Fifty Vinh Thai Chicken Club members, Hearts for Hue staff and the Chairman and Chairwoman of the Local People’s Committee all gathered, waiting expectantly for a truck to come trundling out of the morning mist and wind it’s way across the swathe of rice paddies.
We did not have to wait long for the moment we’ve all been building towards after months of interviewing, training sessions and coop construction. The truck pulled in carrying 5,000 adorable baby chicks. They have been vaccinated, and all looked in good health, plump and comfortingly warm in the cold morning.
With the support provided by the Club and the training from Professor Ba, the chickens should provide a sustainable source of income for the families. When fully grown (3.5 months old), each chicken raised by Club members will sell for approximately 150,000 VND. Given that the average monthly family income for Club members is currently 2,100,000 VND, 100 baby chickens represents a large additional income source.
Tomorrow morning, October 31st, the company providing the chickens will visit each house and provide any assistance needed by the Club members. In the coming weeks, Hearts for Hue and Professor Ba will return to Vinh Thai to train selected Club members to be veterinary aides and to train a marketing group to manage and sell the Club’s produce.
On behalf of the Club members, Hearts for Hue would like to thank the Vinh Thai People’s Committee’s Chairman and Chairwoman for their invaluable support as well as Rotary International for generously sponsoring the programme.
