Shafiq was on the verge of giving up. Living in central Uganda with 14 children to support plus his wife, he felt overwhelmed and wondered how he could possibly afford to feed his children and keep them in school.
Their land was too small to grow enough crops both for food and profit. And without an alternative source of income, the family struggled financially. He and his wife worried about not having enough to feed their large family and felt uneasy about their children’s future.
Then received ten chickens from Bright Hope’s partner church in Bugubo. In about a month, they began laying eggs and multiplying. Several months later, he was able to sell 20 chickens for additional profit.
Now Shafiq has been able to raise enough money to rent land where he can grow crops to feed his family and sell. At times when the money from his crops is not enough, he sells a few chickens to supplement his income. There’s even been money left over to purchase seeds for the next planting season.
“We have named our chickens ‘dream launchers.’ They have helped us [launch] our dream of educating our children,” he said.
With the sale of each egg or chicken, the family has been able to set aside some savings for the first time. Now they are able to plan ahead for school fees even before a term begins. This has been a relief for Shafiq and reduced the stress he experienced whenever a new school term was approaching.
While life has changed for Shafiq and his family, many others in his community continue to struggle to provide for their families. Because of opportunities like the chicken program, however, families will have a chance to plan for the future instead of living hand to mouth.
Through your generous donation of , more families can be a part of programs like this where they will not only have an ongoing source of nutrition, but also financial security. Like Shafiq, they will be empowered with a new, sustainable business and the opportunity to grow.
Now Shafiq and his family no longer worry about the future. Their lives have improved all because of ten chickens. They have peace in knowing their children can stay in school and they can count on where their next meal is coming from.
You can give a gift that keeps on giving. Your donation of $60 will help other families like Shafiq’s through the poultry program, or another Bright Hope program designed to bring help in the way it’s needed most.
Make a donation today to help launch the dreams of families like Shafiq’s.
