two little chickies
Seriously, this phrase has been stuck in my head lately! And I am discovering that quite a few other folks have had the same thought! Let me share with you a few organizations who are pushing back poverty–one chicken at a time.
First of all, there’s kiva.org. They don’t just specialize in poultry–their motto is: ”Empower people around the world with a $25 loan.” They give loans, mostly to women, to help them start sustainable businesses in third world countries. I did a search for chicken farmers and found Oliver, a woman who raises chickens in Kampala, Uganda. She was asking for $200 for more chicken feed so she could expand her flock–and I was happy to invest in her chicken farm. Oliver has 8 months to repay the loan, and the money I gave will go back into my account–to be loaned to yet another chicken rancher. How cool is that?
Today, reading my daughter’s blog, I came across another organization called “Chickens for Christmas.” Operated by Christian Veterinary Missions of Canada, the program provides chickens for villages in Sierra Leone, one of the poorest nations in the world. You can donate anywhere from $2 (laying chick) to $950 (entire chicken farm) this Christmas to provide a sustainable business and food source for desperate people. Who knew?
Oliver, Ugandan chicken farmer
World Vision and Harvest of Hope will also provide poultry to the hungry for paltry donations. I’m sure there are lots of other organizations who are onto this chicken thing. Maybe I should start my own?
I just discovered that Compassion.com delivers chickens to needy families for a mere $16!
Speaking of chickens, my four hens are hanging out at my friend’s house until Adam rebuilds their coop and the raccoon is trapped and relocated (don’t ask, don’t tell is my new policy regarding animals that eat my chickens. So don’t ask what I’m going to do with it). I miss my chickens terribly, but I don’t miss seeing the coon’s claw marks on the side of the coop each morning–or the holes where it tried to tunnel underneath the roost. I used to think raccoons were cute and cuddly woodland beasts–now I view them as murdering thieves.
no wonder they wear masks . . .
