Food insecurity is prevalent in rural indigenous Guatemalan communities, and during the COVID-19 crisis, levels of hunger skyrocketed to daunting levels. In response, the Association of Mam Christian Women for Development spearheaded and completed a successful egg-laying chicken project. Thanks to our generous donors, each and every member of the Association (530 women!) received a set of three egg-laying chickens to complement their emergency food kit. A year later, many of these women had grown their three chickens into a flock of 60 or 70!
These egg-laying chickens:
- Provide a sustainable source of protein for families.
- Lay more than a dozen eggs every week.
- Are purchased from a local farm, supporting a small business.
- Are native and specially bred to resist illness.
- Will reach the most vulnerable women of the Association first.
- Cost $40 for a set of three.
To ensure that these chickens are healthy, productive and well-cared for, women received expert training from an agro-ecology consultant. Before the chickens were delivered, he confirmed that the family built an appropriate coop, according to the plans he provided to them. Participants were also be supplied with special feed that is critical to the first month of the chickens’ development. After that, the chickens can be fed items from family gardens or kitchen scraps.