Partner: Evangelical Free Church in South Sudan (EFCSS)
A chicken project is creating sustainable income in a refugee camp. By providing a source of food and income, this project is creating stability for those in the camp.
Due to vast amounts of conflict, Africa is home to many refugees. Many are fleeing war from their own countries to find shelter and safety in other lands. The Kiryandongo Refugee Camp in Uganda is one example of a temporary settlement currently accommodating refugees from Kenya, Congo, Sudan, Uganda, and Rwanda. People living in this camp escaped their homes for a better life. Starting over in a new place and different culture is exceedingly difficult for anyone, but the challenges are even greater when one discovers after arriving at the camp that there is a shortage of food and a lack of opportunities.
Uganda is one of the top countries currently hosting refugees, so the Kiryandongo Refugee Camp constantly receives an influx of people. Because the camp lacks food and job opportunities, people are stuck in a cycle of poverty. Although Uganda’s refugees are legally entitled to the same benefits as Uganda’s citizens—such as schooling and medical care—it is difficult for most refugees to take advantage of them. Uganda already has a lack of job opportunities for its citizens. Thus, refugees have access to something that doesn’t exist. Some refugees try to get into farming but do not have the land or capital to begin.
Pastor Thomas and his family are refugees living in Kiryandongo Refugee Camp. He has already helped start multiple churches. He also serves as a mentor in this camp. He desires to create more job opportunities for the people in the camp for them to be able to provide for their families.
Pastor Thomas believes starting a chicken business will create jobs and help provide a means for people to have food to survive. Half of the stock will lay eggs, and the other half will be sold as meat. They would start with a small team, then grow as the business expands.
THE PROBLEM & SOLUTION
Living in a refugee camp comes with a lot of challenges. The challenges this project will address are food insecurity, unemployment, and poor living standards.
A lot of the people in this refugee camp arrived there with nothing and without knowing anyone. They are thankful to be alive, but they feel stuck. They feel unwanted by their own country and are physically, emotionally, and spiritually depleted by the journey to make it to a new country. Without connections, it is nearly impossible to find a job after settlement. Therefore, refugees depend on non-governmental organizations entirely to survive.
Pastor Thomas wants to be part of the solution by creating a project that supplies food for the community, provides job opportunities, and raises the quality of life for the refugees. Because he has first-hand experience as a refugee who lives in this camp, he has a crystal-clear picture of what the people need.
Having been born and raised in South Sudan, Pastor Thomas has endured a war environment—so much so that it became normal for him. He lived with the constant fear of being killed or wondering what terror would happen tomorrow. This took a heavy toll on him and his family before they fled to Uganda and ended up at Kiryandongo Refugee Camp.
Pastor Thomas has planted a few churches in the camp, making it his mission to preach the gospel in the community. He has become a trusted leader and advocate for other refugees; he is often sought out for help. He struggles because he faces many of the same issues as the other refugees.
After much consideration, Pastor Thomas believes a chicken project will aid in solving the very problems that he, along with the other refugees in the camp, face daily.
His main desire for the chicken project is to help people in his community believe they still have a purpose and can take care of their families. He chose chickens instead of other animals because they are easy to care for, and the food is cheaper. He also has identified three people who will work with him; they have worked with chickens before.
This project began with the purchase of 300 chickens, thanks to your support. To date, over 2,000 chickens have been sold through this business!
The chickens are raised and sold to the community as an affordable source of food, and to others who in turn roast the chickens themselves and sell them in the market. Many in the community have started their own small businesses doing this, sustaining both families and the local economy.
The generated revenue from this project consistently supports three local churches in the camp, employs three individuals, and covers the tuition fees for five of Pastor Thomas’ children to attend school, and four more who he has taken in.
While we currently raise 600 chickens at a time, this year, we’ve expanded the space occupied by this project with a plan to grow and raise 1,000 chickens at a time. This would in turn create more jobs, allow us to hire a manager, and enable the project to begin contributing to the broader needs of the ministry across both South Sudan and Uganda.
Pastor Thomas spends each Saturday hosting free training to teach others how to start their own chicken businesses.
OUR PLAN
The goal is to create financial stability for the community. Providing job opportunities will allow families to have food to survive and improve their quality of life. The first step will be to buy 600 chickens, 300 of which will be strictly for laying eggs to sell, and the other 300 will be sold for meat.
Thomas has spoken to multiple business customers who will buy from him—including those that sell roast chickens and grocery stores that carry eggs.
Thomas also wants to bring more quality food to the community; the chicken and eggs will be a valuable source of food and protein. A lot of people in the community are starving and malnourished and this will be a great start to changing that. Above all else, the hope is for people to come to know Christ, which has already begun through church planting and mentorship, but will continue through providing financial stability.
DESIRED IMPACT
The desired impact of the chicken project is to create more job opportunities for people in the refugee camp. Most people in the camp are struggling to find consistent jobs to be able to provide for their families. They lack the connections and resources necessary in the new country to be able to provide basic needs for their families or send their kids to school. The goal is for families to be financially stable.
The long-term desired impact is for the chicken project to be successful enough to be able to support 10 missionary families under EFCSS. As the business grows, not only will it be helping take care of the families in the refugee camp in Uganda, but it will also be supporting even more missionaries from South Sudan.
MEASURABLE GOALS
01.
Contribute to covering half of the EFCSS support by July 25, 2023.
02.
Contribute to covering the full EFCSS support by December 25, 2023.
03.
Begin directing profits to another local project under EFCSS leadership after the first year of operation.
04.
Create 10 jobs through the chicken project by January 25, 2024.