The Maara Culture Community-Based Organization (CBO), an umbrella troupe of 20 cultural groups, has benefitted from a donation of 1,600 hybrid layer chicks and Sh400,000 initial capital to kick-start their poultry farming project.
Maara Cultural Dancers Ambassador Kimathi Ntumiiru said that 400 members of the group received the chicken and every individual dancer will have four chicks.
The donation will be cascaded across all five wards where the dancers’ groups are located.
Ntumiiru said despite the challenges the CBO members have undergone, the donation is a dream come true for them because the financial support they received during the Maara Cultural Festival Season IV has highly boosted them because they will rear the chicken, sell the eggs, and enable every individual dancer to benefit.
“After a period of five months, the chicken will start laying eggs. We also thank everyone who chipped in for us in this project. Despite the discouragements from people, political differences, and the financial hurdles, we have finally launched the project,” Ntumiiru said.
“We are delighted to receive these chicks because this will motivate us as a source of livelihood and keep us busy even as we promote our culture. This project will help us pay school fees, put food on the table, grow our own resources in our homes, and help us in our nutrition and diet because we will become the first consumers of these eggs. Let us remain united for our own growth,” Moffart Kanjeni, a member of the Maagi Dancers Group, noted.
Mitheru location Chief, Edna Risper Gakii, encouraged the groups to take care of the poultry project because, through such an initiative, they will cater to their financial and other basic needs.
She urged other residents to join such groups so that they can grow together.
“With good leadership, it is evident that this CBO will be great in their business venture because they have dreams and are determined.
They are now self-employed, and they will have cash flow in their pockets even when they are participating in the preservation of the culture. I will ensure that they get training on table banking so that they grow to higher levels of investing through the same,” said Purity Wanja, Nominated MCA.
Mitheru Ward administrator Fredrick Keya thanked the County Government for supporting the project, adding that the success of the project is a result of the unity, togetherness and great ambitions the members of the CBO and their leader have shown to benefactors and leaders.
By Dickson Mwiti and Beatrice Mwende
