Providing communities with food security, nutrition, and income
Jared Abuga
Food security remains an integral component of the IGA projects. HEART implements a sustainable income and food-producing project model of providing chickens and 2 story houses (coops) to the WEEP mothers and their households. The WEEP mothers are given 2 improved local chicken, chicken feeds, chicken veterinary drugs, chicken coops, chicken feeders and drinkers to start the project in their homes.
The improved chicken has good laying ability, is disease resistant, faster growing and is large in size than ordinary chicken. This makes the chicken them more sustainable compared to rearing ordinary local chicken, thus improving food security all year round for the WEEP mothers and children/dependents.
The WEEP mothers and children are consuming eggs for protein and also use the manure to grow vegetables. The mothers are provided with vegetable seeds such as carrots, spinach, kale, black night, green amaranths for important minerals and vitamin. Besides, they are selling surplus eggs and vegetables generate an income to meet other family needs. With this, the mothers are not only enhancing their food security but economic well-being as well.
Business training for WEEP mothers
WEEP mothers undergo business training which entails developing a business plan which she will implement in her business. The mothers have various businesses such as dressmaking, selling cereals, vegetables, milk as well as chicken breeding among many others that they run.
Savings and Internal Lending Communities
Besides running a business, the WEEP mothers are trained on how to save and borrow through their Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) which are registered groups ran and led by the WEEP mothers. They save through this platform and borrow to expand their business. HEART supports the SILC groups with a startup capital upon the graduation of each of the WEEP groups.
Leadership and governance
The WEEP mothers are trained on leadership and governance and we have WEEP mothers who are leading the WEEP centers as WEEP center coordinators and many are peer educators in the community.
Next-Gen Resource Centrer (Manga)
The Manga Next Gen Center targets WEEP mothers’ children who were not privileged to proceed with their primary, secondary, and tertiary education levels because of poverty. The Next Gen projects build on HEART’s mission of breaking the chain of poverty in the second generation, through empowering mothers and also empowering their children with education and invaluable technical skills. These youth are empowered with woodturning skills, Bible study skills, savings, quality production, costing, and marketing, offering them an excellent platform to change their lives and achieve their dreams.
