FOR 15 3000 FAMILIES TO GET OUT POVERTY

Fifteen families have been able to send children to school after adopting rabbit breeding. These families were given three rabbits each with two females and one male. These families were trained on modern rabbit breeding where much emphasis was put on good feeding practices and how to avoid inbreeding. The families have benefited from improved protein consumption and income to the families. Children from 15 families dropped out of school due to lack of scholastic materials, school uniforms and lunch. During follow up meetings with the families they were encouraged to sale rabbits in order to get the children back to school. Lack of income causes high school dropout rates by forcing children to abandon education for economic survival, early marriage, or inability to pay for fees, uniforms, and meals. Poverty creates a cycle where families, particularly in rural areas, prioritize immediate needs over long-term schooling, leading to absenteeism and eventually permanent withdrawal. Even with free education systems, low income prevents families from covering essential costs like uniforms, books, building funds, and lunch, leading to dropout.  Children are often removed from school to work, engage in petty trade, or support agricultural activities to supplement household income. Due to financial pressure, families may marry off young girls to receive bride price or reduce the household economic burden.  Children with "hidden" poverty costs—such as lack of shoes, uniforms, or menstrual products—may face shame and school sanctions, leading to reduced attendance and eventual dropout.Lack of funds for educational resources causes children to lag behind, leading to disengagement and withdrawal from the school environment.

Rabbits produce rapidly and they mainly feed on vegetation. This makes the cost of raring rabbits quite low and affordable to poor families. Income from selling rabbits can help the families to overcome the financial challenges that can help then keep children in school and also send back to school those who have dropped out.