry house next to their garden, which means that the birds can eat some of the greens and the chicken manure from the house can be used to fertilize the garden. A brooder room to was also built to provide warmth for day-old chicks. The group ordered chicks from Nairobi and the price was lower than they estimated so they were able to order 250 chicks instead of 200 for the same cost.
Inside the newly built poultry house.
The meat and eggs will be sold at the local market and the income from the project will be used for expanding the program’s activities and for school fees for orphans.
Joshua Machinga describes the commroderie he already sees in the group, “It serves as a social group wherepeople meet and share their experiences and problems therefore reduce their psychological burden. A problem shared is a problem half solved.”
It is encouraging to work with a group that is doing so much good in their community. Common Ground is well-led and effective at empowering their members and it is a pleasure to support their efforts!
