How Mukamurigo’s Poultry Venture Grew from 10 Chickens to Selling 70 a Day

Just a few years ago, Ester Mukamurigo from Gitwa Village in Kabagari Sector, Ruhango District, struggled to earn a living through casual labor such as breaking stones. What began as a small gift of 10 chickens has since transformed her life into a thriving poultry venture that now sells about 70 chickens a day.

Mukamurigo recalls that life was once extremely difficult.

“I was living a hard life because finding money was very difficult. I used to do casual jobs like breaking stones and other small tasks to earn a living,” she says.

Income was uncertain and opportunities were limited. But things began to change in 2023 when the Partnership for Resilient and Inclusive Small Livestock Markets (PRISM) project reached her community.

Through the project, Mukamurigo received 10 chickens, four hens and six cocks, along with training in poultry farming, goat farming and the concept of “Passing on Gifts,” which encourages farmers to support others once their livestock multiply.

At first, the chickens simply helped her household produce eggs. But she soon realized that with proper care and management, poultry farming could become much more than a small food source.

As the chickens started producing more eggs, she began selling them and used the money to buy her first goat. Later, after selling some of the cocks, she bought two more goats, gradually expanding her livestock assets.

Instead of stopping there, Mukamurigo decided to reinvest the income from her poultry.

Using money generated from the chickens, she started chick production, raising young chicks for sale. The business proved profitable.

“The first time I sold the chicks, I realized it was a very good business,” she says.

The knowledge and confidence gained from the training encouraged her to continue expanding her activities.

The project also helped farmers organize into savings groups, allowing members to access small loans for investment.

Mukamurigo joined one of the savings groups and took a loan to expand her poultry activities, which helped her build a larger poultry operation.

Today, her poultry house has the capacity to raise 600 chickens.

“Every day I sell about 70 chickens,” she says.

According to Mukamurigo, chicks aged 21 days are sold at about 2,500 RwF, while those that reach one month are sold for about 2,800 RwF.

“On average, the 70 chickens I sell earn around 175,000 Rwandan francs per day,” she explains.

Her chickens are mainly of the Tetra Super Harco breed. She buys day-old chicks from a hatchery in Rwamagana at about 1,100 RwF each before raising them for sale.

Encouraged by the profits from poultry farming, Mukamurigo and her husband are now planning to build a new poultry house that will have the capacity to raise 2,500 chickens.

“My goal is to move from 600 chickens to 2,500. At that level I will be able to sell 100 chickens a day, and I hope to buy a vehicle that will help me deliver them to markets,” she says.

For her family, livestock has become both a source of income and a reliable source of nutritious food, supporting the broader goal of reducing malnutrition.

Through the idea of “Passing on Gifts,” Mukamurigo has also helped others in her community.

“I helped one of my neighbors start raising chickens as well. Now their family can also eat eggs every day and have a balanced diet,” she says.

Her neighbor, Eustache Munyakarama, says Mukamurigo helped him recover after losing some of the chickens he initially received.

“I was also given 10 chickens, but some died and I was left with only six. Mukamurigo supported me and gave me 10 more chickens. Now I have about 25 chickens,” he says.

Living near Mukamurigo has allowed him to observe and learn from her experience.

“I follow her example because we live close to each other. I see how she raises her chickens and I’m learning how I can also reach the level she has achieved,” he adds.

Ruhango District’s Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development, Jean Marie Vianney Rusilibana, says the project has played an important role in improving livelihoods in the district.

“Giving livestock to citizens together with training on how to manage them helps people move out of poverty,” he says.

He adds that the initiative has also contributed to efforts to fight malnutrition and stunting.

“When you look at the data, you can see the progress. Although there were several initiatives involved, this project contributed significantly. According to the latest Demographic and Health Survey, Ruhango District is among the districts that reduced stunting, moving from 39 percent to 22 percent,” he explains.

The project operates in five sectors in Ruhango District and has worked in 13 cells, targeting communities with greater economic challenges.

Rusilibana notes that some challenges remain, including the high cost of animal feed, but says the government is working on solutions.

So far in Ruhango District, the project has trained 1,966 people. A total of 397 farmers received 597 pigs, 1,290 farmers received 13,810 chickens, and 719 farmers received 1,428 goats, while 127 farmers received 1,000-liter water tanks.

The project has also supported the construction of key infrastructure, including a pig slaughterhouse in Byimana Sector with the capacity to process 40 pigs per day, a small livestock market located in Ruhango Sector, and a veterinary clinic also located in Ruhango Sector.

Implemented by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) and funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the PRISM project operates in 15 districts across the country, targeting pig, poultry, goat and sheep value chains with a budget of 45 million US dollars.