Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Either way, chickens can be a new beginning for a family!
Moolchand and his sister Rani have seen how these feathered friends have helped create life-giving opportunities for their wider family. Having a secure livelihood is not always easy in the remote part of Pakistan where they live, and due to her age, their grandmother can no longer contribute to family income through farming.
However, being part of a Self-Help Group (SHG) set up by Tearfund’s Christian partner, the Diocese of Hyderabad, has opened up new streams of income. Group members have access to savings to pursue livelihood opportunities and Moolchand and Rani’s grandmother was able to purchase 4 chickens. She cares for the chickens, shares the supply of nutritious eggs with the family, and has also successfully bred her chickens, increasing her brood to 13. She’s been able to sell eggs and some of the chickens she has raised at the local market, and the money she’s earned has helped her to buy medicine and other things her family needs. With access to savings as well as training and resources to care for their animals, many other women in her SHG, and in groups in neighbouring communities, have similarly benefited from raising livestock.
When you buy a Chicken from Tearfund’s Useful Gift Catalogue, your purchase makes a contribution to a range of amazing initiatives that help people enjoy better food and livelihoods. This can include the resources and support to raise animals like goats and chickens – but it also ensures the wider needs of the community are cared for. It gives people the skills and tools to transform their lives through better agriculture techniques, understanding of nutrition, and income generation.
