What a Gift of Chickens Really Does

By Annie Bergman

October 3, 2019

Last Updated: December 15, 2011

Over the past few weeks Brooke has been posting about what gifts to Heifer can do for struggling families around the world, the benefits in nutrition and the goods they can use for increased income. Her post about chickens touched on a number of things I saw benefitting the lives of the farmers in the Akumsa-Dumase village in Ghana.

The group of 20 farmers received 20 birds each in a Pass on the Gift ceremony just last year. In that small amount of time, the income for each farmer has at least doubled and their children are healthier—all thanks to the eggs they get from their flocks.

Janet Amoah, 46, runs the egg collection point for her group. She has 40 chickens now, as the sale of eggs brought in enough income for her to double the size of her flock. She gets 30 eggs per day and keeps enough for her family and sells the others. The eggs bring in an extra $60 a month for Janet, and she has plans to expand her poultry operation.

In just one year, Janet says her life has changed completely. For the first time, she says, she doesn't have to worry about her children's health or fear that she won't be able to afford to send them to school.

Chickens are just $20. Would you spend $20 to help change someone's life? To help send a child in Africa to school? I would.