In recent months, CREATE! field technicians worked with community volunteers in Walo, Gagnick Mack, and Darou Diadji to help them build their own poultry sheds. After receiving training in the care, management, and marketing of poultry from CREATE! field technicians, cooperatives in all three communities purchased flocks of 100 chicks to install in their sheds. The cooperatives in Walo and Gagnick Mack timed the sale of their first flocks of chickens to coincide with Eid al-Fitr (Korité) celebrations in early July. The poultry cooperative in Darou Diadji will sell their chickens later in the month.
With knowledge and support from CREATE!, women in these communities will be able to supplement their families’ diets with this important protein source and sell poultry for profit in local markets. Poultry production brings numerous economic benefits to women in CREATE!’s partner communities. Selling poultry is very profitable and women are able to reinvest their earnings into the next round of poultry production. In several of CREATE!’s partner communities, poultry cooperative members have built a local market for their chickens by providing consistent and easy access to high-quality meat for their neighbors and friends.
Ndioba Ndiaye of Walo is a member of her village’s new poultry cooperative. She says, “We have just started to raise chickens in Walo. This is a new experience for our community and it will bring many benefits.” Ndioba says that she didn’t hesitate to participate in this new income generating opportunity because she “likes working” and wanted to contribute to the development of Walo.