Bring Hope to 750 Children and Families in Kenya

In the second phase of the HOPE Program, PLAS continues to provide counseling services while also supporting participants in building sustainable livelihoods through poultry farming.

An important part of the program is creating opportunities for participants to learn from one another rather than simply receiving support. By sharing knowledge and experiences within the community, participants can gain practical skills and discover new possibilities for themselves.

Recently, the HOPE Program organized a peer learning visit to the poultry farm of Florence Okanga, a participant in the program who has been developing her poultry business.

Florence began raising chickens with 100 chicks and later expanded her business to 200 chicks. She is now working toward her goal of developing a brooding business that will eventually raise up to 5,000 chicks.

During the visit, Florence shared her own experience of building and managing her poultry business. She explained how she built her brooding house, managed feed, prevented disease, and sold her chickens.

Participants listened carefully and asked many questions, including:

"How much feed do the chicks need?"

"How do you keep the chicks warm using charcoal?"

"Which is more profitable-selling chicks at one month old or raising them into adult chickens?"

For many participants, the visit provided an opportunity to learn practical methods of brooding. It also showed that brooding could become a new source of income.

One moment stood out during the visit.

By seeing someone from the same program successfully developing a poultry business, some participants began to feel, "Maybe I can do it too."

After the visit, five participants-Pamela, Susan, Diana, Millicent, and Moses-shared that they would like to start their own brooding businesses.

They plan to begin with around 50 chicks and gradually purchase the materials and equipment they need as their businesses grow.

This peer learning visit became more than an opportunity to learn poultry farming techniques. It created a space where participants could share knowledge and experience within their community, encouraging new ideas and new challenges. 

One participant's experience inspired another participant to take the first step.

This experience showed how sharing knowledge and experience can encourage participants to explore new possibilities and take the first step toward a new challenge. 

Thank you for your continued support of the HOPE Program. Your generosity makes opportunities like this possible, helping participants learn from one another, build practical skills, and take meaningful steps toward a more stable future. 

We look forward to sharing more updates with you in the future. 

At PLAS’s HOPE Program in Kenya, we are seeing encouraging progress among the 20 participating households. Recent follow-up visits revealed improvements in poultry care and management, with chickens appearing healthy, active, and well adapted to their environments.

Their feathers were clean and glossy, reflecting proper nutrition and care. Chicken houses were well maintained, with dry bedding that helps reduce the risk of disease. Ventilation was also being managed appropriately, creating healthier conditions for the birds.

These improvements may seem small at first glance, but they represent something much larger: participants are applying the knowledge and skills they learned during training in their daily lives. The consistent care of their animals demonstrates growing confidence, responsibility, and commitment to strengthening their livelihoods.

At the same time, one challenge remains. Feed costs continue to place pressure on household budgets. Even when families successfully raise poultry, the expense of purchasing feed can limit profits and make it difficult to sustain income-generating activities over the long term.

To address this challenge, the HOPE Program introduced a new initiative: Azolla cultivation.

Azolla is a fast-growing aquatic plant rich in protein, minerals, and vitamins. It can be used as nutritious feed for livestock such as chickens, goats, cattle, and fish. Because it can be grown locally at low cost, it offers a practical and sustainable way for families to supplement commercial feed.

During training sessions, participants learned how to grow Azolla using simple containers filled with water. Staff demonstrated how to introduce Azolla seedlings, maintain clean water, provide partial shade, and regularly monitor growth. Participants also learned why proper management is important to ensure healthy production.

Just 0.3 to 0.5 kilograms of fresh Azolla seedlings are needed to start cultivation in a one-meter-diameter container. Under suitable conditions, the plant spreads across the water surface and multiplies within seven to fourteen days.

Two weeks after the training, participants began harvesting their first Azolla crops. One  participant had already started feeding Azolla to her chickens.

Follow-up visits revealed promising early results. Families were managing their Azolla production correctly and demonstrated a clear understanding of harvesting methods and how to incorporate it into animal feed. Staff also observed that households using Azolla were already reporting reduced feed expenses.

While these changes are still in their early stages, these efforts are helping to reduce the costs of poultry production while creating a more sustainable system for continued production. By reducing production costs while maintaining healthy animals, participants can strengthen the economic foundations of their households.

The introduction of Azolla is a simple innovation, but its potential impact is significant. It shows how practical knowledge and low-cost innovations can help families overcome challenges and move closer to long-term economic independence.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Your support makes it possible for families in the HOPE Program to access training, adopt new practices, and build more sustainable livelihoods. We are grateful for your continued partnership and look forward to sharing more stories of progress and resilience in the months ahead.