In the first week of February 2022, the Children in the Wilderness (CITW) Botswana team facilitated the launch of the Beetsha Poultry Project at the village primary school. On 20 May, the team went back to the school to deliver and install cages for the laying hens.
“We can now report with great joy that on 8 June we returned with 50 Hy-Line Brown chickens (known as the world’s most balanced brown egg layer), as well as their feed and medicine”, notes Kelly Baitshoki, Assistant Administrator for CITW Botswana.
The Beetsha Eco-Club members were given the opportunity to take the lead and place the chickens in their cages and mix the stress packs for the chickens. They also fed the hens.
Everyone also helped plant snake-repellent plants (different varieties of marigolds) around the poultry house.
The CITW team, together with Mr Lesego Sediegeng, the Eco-Club Co-Ordinator, designed a rota for feeding and cleaning the poultry, which the children will take responsibility for. “Our desire is to see this project grow, and make a positive impact on the school, and the village at large”, adds Kelly.
Profits from the egg sales will be saved to invest in another project that will also benefit the school and the community. The Poultry Project has now been handed over to the school management and Mr Sediegeng.
The CITW Botswana team would like to direct special gratitude to the Haagvalken family (guests of Vumbura Plains), the Ministry of Basic Education, Okavango Sub-District Council (Shakawe), Wilderness Safaris Botswana, Beetsha Primary School Management, Mr Lesego Sediegeng and the Parent-Teacher Association for their amazing support and hard work, to ensure that this project was completed.
By Kelly Baitshoki, CITW Botswana Assistant Administrator
