With starting a pig rearing business, 20 women – including widows, orphans and single mothers –  will gain an income that enables them to afford nutritious food, take their children to school and build or repair decent houses.

It is something very much needed in the community of Isulu, located in Ikolomani sub-county, in Western Kenya. Ikolomani sub-county is the second poorest sub-county in Kenya. Over half of its population lives below the poverty line. Low-income limits individuals’ access to necessities like food, shelter and healthcare. Poor households fall victim to diseases like malaria, malnutrition and jigger infestation more easily, affecting children’s education, as well as adult’s income generating possibilities. If such scenarios are not interrupted, a cycle of poverty is created generation after generation.

Pig rearing is a viable means to provide income to those earning less than a dollar a day. Pig rearing does not require one to have a large piece of land, pigs mature faster than other livestock, and there is a big and ready market for pig products, such as pork, sausages, and bacon. Besides, the farmer can feed pigs almost everything, including roughage, kitchen garbage, and agricultural waste, reducing feeding costs.

Recipients are involved in the project from start to end, including identifying the challenges (e.g. lack of jobs and income-generating activities), deciding how best to solve the challenge (i.e. the majority felt that a livelihood project, particularly pig rearing, was necessary to help them reduce the poverty they faced) and choosing the preferred breed of piglets to be reared.

All 20 recipients will earn an income from selling piglets and mature pigs.  A mature pig sells for around Ksh. 9,000 (or €70) in the area. If a beneficiary raises all the eight piglets to maturity, the family could earn about Ksh. 72, 000 (or €560) in less than a year, which equals around 5 months of minimum wage in Kenya.

The additional steady income will enable the participating women to afford basic needs, including food (a well-balanced diet), adequate clothing, children’s education and family’s healthcare. More so, extra income can be used to improve existing housing or construct a new one. And eventually, expanding or acquiring new businesses, helping to eradicate poverty.

The project costs for 20 women are Ksh 365,000 (or €2,832). The donations will enable us to support more farmers to successfully start pig farming, whom we have not yet reached due to limited funds. The donations will be used for:

• Buy two hybrid breed piglets (one male and one female) for each of the 20 recipients.
• Transport the piglets from the breeder to the farmers.
• De-worming and vaccination for each of the piglets.
• A business management consultant to train the recipients on how to manage the business side of the pig rearing venture and how to invest income from pig rearing.
• Follow-up visits immediately after group training to ensure farmers apply the techniques they’ve learned during training.
• An agricultural officer and veterinary officer, who work closely with the recipients and help monitor the pigs and provide regular extension services like vaccination and de-worming to prevent animal diseases.
• Feed supplements to boost the growth of the pigs.
• Conduct baseline and endline surveys among farmers to help measure impact.
• Project staff allowances, transport, and training materials (around 15% of total project costs).