Our Chicken Farming Program aims to help families increase their financial income to support their children’s education and improve their quality of life. Our goal is to help families earn an additional CNY 3,000 – 6,000 (USD 420 – 840) annually through raising chickens.
On our routine visits to our beneficiaries’ homes, we find ourselves sometimes lost in local communities. When the locals noticed us, we immediately asked them where we could find Jiji Shilin. They smiled and led us to a path to Jiji’s house, bidding their goodbyes as we parted ways. This act of hospitality truly warmed our hearts.
Jiji did not notice us as we stood outside her home. We saw her busily giving water to the chicks and cleaning their cage afterward. Her husband was in their house, caring for their youngest son, while their other children were doing household chores. We called out and introduced ourselves. When they learned that we were staff from the Chicken Farming Program, the family’s faces lit up with joy, and they warmly invited us inside. We observed how neat and organized the home was. Some houses speak of routine organization despite social class, and this is one of those places.
We do not speak the same language, but their eyes spoke of warmth. Their eldest son came forward and acted as our translator. We learned that the family’s main source of income is livestock and selling their corn harvests. However, Jiji Shilin expressed concern about the rising prices of goods and the increasing financial demands that come with her children growing older. To remedy this, they just opt to cut back on spending.
When speaking about the chicken project, her eyes lit up with gratitude. She said that the chicks are a nice opportunity to increase their household income. Now, they have more money to spend on their children’s education. She also added that the training provided by the project was extremely helpful. In the past, she relied only on traditional experience passed down from her elders and often struggled to keep chickens alive. After attending the training, she learned about proper temperature conditions for raising chicks, which she had not learned from her traditional tending ways.
She also learned how to provide clean water and feed at regular times and in measured amounts, creating a suitable environment for healthy growth. Currently, the largest chick has grown to nearly 5 jin (2.5 kg). The combination of her old and new knowledge is paying off, because none of the chicks have died so far. She picked up one chick and we looked at it closely: it’s clear that Jiji had been taking good care of it because of how healthy it looked!
When asked about her plans for the chicks, Jiji Shilin shared her plans to sell the chickens once they mature to help pay for the tuition and living expenses of her five children. Despite the family’s limited income, she remains determined to work hard. Before we left, Jiji Shilin earnestly asked us to pass along her sincere thanks:
“Thank you to the kind people. May your kindness be repaid with peace and blessings throughout your life.”
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