Support a hatchery and feed mill in Liberia

Theresa is a subsistence poultry farmer in Liberia. Five years ago, when her husband fell sick and lost his vision, she became the breadwinner for her family of nine children. At the time, she earned her living making charcoal. Devastated by her husband’s decline in health, Theresa went from house to house asking for dirty clothes that she could wash in exchange for money.

“I was dirt in the eyes of the community,” she said. “When you are out of money, people look down on you. I never even had a voice in my community; people neglected me.”

While the country struggles to recover from the devastating shock of the 2014 Ebola outbreak,  most Liberians continue to live on less than $1.25 a day. A shocking 36 percent of the population suffers from malnutrition.

One key way for Liberia’s economy to grow, and for people to break free from the cycle of poverty, is through agriculture and livestock farming. This sector generates many jobs that fit people’s skills and experiences, and contributes to about half of the country’s GDP.

In several weeks, BRAC will implement the next phase of this project, building on its successes: reaching 130,000 Liberians, and reducing food insecurity among more than 12,000. BRAC’s bigger goals, however, are ending hunger, improving food nutrition, and generating sustainable livelihoods for all Liberians.

The project supports vulnerable people across six food-insecure regions of Liberia, at least 65 percent of whom are women. They include women like Theresa.

After she joined BRAC’s program, she learned new and modern poultry rearing technologies. With her new skills, a batch of 20 chickens, and a small enterprise loan from BRAC, she started her own business.

“Through these chickens, my life has changed: I no longer need to wash strangers’ clothes to earn enough money to feed my family,” she said.

Indeed, Theresa now makes $50 a month and has grown her small starter batch of chickens into a modest poultry farm with 83 chickens.

“I am thankful for this poultry livestock project. Now, I know how to continue rearing poultry,” she said.

Currently, about 178 new poultry farmers have joined this program. Yeaneh, a new poultry farmer who just received a batch of 20 chickens from BRAC, couldn’t contain her excitement or hide her ambition.

“I want to become a major egg producer!” she exclaimed.

 “It makes me happy that I am involved and known among others,” Rachel said as she shared business tips with friends who sought her advice. At the age of 27, she is the successful, independent owner of a poultry business in Buchanan City, Liberia.

A stay-at-home mother who aspired to a better life for her family, Rachel enrolled in the BRAC Agriculture and Livestock Program in 2015. There, she received training on poultry rearing management, a package of chickens, and resources like vaccines and medicine. She nurtured the chickens, sold them, and earned a profit that enabled her to expand the business.

 Rachel is one of more than 130,000 Liberians reached by BRAC’s Agriculture and Livestock program. Started in 2008, with the support of donors like you, the project has improved food security, nutrition, and income levels for rural communities through the promotion of sustainable and environmentally-friendly farming methods.

 Unfortunately, Liberia’s history of war and conflict continues to saddle the country with a sluggish economy. The government considers the agriculture and livestock industry a key tool to help alleviate poverty.

 BRAC designed its approach to this challenge with holistic, market-based interventions that foster sustainable commercial agriculture (see the infographic at the end of our report).

 Like all BRAC programs, the project focuses on women and young people to increase gender equity and decrease social inequality. In addition to running her own business, Rachel is a wife and a mother of three daughters. After participating in the program, she can now afford to pay for her daughters’ educations. And, her husband helps her run the business and consults with her on family matters. Her growing agency in the household dynamic reflects BRAC’s unique approach to alleviating poverty through women’s empowerment.

Despite the Ebola outbreak in 2014, detailed in our last reports, BRAC is happy to share that this project met its objectives. Here are some of its achievements:

 Between 2012-2016:

• Reduced food insecurity among 12,000+ people
• Increased livestock production by 30%
• Increased income household by 25%

Looking ahead, BRAC will work to strengthen and expand its social enterprise businesses, connecting more people with resources and opportunities. With a particular focus on market development, agri-nutrition, climate-change readiness, and women and youth empowerment, BRAC seeks to surpass its own ambitious goals. Thank you for your continued support over the years.