The first fill officially finished on February 1st when all ten families completed their chicken sales. Even as some families experienced challenges with chicken illnesses and marketing difficulties, in the end all of them were able to sell off their chickens by the deadline provided and complete the first fill and still make a profit.
After the initial trouble the participants had in understanding concepts of income and expenses, it was especially satisfying for me to see that all of them had successfully recorded their cashbook entries with details of their chicken sales. The debriefing sessions we held with the families following the sales also showed their commitment and passion for their poultry enterprises, as they held lively discussions on the best ways to market chickens and ensure their healthy growth. Chick and feed orders have been placed for the next fill for delivery in early March, and the families already seem eager to start up their business activities again.
Next week, we will be selecting the seven new families to join our project. The challenges and successes that the first set of families have experienced will surely be great lessons for our new participants, and I’m excited to welcome them to our group of ‘chicken families’ soon.
Blog entry written by Isabelle Kim