Our Chicken Farming Program aims to help families increase their financial income, enabling them to better support their children’s education and overall well-being. We hope the families can earn a profit of CNY 3,000 to 6,000 [USD 424 to 848] annually.
One of our grateful beneficiaries is Maka Zuoluo (49). It was a hot afternoon when we arrived at Maka Zuoluo’s home, but the cool mountain breeze offered gentle relief. From a distance, her courtyard came into view — a small but vibrant space full of life. Maka stood feeding her chickens, her husband was washing vegetables nearby, and their second daughter moved quietly between them, lending a hand. Though modest, their yard radiated warmth — neat rows of corn and dried chili peppers hung along the walls, while a few chickens pecked happily beneath fruit trees, their soft clucks mixing with the rustle of leaves.
Maka greeted us with a bright smile, her eyes kind and welcoming. She invited us in, eager to share how her family was doing. As she spoke, her husband and daughter translated, bridging her words with ours. There are seven in the family, she explained — one daughter working away from home, and three younger children still in school. With her third daughter about to enter junior high, the family’s expenses were rising quickly. Their income from farming and poultry was steady but modest — every grain of rice carefully earned.
When the conversation turned to the chickens, Maka’s face lit up with pride. She told us how grateful she was for the support she received through the project — and how surprised she was at what she’d accomplished. “I had never raised so many before,” she said with a shy smile. “I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep them alive.” In the past, she had struggled to raise poultry, but after joining the training sessions, things began to change. Her new chicks were thriving — not a single one lost.
With the help of her daughter’s translation, we learned just how diligently Maka had applied what she’d learned. She built a clean, airy coop, carefully measured feed and water, and made sure every day’s work kept her flock healthy. After only a month, her chicks had grown from just 1.5 jin (about 750g) to over 4 jin (2kg) — a result that filled her with hope and confidence.
Now, Maka looks forward to the next round of training, eager to learn more and improve her poultry-raising skills. She dreams of selling the chickens at a good price, enough to cover her daughter’s living expenses when she starts junior high in September. “Once I master these skills,” she shared, “I want to raise even more chickens. I believe that if we keep working hard, life will get better.”
Before we left, Maka expressed her heartfelt thanks — not just for the visit, but for the chance to discover something new. “I never imagined raising chickens could bring income,” she admitted softly. “I only thought of it as food for our family.” Now, she’s amazed by how much it can help — a livelihood that requires little labor but brings meaningful rewards.
For years, Maka worried about her children’s future — that rising school costs might force her daughters to drop out, just as their eldest had. But today, she feels something she hasn’t felt in a long time: hope. Standing in her tidy courtyard, surrounded by the gentle clucking of her chickens and the laughter of her family, Maka knows she’s building more than income — she’s building a better life.
Our Partners
Be a Part of the Solution
By supporting the Chicken Farming Program, you help provide essential training, resources, and a sustainable source of income for families in need.
Empower them today.
