FOR 15 3000 FAMILIES TO GET OUT POVERTY

Local communities in Uganda most especially vulnerable groups such as people living with HIV have been affected severely by stinging poverty that later has cascading results such as malnutrition which directly affect the future of the country. Well this is a challenge under solution as an intervention has been put in place where groups of the locals have been given rabbits to rear so as to solve poverty and improve quality of life. Rabbit breeding was first introduced to fight malnutrition and when the rabbits started multiplying rapidly families started selling the excess rabbits they could not eat and generate the much needed additional income.

Families living with HIV/AIDS are specifically vulnerable because a number of them are not involved in income generating activities. At the beginning of this year we  identified vulnerable families living with HIV , one family  chosen from each of the groups formed received three rabbits (two females and a male) to look after so as to be a mini breeding center for the rest of the families in each group. Rabbits were chosen due to their relatively easy way of rearing as common occurring weeds,vegetables and dry housing is sufficient enough. The female rabbits got pregnant and took thirty days to litter averagely nine each increasing the number to twenty and the young ones took three months to mature with the females getting pregnant again and littering after September to increase the number to beyond thirty.

These have provided the focal families rabbits to give other families in the group rabbits so that they can start their own farms. Again, the rabbits have been eaten as they are essential source of proteins hence combating protein energy malnutrition a condition synonymous with this vulnerable  population. The surplus has been sold by the families while keeping some for continuity of the farm to provide basic needs such as improved shelter, clothing and most importantly the children are now able to go to school! This has been received received with enthusiasm from the locals and government as its in line with the country's aims and sustainable development goals. We thank our partners for supporting us in this project and we plan to reach out to more vulnerable families. These rabbits are given out on revolving basis. When a recipient family has more than twenty rabbits they give out three to a family chosen by the group and they would have settled their obligation to the members.

  In our effort to support poor families get out of poverty by adopting rabbit breeding, we have achieved a milestone of 50 female headed families. Development and social change have led to changes in family structure  One of these changes is the formation of single-head or single-parent families .The head of the household is usually responsible for all or most of the household expenses or deciding how to spend the household income and is not necessarily the oldest member of the household and may be male or female  A female head of household refers to a woman in charge of managing the family as a result of divorce, separation, immigration, or widowhood

The number of female-headed households has increased dramatically in Uganda due to various factors some of which include women who do not remarry after losing their husbands, due to divorce, addiction or disability of husband, increased life expectancy among women, migration, or being abandoned by husband and many others.

    There is a general perception that women are socially more vulnerable than men because of higher poverty rates and fewer job opportunities, and this perception is more widespread for female-headed households due to fears of intergenerational poverty transmission. Female-headed households are forced to play multiple, conflicting roles after losing their spouses, and have to work in marginal, part-time, informal, and low-income jobs due to lack of access to high-paying jobs. These women are unable to maintain their health due to problems such as poverty, poor socioeconomic status and multiple responsibilities. As a result, they experience more high-risk behaviors and lower quality of life and family satisfaction. They also suffer from Stress, mental disorders, depression, drug abuse, and financial and cultural poverty

Women are among the most prestigious groups of society because they form the foundation of family and society’s health. Providing them with the care they need is possible when there would be a broad and comprehensive view of their situation and problems. Rabbit breeding has been the most effective form of income generation for poor families. They provide nutritious protein to the family. They have a gestation period of 30 days and maturity of 100 days. Rabbits mainly eat vegetation and this makes it much easier for poor families to engage in rabbit breeding. Rabbit meat is becoming popular with the middle-income class and this makes the prospects of increased income for poor families a reality. We thank our partners who have supported us in this project and we pray that more partners join us in the fight to get poor people out of poverty.