Chicken campaign clucks its way into top position

By MOSES MICHIRA

Nairobi, Kenya: A rural chicken entreprise targeting women and youth has won a business competition organised by ‘You Win Awards’. The One Hen Campaign is a social enterprise seeking to empower rural communities through rearing of indigenous chicken.

It was recognised as the best business model. Judges at the annual competition also selected James Makini, the chief executive of the programme as the overall winner in the competition run by an affiliate of the Makini Group of schools. “The main objective of the initiative is to encourage youth to set up business enterprises and become employers rather than always seeking jobs,” said the judges involved in the competition.

 The enterprise has started commercial production of poultry feeds, and a savings and credit organisation for its members. In its business model, beneficiaries are given a hen and a cage where they are required to give back two pullets after six months.

The business has generated more than Sh200 million according to Makini. He disclosed that the organisation with 15,000 beneficiaries,  has also been recognisaed by several entities including the World Bank. There are plans to grow the savings and credit business into a micro-lending bank in the short term.