Going Kuku!

Kuku is the Kiswahili word for “chicken”, and as of a week ago, we have nearly 200 of them that will eventually be helping us to support the children at KCCCH.  This project started over a year ago, with a lot of research and visitations to other successful kuku projects.  The next phase was fund raising, followed by the planning and building of a top-notch kuku house that would protect our investment from the weather and disease, as well as allow for expansion of the project over time.  The project then had to be put on hold when we took an unexpected furlough from August to December of last year.  Since we have been back, we have been able to build a store room attached to the kuku house, and find and hire a young man, Paul, as our poultry and livestock manager.  And last Thursday, after 3 weeks of delayed deliveries, we finally received our first batch of 203 day old chicks.  

The first few weeks are the most tenuous, with fragile chicks recovering from the transition process, as well as needing to carefully control the temperature of their environment in a land where the electricity is constantly coming and going.  Fortunately, we have Paul, and he is doing a fine job of caring for these future egg layers.  In the first week, we lost only 4 chicks, and each week should be easier and easier.  Paul is on the KCCCH property 24/7 for the first few weeks, checking on the chicks every hour.  He even has a bed IN the kuku house where he sleeps at night, waking every hour to make sure the electricity is still on to run the heaters.  When the electricity goes out, Paul starts up the charcoal heaters, which are much more difficult to control temperatures with.  

Not only are we pleased with Paul’s skills, but we are also pleased to be able to offer him a job.  You see, we believe Paul will be a wonderful mentor and example to our kids at the Home.  Paul was once a street boy, taken in by a local children’s home called Challenge Farm.  When Paul began to significantly struggle in the latter part of high school and wanted to drop out, Challenge Farm offered to teach him the trade of Poultry Management and running a poultry business.  Paul has been working with Challenge Farm’s poultry business for over a year now.  We have been developing our relationship with Challenge Farm, getting our kids together for activities and learning from their administrative staff.  When we indicated we were looking for a new Poultry Manager,  the administration at Challenge Farm highly recommended Paul to us.  He is eager to learn, very tedious about his work, and demonstrates a great attitude towards the staff and children at KCCCH.  We are so excited to have him as part of our staff, and hope the relationship will be mutually beneficial.  

It will take about 4 months for our chicks to reach maturity and begin laying eggs.  We already have a market identified, and should be able to bring in several hundred dollars per month in profit, ON TOP of no longer having to purchase eggs for our kids.  This is just one of our goals in bringing our Home into a place of greater sustainability.  

This project would not have been possible without the financial support of multiple donors who contributed for the building of the kuku house, the store room, and all the supplies needed to get our first batch of chicks “up and laying”.  The money we bring in once the hens start laying, will cover the continued maintenance of the project as well as bring a profit.  We would like to thank each of our friends who contributed to this project, including Christian Relief Fund, Il Faro International Baptist Church, the Barnard family of San Diego, CA, the Northam family of Mbale, Uganda, and the Benson Family of Arlington, WA.  THANK YOU for believing in what we are doing, and helping us to make a difference in the life of these children.  May God bless you richly as you have blessed us!