poultry project blog

Great News! The GW fellows and Peter Welikhe (Project Officer for TASO’s Sustainable Livelihood Programs) are going to be spending the next week doing outreach visits to all the Poultry Project kids and families to conduct evaluations on the project outcomes. We will be spending March 4,6,7,9 and 11 visiting the homes of the recipients. And then next Saturday (March 13) we will be holding a workshop at TASO Mbale for all participants to share their experiences, successes, hardships, etc. We will have a Vet there during the day to answer any questions in regards to the animals wellbeing. We’re very excited and can’t wait to share the results, stories, and photos with everyone! –Kate

Hello Everyone! My name is Kate Hesel and I am one of the current GWU fellows working at TASO. Kelly has asked me to occasionally blog about my experiences at TASO and in Uganda. Here is my first entry!

The past three days we have been away from the center, and out in the field, which I’ve been thrilled about. The first day we went out, we were accompanied by 4 doctors, 6 nurses, 5 counselors, pharmacists, managers, and organizational staff. We all oaded into several TASO Land Cruisers and went to a government-run clinic about 40 minutes North-East of Mbale. The government allows TASO to come to the clinic once a month to hold its outreach clinics—designed for TASO’s clients that are too sick, poor, busy, or live too far away to attend the center in Mbale for services (TASO holds these twice a week, Wednesdays and Fridays, in different locations around the Mbale district). The clinic runs exactly like the centers do – patients see doctors, counselors, and receive medication. TASO also brings other services to the clinics, such as massage, aromatherapy, and CD4 counts. We had several roles that day, but mainly spent the day measuring out medication and distributing it to the people waiting. We sorted everything from Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Magnesium, Amoxicillin, Erythromycin, several anti-depressants, Flagyl, Septrin, and ARVs (Anti-Retro Virals, the medicine used to fight HIV). We also handed out food, registered patients, performed triage, and helped out wherever we were needed. It was a tiring day, but completely fulfilling and exactly what I have been waiting to do since I arrived in Uganda.

The next day we went out for home visits to see people who are benefiting from TASO’s Sustainable Livelihood Projects (SLPs). SLPs are given to people or families who are infected with or affected by HIV. They are designed as income generating activities that can enhance the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. The Poultry Project is one of these activities. TASO has partnered with other organizations such as Heifer International to give land, seeds, animals, sewing machines, etc, so that people can earn extra money while fighting the disease. We first went to visit a man named Joseph, who was “resurrected” by TASO (his own words). Joseph worked on the border of Uganda and Kenya before diagnosed with HIV and returning home to his village in Mbale. His CD4 count was at two (basically death’s door) before he went on ARVs through TASO, which also gave him some money to purchase some land around his house. He now has multiple fields growing all sorts of local foods, all of which he sells to make a substantial living and support his entire extended family. He is one of TASO’s biggest success stories. He thought us three white girls visiting him at his house were hilarious and wouldn’t let go of my hand the entire time we were at his house and in his fields. It was a great experience.

We made two more visits to other households during the day, one to a girl who TASO is supporting by paying her school fees, and another family that is being supported with school fees and by the provision of several hoes so they can make a garden in their backyard. The head of that household was an orphan who already had two children of her own and was taking care of her brothers and sisters. One of her own children was born with an excess of fluid in her brain and even now, as she is six years old, has a gigantic head that needs continuous medicine to keep the fluid draining. Unfortunately, “continuous” medicine is hard to come by when you live 45 minutes away from the nearest hospital by car, and you don’t own a car, or a bike. Nothing here has a quick cure, almost no one lives near enough to a hospital, let alone a doctor. TASO’s field officers spend their days in trucks and dirt bikes trying to reach these people. I can see the work is exhausting but extremely rewarding.

AIDS is everywhere in Uganda, and subsequently TASO is a household name. TASO is almost singlehandedly responsible for controlling the disease within the past 20 years in Uganda; it’s a feat that is so unbelievable many people believe that TASO practices witchcraft – this success could only be from higher powers. Our guard, Tom, spent last night telling us about how his sister is HIV+ and her children are sponsored by TASO to go to school. Everyone seems to have a story like this – the disease affects everyone, directly or indirectly; there aren’t limits to its reach like back home. It was particularly moving at the outreach on Wednesday when we were surrounded by about 300 HIV+ people – I can’t even count the people I know back home who are HIV+ on one hand. In any event, the past few days have been very fulfilling and have given me such a great appreciation of the work TASO does here.

This coming week we will be spending more time at the center, designing the monitoring and evaluation plan for the SLPs, and for Kelly’s poultry project. I will blog again with more specifics about how that process comes along! Thanks for reading!

I am overflowing with gratitude – the GW MPH fellows have decided to conduct an evaluation of the Poultry Project.  Our project manager, Peter Welikhe, said they’re also planning a training workshop for our participants for early March.

Thank you GW fellows – your contribution to the Poultry Project is incredible!

Is the Poultry Project working?  Is it meeting its goal of improving the lives of children affected by HIV/AIDS and their caregivers?  How much money do they make from egg sales?  Is it enough money to make a significant difference in their lives?  Why are some families’ more successful at keeping chickens and growing their business?

We are hoping to get some answers to those questions in the coming months.  There are some George Washington University MPH students doing fellowships at TASO Mbale and they may help us conduct an evaluation!   An evaluation is long overdue and essential if we decide to scale-up and expand the project to TASO’s other 11 branches.

The evaluation will be qualitative and participatory.  We’re considering the Most Significant Change methodology (suggested by alanna from blood and milk – an intl dev blog I respect and admire).  Do you have any suggestions?  I ask that question and smile because I think I’m the only one reading this blog.  I’ll keep you posted on the evaluation.

The photo above has nothing to do with the post but I like to add an image and I don’t have any evaluation-related photos.  This photo was taken on E.105th street in the Glenville neighborhood of Cleveland.

Aid Watch, a blog I love and read often, posted “How the war on AIDS was lost” in response to a recent Wallstreet Journal article about AIDS treatment shortages and increased HIV incidence in Uganda.  Both articles describe a shortage of AIDS treatment for the increasing HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa, but then point to spending on treatment rather than prevention as the cause of increasing HIV infections.

I have worked in HIV/AIDS services for almost 5 years and what I know to be true, in the US and Uganda, is that treatment and prevention are interdependent.  I also know that HIV/AIDS is a complex problem with social, economic, political and public health factors – a complex response is essential.  There is not a silver bullet solution to HIV/AIDS.  And prevention is difficult.  The WSJ article praises the Bush administration for PEPFAR, but fails to acknowledge the misguided PEPFAR prevention policies that ignored evidence-based prevention practices in favor of ideology and may have contributed to increased HIV incidence in Uganda and other PEPFAR-funded countries. Finally, the WSJ article failed to mention the innovative and effective work of The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO), an indigenous AIDS service NGO in Uganda.  TASO uses a community-based approach to provide care and services to Ugandans infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS.

Paul Farmer has spoken out against the treatment vs. prevention debate.  Here he describes the connection between structural violence and HIV, shedding light on the complexities of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the need for a multi-faceted response (from Pathologies of Power):

HIV attacks the immune system in only one way, but its course and outcome are shaped
by social forces having little to do with actual virus… From the outset of acute HIV infection to
the end game of recurrent opportunistic infections, disease course is determined by, to cite but a
few obvious factors: (1) whether or not post exposure prophylaxis is available; (2) whether or not
the steady decline in immune function is hastened by concurrent illness or malnutrition;
(3) whether or not multiple HIV infections occur; (4) whether or not TB is prevalent in the
surrounding environment; (5) whether or not prophylaxis for opportunistic infections is reliably
available; and (6) whether or not antiretroviral therapy (ART) is offered to all those needing it.

Our Poultry Project General Manager, Peter Weilkhe, compiled the following report detailing participants’ progress over the last quarter of 2009.  Currently, Peter’s reporting is the only monitoring and evaluation mechanism we have to assess the efficacy and impact of the Poultry Project.  I am posting the report to keep the Poultry Project accountable to its donors and participants.  I invite readers to offer feedback, suggestions, and commentary.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

TASO MBALE END OF YEAR REPORT ON THE POULTRY PROJECT 2009.
BACKGROUND:
The Poultry Project that was started in 2006 for initially 20 OVC has had to expand and touch the lives of over 20 OVC and their siblings. It has been noted that the success of the program has caused recognition from government
authorities at local level, caused competition and served as a learning point for many around these areas among other strong points. By far the poultry project has had a big impact on the lives of the OVC, and their families as illustrated in this report, many have had their hope restored, got involved and learnt a lot in sustainable livelihood programming among others.  To give you a better beginning of evaluating our success, below were and are still the objectives of the program since 2006
Objectives
· To ameliorate the dire situation orphans and vulnerable children find themselves
in by empowering them to become self-sufficient through active participation in
an income generating activity.
· To provide sustainable support for child-headed families and HIV+ children
through income generating activity (smallholder poultry production – layers)
· To develop skills and confidence among participants through dedicated,
responsible participation in this program, while fulfilling the mission of TASO -
contribute to a process of restoring the quality of life of persons and communities
infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
We are hopeful the future programming is going to be more informed!

PROJECT STATUS AND OUTCOMES

(1)FAITH- Bukedea.
Faith is now a happy young and healthy girl. She is happy to receive visitors and shows a great improvement in the way she does her work. She has been promoted to primary three in the coming year 2010. The family has so far acquired a cow from the 6 goats that they had early in the year. The cow is currently pregnant. The family has retained one hen which is now laying.  How the project has benefited the family · The bicycle has helped the family transport themselves and faith to the hospital whenever they fall sick.
· The sale of 10 hens helped them meet medical bills and food for the family.
· The family has been having a balanced diet because of the eggs they eat at least 3 times a week.
· The chicken droppings have been used for manure in the kitchen garden.
· The family was able to raise 50.000= fifty thousand shillings as pocket money for Kedi Ben who is now doing a bachelor of commerce distance programme at makerere university year one
Over all the family is very happy and have hope.
(2)BETTY-BUKEDEA.
Is always at school but the uncle has been running the project on her behalf when ever she is at school. Poultry is doing very well so far the family has 184 hens and harvests 12 eggs a day .and makes a tray in 3 days.  Because of his hard work in the project, he was selected by the community to benefit from the NAADS (National Agricultural Advisory Services) who have given him a fencing wire for his compound.  He sold 3 goats and paid school fees for Betty at 150.000= for the previous term. And 1 goat died.
Achievements:
· He was selected as a lead farmer in his area by the NAADS programme.-this he attributes to the project.
· Payment of fees for the whole year.
· Having a balanced diet for the whole family at least an egg in 2 days.
· Has a stable income of 6000= UGShs every 3 days.
· Has been able to support other siblings in basic supplies.
· Hopes to buy a cow from the hens soon.
(3)PETER-child headed home.
The home is now clean and habitable .the hens are 9 and 9 chicks and 1 goat the family. The family has been able to eat some eggs regularly although they could not remember exactly how many. The bicycle is still in running condition and supports in domestic work besides helping peter take his firewood to the market and family to health unit besides collecting food for peter and his family. He sold 2 sheep and 3 goats to buy food for the family during the famine period
in the area. There was a lot of drought that affected the crops and yield was so poor. The family is happy the project rescued them.  The eggs supplement locally grown food.  Peter is now happy and busy tilling the land again for next year.
His major challenge is the jealous villagers who want to encroach on his land.
(4) AGNES-BUKEDEA
Has been promoted to senior four although with a poor grade div 4.  The family has used the aggregate they bought from the ground nut business to put up a ring beam on their house.  They lost all their birds to Newcastle disease and so far have 2 goats.  The challenge was during drought, most of the profits from the business were used to buy food for the family which is so extended totalling to 11.  Agnes also looks to be struggling in school. We are planning a discussion with
her director of studies early next year to see if we could iron out the issues surrounding her performance especially that she is going to a candidate class senior 4.the other option will be to support her do a skills course if she is not able
to handle the formal education.
(5)JUDE.-ATUTUR
Jude has 2, cocks, 6 hens and 1 goat. From their garden, the harvest was not so much only a basin of ground nuts due to drought. The family currently survives on the cassava and potatoes they had planted. Jude got only 4 points at school out of a possible 19 points. He attributed that performance to the many issues at home where his little sister Maria who was attending a primary teacher’s course at ST Mary’s eloped with a man, got pregnant and sold some food wanting to abort. She later moved away from home to unknown destination but rumours indicate she has eloped with a boyfriend who is yet to be identified.  The other challenge to the family was the grandmothers house got burnt and after collective support from the community, a new one was built which barely lasted 5 days and was burnt by a wild candle bringing the number to 2 burnt houses in an environment of OVC who have little they can do.
Achievements from the project.
· Sells some eggs to buy the domestic requirements to support Christy.
· Source of food.
· Have a cassava garden which is serving them hopefully up to Jan 2010
(6)ESTHER-KACHUMBALA
3 hens and 18 chicks. She has also acquired a sheep at 45000= and has enabled the family enjoy a balanced diet when it comes to selling and eating the eggs and the proceeds of the sales.  Esther is also doing well in school and has been promoted to senior 3.  Esther’s untie has also started a ground nut business as can be seen in the photo that will be sent in Jpeg.she says she started this business after acquiring the ideas from the workshop and meetings with colleagues.
(7)JACKLINE-(LATE)
Her siblings have fully embraced the project and so far have 16 hens. And 1 goat.  The bicycle is supporting them with domestic work as the person who was ridding got another business to do.they have always sold eggs to get food and
also eating part of them. They look healthy and happy.

(8)JAMES-(LATE)
Given their location, poultry is always stolen. They have resorted to using their bicycle to do casual work for a pay which they use to feed themselves. They have been supplementing that with cassava from their garden. The boys are not
interested in going to school for formal education as they say they are too big for the classes and some times they don’t pick what the teachers are teaching. In our assessment if possible we are thinking of linking one of the boys to a skills
builder for example a tailor to help him get the basic skills and there after support him do some business which the rest can support/be supported .
(9)MAIMUNA.
Was not at home for the last time we visited and according to reports she could have gone to Kampala to work as a house girl. Kampala is the capital city of Uganda where many young girls and boys admire to go. The care taker says from the sale of the bicycle, they bought 2 goats.
(10)SHAMIM.
Is a happy and hopeful young child. she was promoted to primary two and so far has 2 goats and 3 hens.shamim and the grand mother have always had a balanced diet and supplemented their food with an egg once a week.
They hope that with time, they will get a cow from their project.
(11) PHILIP-NOT VISITED DUE TO BAD WEATHER. WE HOPE
TO VISIT IN January when the ground is dry.
(12)DOREEN -not visited due to bad weather. We hope to visit in January when the ground is dry.
(13)SANDRA.-
The family has 5 hens .the bicycle has been able to support them pay fees for Sandra,. the fees include lunch and breakfast. They have also been able to provide for her scholastic materials from the bicycle earnings. They appreciate the poultry project so much for it has helped them reduce on the dependence burden.
(14) FLORENCE
They have moved to another place which is yet to be located .
(15) RASHID
So far has 12 hens and had their goat stolen. They however plan to buy another one from the chicken they have. They have now moved to the new site after the land issue was resolved and the old woman together with Rashid allowed to stay
in the proposed site.a temporary structure was erected as Juma about to complete the roofing of the other structure .photos will be coming early January.
(16)EMMANUEL
Was 9th in class out of 67 and promoted to primary six in the coming year 2010.his other sibling Joan had and average 40 in class and was also promoted to primary 2,the other sister Evelyn sat for primary leaving examinations. The family is now happy in their new house .they have one goat and 3 hens.they sold 2 hens and supported themselves with food when conditions were too hard. As of now the family is happy and planning to set up a kitchen and structure for the goat.
(17)PROTUS.
Was not available at home during the first quarter report as he had gone to Kampala to look for some jobs there but came back as he was not getting. He has 1 goat and a calf from the bicycle. He is hopeful the two items can help him
have some bigger assets in the coming future. Currently he is planning to hire some gardens and plant some crops for next year. As par the other domestic social bit of life, he divorced with his wife and that is one of the reasons the home was deserted in the early part of the year 2009
(18) YEKOSOPHAT-sironko
Was promoted to primary four with an average of 90% in eight subjects.yekosophat is hardworking at home as well as he spends most of the time looking for food for his two bulls. He also has 1 hen. Most of the last three months, the mother khainza has been attending to the young one who has been sick but by the time o the visit, the baby was fine. The family is very hopeful that come next year their bulls will be paired with other bulls inn the village to do ploughing and all that comes with increased food security for the family. They appreciate the project so much.
(19) ERIC
Had cough at the time of visit 17th Dec 2009 but was happy and able to perform other duties at home. Eric so far has two cows at home .the proceeds from the bicycle was added on to the goats and another bull was bought. This means Eric has a heifer and a bull from the project. The family also has 8hens and 2 goats from the project. He did not perform well in primary one and will repeat next year. Eric’s mother Sophie is planning to marry again early next year to another person of the same status. She has requested for drama group to be there on her ceremony and will update you on the developments.
(20) ANNET-NAKALOKE
Happy with the project and so far has 12 hens .her bicycle has been supporting to take her to the clinic quite often and has been supplementing her diet from the poultry project, eats an egg in 2 days and is healthier despite the many trips to
the clinic.
(21)ANANIA-LATE
His sibling together with the grand mother have been able to continue with the project and so far have 3 goats from the project. This goat was procured from the sale of chicken when it was pregnant. The two kittens were born after as will be
seen in the jpeg that will be sent separately. Simon who replaced late Anania was promoted to primary six .

(22)MICHAEL.  The family encountered a misfortune early December when their house was burnt to ashes. They are currently at a neighbors place until early next year as we plan rehabilitation exercise.

(23)EMMA
The family has 12 hens and has been happy to have sold eggs to buy domestic requirements. Emma repeated primary seven and sat for his exams. We wait for his results early 2010.the family has also been mobile a little during November
and December while attending to their sick grandmother

Thank you for visiting our new blog.  The Poultry Project, in collaboration with The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) Mbale branch, is beginning its fourth year of operations in Mbale, Uganda.  Our organization helps families affected by HIV/AIDS start their own sustainable smallholder poultry businesses. The families we work with are comprised of children that have lost one or both parents to AIDS-related illness, have HIV, and/or are being raised by an older sibling, a grandparent, or another relative.  Each family receives chickens, poultry vaccines, a bicycle, training and ongoing support from the Poultry Project and TASO. The chickens are raised as free-range layers and the eggs are sold and eaten. Families keep 100% of the profits from their poultry businesses. They use the money to pay for basic needs and school fees. We currently work with 26 families living in the Mbale region.
We are busy finishing our website and applying for 501(c)(3) charitable organization status.  Check this blog for updates and become a fan of the Poultry Project on Facebook.

The Poultry Project is in it’s third year and currently supporting over 20 families affected by HIV/AIDS in Mbale, Uganda through a sustainable agriculture slash microenterprise initiative.
We are currently working on our website, http://www.poultryproject.com.
We encourage you to take a moment to visit the Africa 101 Project website to learn about an amazing HIV/AIDS activist’s heroic journey – Suzanne Engo is running from NYC to Chicago to remind people about the HIV/AIDS epidemic. She stopped in Cleveland today to show her support at the AIDS Walk. Go to: http://www.africa101project.org
Oceans of gratitude to you and yours for your continued support of The Poultry Project.
When one is infected, we are ALL affected.

We want to extend a sincere thank you to our friends and family members who have given us support and love during our stay here in Uganda.
The donations raised this year were more than we ever anticipated.
With the donations we received, we were able to purchase goats, chickens, ox plows, add five new beneficiaries, fix leaky roofs, construct structures for livestock and continue the Poultry Project.
Above all, we were able to shine a light on the lives of many children who often go unnoticed. By sharing their stories, we have given them a voice.
But, we are mere messengers and you are the people who acted. It is because of your benevolence and generosity that anything has happened here.
Thank you,
Jerry Raffa
Stelio and Katie Flamos
Susie and Dave Pavlick
Ron Marshall
Susie & Dan Lee
Belterra Casino
North End Yoga
Alicia Orr
Allessandra Miele
Loretta Bowlby
Mary Jo Barr
Sheila Bray
Emil Alecusan
Carly Pavlick
Katie Pavlick
Mary Grace and Bill Pavlick
Andy Johnson
Sarah Wineland
Lauren Alviti
We will be forever changed by this experience and ceaselessly grateful to our friends and family for being such good people.