We are sorry to disappoint those of you who have been so creative and committed to raising money for chickens and income generating projects in the last two years. The good news is the hens given are laying and eggs are being sold. Our Canadian agriculturalist, working with OKM in Uganda, has said it would still be great to have a few more hens this year. But we’re not talking hundreds!
So what are the other challenges? We want to distribute improved seed for growing maize, beans, ground-nuts, and soya. The cost is approximately £7 to supply a family with adequate seed. An ongoing challenge is school uniforms which cost about £6 for a primary child, or £12 for a student in secondary school. These are some of the small scale challenges, but we also have an exciting and ambitious project to extend and improve housing for our families this year. To donate online click here. More soon!
What about if you ended up receiving hundreds of chickens????? I think all the better for it - after all they couldn\’t really be anything but a blessing especially in a place where food can be scarce but rightly shouldn\’t be - the more chooks the better, the more eggs you\’ll have to sell and the more chooks for the dinner table!!!!!!!!! (Editor says: If only it were that simple! For starters, raising chickens needs funds for chicken feed, chicken houses and fencing to ensure they are not stolen, finances for various treatments that hens need etc. This year we have been running Pounds for Pairs, provding school shoes and uniforms for the families\’ children. We hope to raise enough to also go on to assist with other educational needs.)
Of what I have read about OKM ministries from the Harpenden YWAM site, I am very pleased to hear that these projects are flourishing - they must not be allowed to diminish - as it is a wonderful thing to hear about the family adoption program as this is genuinely Biblical and shows that people are willing to truly offer their hearts where they are needed most. I hope that at some point in the future I will be able to contribute to this ministry in a way that truly makes a difference. (Editor says: Thanks for your encouragement. We are determined to touch the lives of more and more orphans and vulnerable children.)
Siuyin
Comment by Siuyin — May 24, 2008 @ 10:55 am
I am so impressed that you consider all aspects of the donation process. I learned this lesson the hard way when I was sending large amounts of necessary items to a village in the Congo without knowing that they had to pay the tariffs. I am sure the gifts were appreciated but I was completely unaware of the burden of tariffs. I think it is very wise and considerate of you to take in to account the cost of raising chickens. There are times when good deeds have far reaching ramifications and those ramifications are not always 100% positive. It is heartening to know your organization is taking all of these things into consideration.
Comment by frankie stoner — January 7, 2009 @ 7:45 pm